| BAND HISTORY |
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| The Barney Family has always been involved in music in one way or another over their lifetime. Both Dale & Bobbi came from extensive musical families and they carry on their musical heritage with great joy. Bobbi grew up singing with her two sisters and mother and performed a number of concerts as The Eastman Family Singers. She also studied piano and was an intregal member of both chorus and band all through elementary and high school. Dale also received musical training in elementary and high school chorus and band. At age 13, Dale's grandmother, who was a gifted musician in her own right, gave him his very first stringed instrument - a ukulele. This instrument was the foundation and stepping stone to bigger and better things. After becoming aquainted with the uke, he sought after something with a little bit more tone and size - the 4-string tenor banjo would do nicely so he made his way over to the Vintage Fret Shop in Ashland, NH and bought himself an old Vega tenor banjo. This was about the time that Dale and his sister, Janet, started singing at area talent shows, radio shows and gospel sings as well as singing regularly at church. They entered a teen talent contest and won the local and the New England division and made it to the regionals in Maryland. In the early 70's, Dale went to a local talent show and heard a sound that changed and revolutionized his musical life. There was a band at this show called The Back 40 String Band and when they came out on stage, a member of this band had a funny looking banjo (it had 5 strings instead of 4 and it had a piece of plywood screwed on the back for a resonator) strapped around him. They tore into a song called " Pig In A Pen " and it just about sent Dale over the edge. This was Dale's first exposure to bluegrass. He'd never heard anything like that before and he knew right then and there that the tremendous ringing, happy, syncopated sound coming from that ole 5-string would be his instrument of choice. Little did he know that this would not be his last encounter with The Back 40 String Band. After that concert, Dale went and sought out all he could about bluegrass and especially the 5 string banjo played in the 3 finger bluegrass style or to be more exact, the Scruggs style, named after the master himself - Earl Scruggs. It was about this same time that Dale was walking down the halls of his high school and past the music practice rooms when he came upon the sound of someone playing the banjo, let alone in the bluegrass style! He opened the door and there was this other kid named Steve Hennig just sitting there pickin' away. They immediately became good friends and started pickin together - Steve on the 5 string and Dale on the tenor. Well, it wasn't long after this that Dale noticed this girl with beautiful eyes and smile and a killer (I really mean angelic)voice that lived just down the street. They eventually started singing together with some other friends while Dale was really eyeing potential bluegrass band members. It all came together when Dale and Bobbi and three other talented high school friends got together and formed their first band called - White Mt. String Band (not to be confused with the White Mt. Bluegrass band from the NH seacoast). By this time, Dale had learned the basics of bluegrass banjo (he wore out several bluegrass banjo records, learning runs and licks note for note and all by ear and he had to have a custom built banjo neck because he's a lefty), Bobbi learned a few mandolin chops and with friends on guitar, bass and mandolin, they played extensively around the Upper Valley area of NH & VT. In the late 70's, Dale got a call from the leader of The Back 40 String Band. The banjo player was struggling with a chronic illness and could no longer play and was wondering if he would be interested in auditioning for the position. Well, the rest is history and Dale was hired on the spot. He would remain in the band until it's breakup in the middle 80's but after two albums and some prestigeous engagements, it was very hard to say goodbye to the wonderful musicians and dear friends that were made in The Back 40. In 1980, a bombshell was dropped. Dale was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure but despite the grim future, the high school sweethearts, Dale and Bobbi, were married in May of 1981. You see, the doctor told them that they had a couple of choices. Dale could go on dialysis or have a transplant or do nothing....and he would die. But the Dr. didn't know about the answer they were looking for. They had faith in the Good Lord above and they were going to trust in Him to take care of their every need. What else could they do but pray, trust and wait. People from all over the country were praying for a miracle. In April of 1983, God delivered on his promise and his older sister, Janet, donated a kidney to Dale by way of a transplant operation - a kidney that he still has!! God is good!! After Dale's short stint on bass with a local bluegrass band called Cardigan Mt. Tradition, Dale and Bobbi (and four children) felt lead to strike out on their own and form The Barney Family, a touring bluegrass, country and southern gospel group and the rest is...... |