NAME:
Barry Richard Walker
BORN:
Coventry 08-12-48
STAR
SIGN: Sagittarius
SCHOOL:
Caludon Castle School / The Butts College
FIRST
BAND: "The Proles" at school (I can pick them)
MUSICAL
INFLUENCES: Yes, Them, The Stones, Rick Wakeman
At the age of 10 appeared on stage with Maria Calais in
Carmen. Was a member of the church choir at St Michaels
Church, Coventry, but was expelled after 5 years for setting
the church porch on fire!! At 17 joined the first of several
Irish Show-bands and toured the UK and Irish dance halls
lugging a Hammond Organ around. Barry finally decided to
pack up work as a Development Engineer, aged 27 after being
discovered asleep in the tool cupboard too many times.
Barry
formed "THE EYES of BLUE" in 1974 and then changed
the name to "SMACKEE" in 1976 after the offer
of several European tours and a one off record deal with
DECCA RECORDS who released their first single. This was
a "Reggae" version of MY GIRL with Barry as lead
vocalist, - well before UB40.Unfortunately it didn't make
the charts.
Arising
from the ashes of "The Eyes Of Blue" Smackee was
born out of the necessity of adding a couple of female singers
in order to tap into the lucrative show-band market on the
continent. With the addition of a new rhythm section of
Ricky Medlock and Terry Bown, and retaining the services
of guitarist Michael Smitham, the new band took to the road.
The two "new" girls just happened to be sisters….Dawn
and Carol Glenville. Dawn was also Barry's girlfriend. (so
Paul McCartney isn't the only one to get his girl into the
band!)
Barry
is a perfectionist. Everything he puts his mind and energies
into he does to a high professional standard. A stickler
for detail he will not settle for second best…whether
it be equipment, stage costumes, or the correct harmony
blend. It is with his single-mindedness and determination
that Smackee grew through the ranks and soon started to
stand out from the run-of-the-mill acts and has become renowned
as the most outstanding show in its field today.
Barry
began by playing all keyboard parts and took on the mantle
of lead vocals. In the eighties he eschewed the banks of
synths so popular with most acts, preferring instead to
use just a grand piano for stage. This allowed his vocals
and stage presence to have more impact. Today he handles
all male lead vocals taking centre stage whenever possible.
He returns to keyboards when performing the"Abba Show".
Never
allowing Smackee's show to stagnate Barry is continually
up-dating the repertoire and expanding the scope of the
act. In the 90's he steered the band into the realms of
"theatre productions" performing songs from stage
and screen; and in the last five years Smackee have produced
their own excellent tribute to Abba.
Along
side working as a travelling show Barry has built his own
sound studio which is used to make promotional material
for Smackee along with other projects.
What
ever Smackee decide to do next you can bet Barry will make
sure it is of the highest possible standard.
Barry has been fully committed to running the organisation
for the last 24 years and is looking forward to the 25th
Anniversary Tour. He has also developed his own 64 track
digital studio and has produced all of SMACKEE's albums.
In
1988 Barry was proud to have received on behalf of SMACKEE
the Club Mirror Show-group of the Year award, which can
only be won once. That year, Lenny Henry was Comedian of
the Year, and the female vocal award winner was Sinita.
HOBBIES:
Landscape gardening, Fish-keeping, Horse riding, Running,
Scuba Diving, Golf, Computers. Barry grew giant leeks and
onions in his back garden in Coventry as a hobby back in
1986 and won the Midland Leek Championship the following
year! He moved to Burbage, Leicestershire in 1988 and took
up horse riding with his wife Dawn, entering local gymkhanas.
He then took up jogging to improve his overall well being
and ended up running several 1/2 marathons on the way to
getting fit. Learnt how to scuba dive at Stony Cove in 1997,
and is now an Advanced Open Water diver. He enjoys wreck
diving and has recently been to a depth of 42mts off the
coast of Barbados.
Since 1998 has had a keen interest in golf and is a member
at Hinckley Golf Club. Although not yet into single figures,
barry now starts the 2003 season off 13.
