Joe discovered he had a love for music at the age of only 12 years old. He would look at the piano in church on Sundays and just imagine himself playing for the congregation! Once he finished his cleaning of the sanctuary, he would play around on the piano until he taught himself to play as much as he could. One day, the pastor walked in on him and realized that he could actually play and sounded great. That was when he became the church’s musician!
Before the piano, Joe’s voice was just impeccable. His singing came as natural as breathing, just as the rest of his family. He and his youngest sister would perform in talent shows all around their community. He also participated in Chicago’s NYC program, a city funded program that allowed the youth to display their talents all over the city.
In his younger years, Joe would sneak into Walton’s corner, one of the hottest and most well-known night clubs in Chicago at the time. The owners knew him from the neighborhood and would allow him to observe the singers. Once they learned he could sing, they would allow him to come into the club and observe until he was eventually called up to sing on stage himself!
Joe grew up in the same neighborhood as the infamous vocalist and guitarist, Vance Kelly. Joe had the opportunity to sing with Vance when he was younger. It was this experience that caught him his first big break! The former owner of Walton’s Corner, Mr. Pervis Scott, a bass player from the area, asked Joe to join his band, The Oasis, where he remained for the next 5 years.
Over the years, word got out about Joe’s keyboarding skills, and because he was so good, he was hired to play behind multiple artists such as Howling Wolf, Luther Allison, ZZ Hill, Freddy King and many other stars. He was eventually hired by Nate Turner, a huge cross-over star, traveling the US and Canada performing.
As much as Joe enjoyed traveling with others, he realized a couple things. First, he had family obligation and second, he needed to put down roots to develop his own musical career. This was when Joe formed what we know today as the “Soul Purpose Band”. Not long after forming his band, they became the house band at KoKo Taylor’s blues club on Wabash Avenue in Chicago. This was when Joe hired Koko’s daughter Cookie Taylor as his booking agent. Cookie booked the band all over Chicago and suburbs.
Joe Barr and the Soul Purpose Band has performed at many different places including Famous Dave’s, Kingston Mines, Artis’s, Craw Daddy’s Club, Buddy Guys, The Harlem’s Bar and many others. The band has also played at the different casino’s in the Midwest.
Joe Barr is known for his coverage of Teddy Pendergrass and Johnny Taylor, but he has recently released his own album “Soul for the Heart” featuring Breezy Rodio. His latest review by BluesAgain Magazine says “In the studio surrounded by Johnny Reed on bass, Big Lewis Powell on drums and Chris Foreman on Hammond B3 organ, they box 10 compositions drawn from the repertoires of Ray Charles, Tyrone Davis, Johnny Taylor, BB King, Teddy Pendergrass. The result is an astonishing journey into the heart of the most intense soul music. As for the musicians, it's top of the range, in terms of vocals, Joe Barr's voice is warm and colorful, the emotion at the back of the throat and the groove to coat it all.”
