Dick Barrie's
Country Music Website

Dick Barrie's Bio

BORN:
Glasgow, Scotland, 24th August, 1942

EDUCATED:
Melville Street Primary, Pollokshields, Glasgow.
Allan Glen's School, Glasgow.

FIRST KNEW OF COUNTRY MUSIC:
Very early in my life, BBC "campfire" programmes by singing cowboys - and of course, there were the Gene Autry and Roy Rogers films. When I began to take an active (teen-age) interest in music, the rock'n'roll thing was just beginning - so I was exposed to Elvis, Buddy Holly and other country-influenced singers from the very start of my "formative years"…

LATER KNOWLEDGE:
Having grown up through the heavily-American influence of rock'n'roll, I had no time for the milk-and-water British copycats (Tommy Steele, Cliff, Billy Fury, etc) and looked deeper into US originals of the songs the British guys were covering.Often, I discovered country music underneath the pop façade! Also, when Radio Luxemburg played people like Johnny Cash, while I may have thought it was "pop" I liked it! When the Beatles begat the British Invasion of American popular music, I didn't follow their banner, preferring to seek out country-style artistes for my rapidly-growing record collection. In time, I amassed some eighty-odd LP's and a couple of hundred singles - nearly all, it seemed, on Decca's "London-American" label! In time, while also appreciating the music of Chuck Berry, the Beach Boys and even Simon & Garfunkel, my tastes usually came down on the country side of the coin. When I saw Johnny Cash, the Tennessee Three and the Statler Brothers at the Odeon in Glasgow in the early summer of 1966, that was it!

INTO RADIO:
Having broadcast on matters concerning speedway, and presented the first "Flightwatch" reports for Radio Forth, Radio Clyde and BBC Radio Scotland in 1977/78, I was still somewhat surprised to be asked - in late '78 -- by Andy Park and Tom Steele of Radio Forth if I was interested in presenting a country-music programme! Tom Steele, especially, is known throughout the industry for having some crazy ideas - and this was surely one of his craziest! But I thought "why not?" and dragged some of my record collection through to Edinburgh to give it a go - "for half-a-dozen programmes, until we get a more-experienced chap" suggested Tom Steele. Well, that was in December of 1978 - and, 1,150-odd programmes down the road, I wonder if I'm experienced enough yet?

NASHVILLE!
When I began my programme, the furthest west I'd been in my life was possibly Largs. Through my "Flightwatch" work for British Airways - who funded that service for local radio - in 1981 I had the opportunity to travel to the United States, and even to Nashville! Since then, I've been back a few times - not as many times as people might think - and met many people within the music business. I have no doubt that many people in the UK with a lively interest in country music would enjoy visiting Nashville, Tennessee - but it is at times a strange place, and most certainly not an out-and-out "Country Music City" to the exclusion of other facets of industrial life.

FAVOURITE INTERVIWEES:
Of the artistes who have visited Radio Forth to come on "Barrie Country" with me, I have great memories of George Hamilton IV, Ray and Dennis of Dr Hook, Roy Drusky and Phil Everly, all of whom provided quite brilliant insight into their lives and music. Other stars I've met and talked to who made an impression as people, rather than just performers (in no particular order) include Barbara Mandrell, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Marty Robbins, Boxcar Willie and Brenda Lee.

HAPPIEST MOMENTS:
Hearing the Statler Brothers (as opening act for Johnny Cash) in Glasgow in 1966. Being asked backstage at the Grand Ol' Opry in Nashville on my first visit to town. On the same trip, being invited by Boxcar Willie to a Nashville recording session. Finding a hitherto unheard-of Statler Brothers album in a record shop in Melbourne, Australia, in 1986. Watching Garth Brooks in concert for the first time (in Aberdeen, 1994). Being stunned to silence by Reba McEntire during my 1,000th programme, when she told me I was to receive the CMA's "International Country Broadcaster" award in late October, 2000.

REMAINING BROADCASTING AMBITIONS:
To continue to produce and present as varied and interesting a selection of at least vaguely-country music for three hours or so, every Sunday evening! To have time to sit down and listen, really listen, to as many of the tens of thousands of songs I've accumulated - on vinyl, cassette tape and CD - over my lifetime of collecting country and rock'n'roll music, and to then be able to pass on the best of what I've heard to an ever-growing (well, it's an ambition, isn't it?) listening audience! To be less than boring to any listener, at any given time.