I learned how to play guitar while my mother encouraged me to take weekly guitar lessons at age 6. I was very fortunate my mother encouraged me to pursue creativity, and was willing and able to pay for private guitar lessons! I didn't fully appreciate my guitar lessons until I was a teenager, and I would write the lyrics and chords to my favorite songs on the radio at the time. John Cougar Mellencamp, R.E.M., The Rolling Stones, The Police, U2 and Led Zeppelin, and Lynyrd Skynyrd all had an influence on my playing style. I prefer not to sing, so what I do is recruit singers who I feel will transmit my desired melody line and energy of each song I write. I founded a rock band while attending University of Virginia named "Big Red Engine" that performed in the late 1980's early 1990's in the state of Virginia. We released an eleven song album of original music called "Uncertain Times" in 1990. Currently, I am releasing songs using my artist name "CD Barry" through DistroKid.