Barry rocks his passion for guitar

ECH Clutterbuck Lodge resident

Barry was 10 years old when he first put his hands on a guitar and instantly fell in love.

It was a gift from a neighbour, and while it didn’t have strings, Barry spent hours in front of the mirror practising air guitar and his Elvis Presley moves.

Once strings were inserted, there was no stopping him.

“I taught myself how to play and as I practised, I got better, and my parents bought me a guitar,” he says.

Throughout his high school and early adult years, music was a priority until Barry started studying law at university and had to “put my rock and roll dreams on the shelf”.

After three years of study, Barry decided to take a 12-month break which turned into a five-year sabbatical, moving to the UK in 1968 and supporting himself by busking around London, England and Europe with friends, and later in Canada.

“The music scene in the UK back then was huge. Whenever we needed to make money, we would just take out our guitars and busk,” he says.

By the early 1970s, Barry realised it was time to return home and settle down with a real job.

“I had no job, no money, but great life experience. Unfortunately, you can’t live off that, so I went back to university and qualified as a teacher, got married and had a couple of kids,” he explains.

“I was still able to play guitar, I never stopped, and I was in bands with friends, and I still am in a band called Midnight Shift.”

Now aged 78, Barry, who still plays guitar every day to “keep supple”, says living in an ECH Village means he has more time to devote to his passion.

“I love living here in the village; it suits me and lets me focus on my guitar playing. I downsized and don’t have to worry about maintenance.

“Playing music is a good thing mentally and physically. I was always torn between living the life of a rockin’ roller, but it has worked out nicely.”

Do you have a hobby you would like to share? Let us know by getting in touch at keepconnected@ech.asn.au