Barry McGuire American folk rock songwriter and performer Date of Birth: 15.10.1935 Country: USA

Biography of Barry McGuire

Barry McGuire is an American author and folk-rock singer-songwriter. He was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and later moved to California with his family when he was very young. At the age of 16, Barry enlisted in the United States Navy, but after ten months it was discovered that he was still a minor, and he was sent home. He began looking for work and started off in commercial fishing before becoming an apprentice plumber. At the age of 25, he was given the opportunity to work as a singer in a small restaurant.

In 1961, McGuire released an unsuccessful single titled "The Tree" and formed a duo with Barry Kane. In the spring of 1962, they both joined the group "New Christy Minstrels". In 1963, McGuire and Randy Sparks (the founder of the group) co-wrote their first successful single, "Green, Green". After the release of the album "Cowboys and Indians" in January 1965, McGuire left the group, but he was still credited as the performer of the main composition on the group's next album, "Chim Chim Cher-ee".

During the 1960s, Barry gained fame as a solo folk-rock artist with hit songs such as "Eve of Destruction" and "Sins of the Family", written for him by P.F. Sloan. In 1965, his album "The Eve of Destruction" and the title track single entered the top 40 charts published by "Billboard" magazine. In 1966, McGuire recorded the album "This Precious Time" at Dunhill Records. In 1967, he appeared in the film "The President's Analyst" with James Coburn, playing a character nicknamed "Old Cowboy". In 1971, he starred in the movie "Werewolves on Wheels". He also performed on Broadway in the musical "Hair" for about a year.

In October 1970, after a brief encounter and conversation with evangelist Arthur Blessitt, McGuire became a devout Christian. From 1973 to 1975, he worked with the label "Myrrh" and recorded three albums. In 1976, he collaborated with "Sparrow Records", founded by former executive director of "Myrrh" Billy Ray Hearn. McGuire recorded seven albums on this label, with the most well-known being the 1978 album "Cosmic Cowboy". In the same year, his children's album "Bullfrogs and Butterflies" was released and also gained immense popularity. In 1978, McGuire played the role of Apostle Peter in the musical "The Witness" directed by Jimmy Owens. He toured extensively with the theater troupe throughout the United Kingdom, receiving praise from theater critics for his acting and singing.

In the 1980s, McGuire left the music industry and moved to New Zealand, where he got married. In the 1990s, he returned to the United States and teamed up with Terry Talbot, recording four albums together from 1996 to 2000. After returning to the US, Barry lived in Fresno, California for a while, but eventually moved back to New Zealand. In 2008, McGuire and former member of "The Byrds", John York, organized a concert tour called "Trippin' the '60s".

Partial Discography:
- Barry Here and Now (1962)
- The Barry McGuire Album (1963)
- Eve of Destruction (1965)
- This Precious Time (1965)
- The World's Last Private Citizen (1967)
- McGuire and the Doctor (1971)
- Seeds (1973)
- Lighten Up (1974)
- Narnia (1974)
- Jubilation (1975)
- To the Bride (1975)
- Eve of Destruction (Star Power) (1975)
- C'mon Along (1976)
- Anyone But Jesus (1976)
- Jubilation Two (1976)
- Have You Heard (1977)
- Cosmic Cowboy (1978)
- Inside Out (1979)
- Best of Barry McGuire (1980)
- Finer Than Gold (1981)
- Pilgrim (1989)
- Let's Tend God's Earth (1991)
- When Dinosaurs Walked The Earth (1995)
- Ancient Garden (1997)
- Frost And Fire (1999)
- Eve Of Destruction (20 Inspirational Classics) (2000)