Del Barber wows Forestburg audience

Del Barber performed in his unique alternative-country/folk style in Forestburg on Saturday, March 8.

A self-proclaimed lover of fishing, hockey, and music, Barber is also a first-class storyteller and musician.

With just an acoustic guitar, Barber sang his songs about the prairies, and about life, telling stories of his sometimes unique encounters as he travels the country making music.

He sings about his adventures at the New West Motor Hotel in the Crowsnest Pass with ‘Peter and Jenny Lee’; about pouring his soul out to an all-night cafe waitress in ‘The Waitress’; and shopping at the Home Depot in Kelowna (where there’s just too many lattes and yoga pants for him to feel comfortable) in ‘Right Side of the Wrong’ with a story accompanying each.

His tales from the road allow his audience a taste of what it’s like travelling from performance to performance, meeting people from all walks of life.

Barber sings from the heart, with a folky-country style reminiscent of Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young, or even Ian Tyson; in fact he closed his first set with Young’s Harvest Moon, and came back for an encore with Tyson’s classic ‘Someday Soon.’

Barber closed his show with what he said was his Dad’s favourite song, “1952 Vincent Black Lightning,” showing off his finger-picking skills.

He was nominated for Solo Artist of the Year at the 2012 Canadian Folk Music Awards, and a Juno award in 2011 for his album “Love Songs of the Last Twenty;” his new album is Prairieography.

Barber said, “These songs that we sing, they surely do mean something to us.”

Saturday’s audience in Forestburg was treated to a genuine, intelligent, and talented performance from the heart.

Leslie Cholowsky
Editor