Barry McGuire
b. 1935
Recording
Artist
Barry McGuire stepped into the public
eye as the gravely voiced singer of the New Christy Minstrels.
(Named aft er
the Christy Minstrels which was founded by Irish-American EdChristy
in 1842.) The New Christy Minstrels heyday was from 1962-1965.
During this time they had 7 charted hits. Two of those million-sellers
were "Green, Green" and "Green Back Dollar"
both sung by McGuire. Other stars that were catapulted to fame
by the group included Kenny Rogers, Roger McGuinn, Karen Black,
Kim Carnes and John Denver.
Barry McGuire's great grandfather was actually
a Kernnon from the North of Ireland. When the Kernnon's decided
to immigrate to the states his great grandfather was too young
to make the journey so he stayed behind with his mother's
family the McGuire's. He wasn't able to make it to the states
until nearly twenty years later and by that time he had adopted
the name McGuire as his own. He settled in Missouri and worked
as a mason and carpenter. The family eventually moved on to
Texas and then Oklahoma. Barry McGuire was born on October
15, 1935 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His parents divorced
when he was two and he moved to California with his mother.
She later remarried and his stepfather worked in construction
and they moved quite often. He went to nine or ten grammar
schools and two high schools.
During his late teens and early twenties
McGuire drifted and worked all kinds of jobs. One day he had
a date with a gal and because of a mix-up in time he missed
her. He decided to go to his uncle's bar and have a few drinks.
While there the bartender asked him to join him in singing
a few tunes. Pretty soon McGuire was playing for parties where
he was discovered by singer Peggy Lee. He eventually formed
a duo with Barry Kane called "Barry and Barry" before
both of them joined the New Christy Minstrels.
In 1965, at the heart of the peace movement,
McGuire went solo. Echoing around the world as an anthem of
the times, his growing awareness of social hypocrisy was expressed
in his third hit "Eve of Destruction." Two other
hits "Child of our Times," and "Cloudy Summer
Afternoon" also reached the charts by 1966. Three years
later, McGuire was cast as the male lead in the original production
of the Broadway Musical "Hair." Once again his voice
was heard proclaiming the ideals of a radical generation.
By the late 1960's McGuire was a huge star.
He had a big house in the Malibou Mountains in California.
He was jet-setting all over the world and was working with
musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Jim
Morrison and Cass Elliott. Yet the financial success and personal
fame disillusioned him. There was very little fulfillment.
At an appearance at the Irish Fest Center
in 2002 McGuire told the audience that it was David Crosby
who told him that he was worried about how much drugs and
alcohol McGuire was consuming. McGuire said "If David
Crosby is worried about you, then you know you're in trouble!"
Having short-circuited on drugs in the 1960's McGuire turned
his life around in 1971. He found Jesus Christ and has been
dedicating his music and life to him ever since.
He left Hollywood and set out to do what
ever he could to bring about positive change in the world.
McGuire's transformation is exemplified in the lyrics of his
music which focus on the importance of family, the value of
children, and his personal journey through life. In 1988 McGuire
began doing charitable work for third-world countries. He
eventually teamed up with Terry Talbot in 1995. Terry is another
Irish-American who had musical success in the 1960's working
with Glen Campbell, Cher and Chad Mitchell. Together they
recorded four albums.
Barry McGuire still tours regularly and
along with his wife they now live in New Zealand where her
family is from.
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