CHARLOTTE — Terry Barber is an iconic figure in the country music world, having spent 50-plus years playing all types of music, particularly bluegrass.
On Saturday, Barber and seven other Michigan-based musicians were recognized for their contributions to country music during the Michigan Country Music Hall of Fame induction show at the Charlotte Performing Arts Center.
Barber, 69, of Ionia first learned the craft from his grandfather and his mother Doreen.
“Growing up with their music inspired me,” Barber said.
Since then he’s been picking and grinning “around countless bonfires with friends and family late into the night, in the living room with friends and family, and til closing time at local bars.” He said one of his favorite memories is playing music for his kids before they went to sleep.
"Music has always been part of my life,” Barber said.
His wife, Debra Apostal, agreed.
“Music, jamming with friends and family, that’s all it was every day,” she said. “We’d all be up til 5 o’clock in the morning making music after singing a hundred songs.”
Despite the 500-plus songs he can play and sing by heart, Barber had never recorded an album until 2022. That's when he and his son Billy Strings recorded “Me/And/Dad,” which was nominated for a Grammy as Best Bluegrass Album in 2024.
Strings won a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album in 2019 for "Home" and has been nominated five other times.
"Hopefully I can play like him," Strings said about his father in a video about recording "Me/And/Dad." Strings said he wanted to carry on Barber's sound, which "is a specific thing."
Barber said, "I guess my sound comes from … well everywhere I guess.”
Barber attributes the strength of conviction, showmanship, and authenticity in his music to the passion and love and respect he has for his predecessors, family, life, and a love for the craft.
Longtime friend and music festival organizer Kalli Dempsey of Charlotte introduced Barber at the hall of fame induction ceremony.
“To know Terry is to know love,” Dempsey said. “The only thing better than watching Terry pick is getting scooped up in one of his famous bear hugs.”
As Barber exited backstage, his wife met him with a long hug garnished with a kiss on the cheek.
Well, it’s not a Grammy," Barber joked, "but Boomer will be proud.
"I'm happy he received the award, it's really very well deserved," Strings said. "My dad is a guitar player's guitar player. We speak the same language when we're picking together. It feels like home."
For a complete list of inductees, visit https://www.mcmhof.com/
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Bluegrass musician Terry Barber, seven others inducted into Michigan's Country Music Hall of Fame
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