About Me

BARRY McCLOUD

A LIFE.....SO FAR

BARRY McCLOUD was born in London, England. He came from an entertainment family on his mother’s side. His mother had at some time, been a dancer and among his cousins were film star Edward G. Robinson, Williams from the music hall act, Bennett & Williams and American comedian, Harvey Stone. He was age four when he made his first appearance on stage, doing impressions.

THE 1950s

When he was 13, he bought his first guitar. He joined a traditional jazz band and was part of a skiffle group. About this time, he started listening to rock’n’roll and Country. When he was 16, he started a rock’n’roll band, Brad Martin & the Lyrics and played at the famed 2-I’s Coffee Bar in London. He also played guitar with the London Student Jazz Orchestra.

THE 1960s

During the Folk boom of 1967-8, he started a Folk club and played around the London scene. In 1968, he set up Folk From Sheba, which within eighteen months had become the largest Folk agency in the U.K.. He handled worthies such as the legendary Scottish writer/performer Matt McGinn, top Bluegrass band, the Clay County Travellers, comedy star and singer/comedian/actor Billy Connelly and super guitarist Gordon Giltrap. He then set up Subway, a rock agency, handling the fledgling band, Hackensack.

THE 1970s

In 1970, he joined the Red Bus Company, as agency head, handling Mungo Jerry, Humble Pie and Paul Brett. He subsequently went on to book Fleetwood Mac and Daniel Boone. About this time, he started songwriting. His first effort, Keeper Of My Heart, co-written with Paul Brett appeared on Brett’s album, Jubilation Foundry and was playlisted in St. Louis.

In 1975, he joined up with Simon Renouf in a writing and production company. They wrote Jody for Terese Stevens and tracks for Brian Poole. About this time, he was getting more and more attention paid to his DJing and by 1980, he was one of the top jocks on the Mecca circuit, pulling in 1,500 people each night and getting a reputation for playing import disco and Jazz-Funk. He appeared at the first Isle of Wight Soul Festival.

THE 1980s

He then got involved in record promotion and helped set up Rush Release before breaking away with his own company. Major hits represented included those by the Specials, Frank Hooker, Tony Capstick and Generation X.

He was still songwriting and a couple of songs co-written with Nick Staton were cut by former Ike & Tina Turner Revue singer, Jimmy Thomas. Barry produced this single and others by Reggae band, Delayed Action and Jazz-Funk group, KMR. In 1987, he achieved an ambition as a performer by playing Blues harp in Memphis. About this time, he came to a crossroads in his life. He had (and still has) a great interest in politics. He was approached to stand as a candidate at local government level but after much soul searching, decided to put all his efforts behind his entertainment industry aspirations.

In 1988, thanks to the help of Bob Montgomery, who was the original partner of Buddy Holly, he started co-writing with some of Nashville’s top songwriters including Don Goodman, Jeff Tweel, Buddy Cannon, Earl Bud Lee, Jess Leary, Karen Taylor-Good and Fred Kohler. Later that year, he set up his own ASCAP company, Cordillera Music.

Over the next four years, he visited Nashville on twelve occasions, writing and building his career. About this time, he became an in demand writer of liner-notes for Music For Pleasure (EMI’s budget label) and Readers’ Digest. He has since written for Readers’ Digest in the U.S.A., California-based labels, Scotti Brothers, Rhino Records and Varese Sarabande.

THE EARLY 1990s

By now his real love of Country music had surfaced and in 1985, he commenced research on the most comprehensive encyclopedia of Country music ever produced. He set up research teams in the U.S.A. and U.K. In December 1992, this research came to fruition, when a contract was made with the Putnam Berkley Publishing Group (Perigee Books) for “Definitive Country: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Country Music and its Performers.” It comprises 1152 pages and includes over 1200 biographical entries as well as sections on awards, addresses, fan clubs, movies, festivals and fairs. Because of his knowledge of Country music, in particular, he soon became in demand as an expert guest on radio stations in the U.K. and U.S. He also appeared on television in the U.S.

In January 1990, his first single (self-produced), Lady Rodeo Rider/Lovers’ Rock was released on MSR and was made a Cash Box Hit Pick. The same year, he put together the Bounty Hunters and they played the celebrated Wembley Festival, opening for Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel. In 1992, he released his second single, No Problem, on MSR.

In November 1992, he moved to Nashville to do further work on the encyclopedia and to continue his songwriting, recording and performing career.

During 1994, upon the completion of “Definitive Country: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Country Music and its Performers,” he started work on follow-up projects. Barry McCloud is probably unique in popular music in that his knowledge bridges all forms including Country, Soul and R&B, rock’n’roll, Heavy Rock, Folk and Pop music. His own record collection now includes over 17,000 records in all sorts of music.

Barry McCloud finished his first spy thriller, which is currently being shopped. He and writer Lesley-Anne Peake have worked on historical documentaries for Cinetel (including scripts for their A&E series, America’s Castles) and other projects for television and the big screen. They have now formed their own Little Lamb Productions. June 1995 saw the publication of “Definitive Country: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Country Music and its Performers,” which has since become the industry “bible.” He also began working on the cd-ROM version with software house, StarWorks. “Definitive Country” was nominated for the prestigious Belmont Prize from Belmont University.

THE LATE 1990s

In 1996, he worked with Lesley on several biographical projects for. During the year, Barry McCloud began his on-screen expert relationship with Greystone Productions. He appeared in Life and Time of Ernest Tubb and has gone on to appear on Country Crooners and on A&E's Biography of Tammy Wynette and Biography of The Osmonds. For a time during 1996, he also hosted the Nashville-based comedy club, We Are Not Amused?

From 1994 until 1999, he wrote the annual “Who’s Who In Country Music” for Music City News and has also written for Music Row, Country Song Roundup and is still in demand for sleeve notes. In addition, he wrote for the Arts Watch column in the Washington Times’ magazine, The World & I.

At the end of 1997, Barry McCloud formed Cordillera International L.L.C., which was responsible for the company’s international and corporate activities and facility representation, which grew to warrant separate corporate status. He also returned to record producing and was in the studio with Kentucky singer, Brenda Baker. He was also appointed Membership Chairman for the Nashville Association of Talent Directors. He also took on the management of guitarist, Muriel Anderson.

In 1998, Cordillera International and Magnum Nexus Private Limited, based in New Delhi, India, went into partnership to present corporate and public events in India and the Middle East. As a result, he spent much of the year traveling around the world, visiting India, the Middle East and England.

The first version of the cd-ROM of "Definitive Country" appeared in the spring of 1999. In association with StarWorks, he is developing several cd-Rom and DVD properties. A major distribution and marketing deal was struck for the cd-ROM with DreamWorks/Universal. This will have the support of country.com and TNN (The Nashville Network). The cd-ROM goes by the title of "country.com's Century Of Country: The Definitive Country Music Encyclopedia."

As well as his role as Membership Chairman, he also became Chairman of the Nashville Association of Talent Directors Steering Committee. The committee was responsible for taking the organization into the new millennium and giving it a more professional face. He also acted as their Archivist and official photographer. He is a member of the International Entertainment Buyers Association, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and Meeting Professionals International.

2000 ON

Barry McCloud began writing features for Irish Country music magazine, “Country Music Plus” and “Nashville Lifestyles,” reviews for “Country Music Live” and “Country Music Today” as well as acting as special consultant, producer and writer on Country music and Bluegrass for Sirius Satellite Radio. He also undertook a two-year liner note project for Readers Digest’s new Country music album series and wrote the content for the new web site for the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

He has also become a much-in demand photographer for various entertainment events and conventions and has worked with Curb and BMG Records as well as being official photographer for the North America Country Music Association International and the Nashville New Music Convention. Generation III of “Definitive Country” is being incorporated into his web site www.countrymusicfactsandnews.com, which has subsequently become one of the most visited Country music websites along with its sister site, www.mccloudscrowd.com.

In 2003, Barry McCloud moved into a new area. Having instituted student membership of NATD, he was invited to become an Adjunct at Belmont University and lecture to the students on International Concert Promotion. That same year, Barry McCloud was appointed Sergeant-at-Arms of NATD in succession to the legendary Billy Deaton.

In 2004, he was named to the board of the Nashville Independent Recording Association. Barry McCloud also added acting to his credentials and in the spring of that year when he appeared in the Hank Williams, Jr. video “Why Can’t We All Just Get A Longneck?” During 2004 and 2005, he was Editor, senior writer and photographer of “Tour Guide Journal.” This opened up an area of writing and photography in which he had only been minimally involved.

In the fall of 2004, he appeared in the Michael W. Smith movie, “Second Chance” and in early 2005, the industrial commercial for Pigeon Forge. He also became the credentialed photographer for Nashville events for Hollywood based photo agency, Shooting Star International. The following year, he co-starred in the 48 Movie project, “Wag On,” which was named Best Comedy. In 2008, he was named the Charlie Lamb Award for Excellence in Country Music Journalism honoree in the Career category. He is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers and Wedding & Portrait Photographers International.

In 2009, he became Creative and Media Liaison Director for Rock and Pop Masters working to develop the brand that includes major rock artists that includes Orleans.

Over the years, his experiences within the entertainment industry have helped shape his ability to think on his feet. He has a sharp wit, warped sense of humor and ready smile. Barry McCloud is equally at home in front of the television camera, behind the microphone and in front of a live audience.

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