He was a guitarist born in Decatur, Georgia who played with The Imperials, The Vons and Wayne Loguidice and the Kommotions in the 1960s and then in 1970 became a member of the Atlanta Rhythm Section.
He left the group in 1985 but returned in 1989 and remained with them until the new millennium. Having cerebral palsy himself he finally retired in 2006 to take care of his wife who was suffering from cancer but later sadly died.
He co-wrote several of their songs including “The Ballad of Lois Malone” and “The Great Escape”. He also worked with American Diesel Machine, Midnight Rainbows, Al Kooper, Joe South, Badger, Mylon LeFevre and Frankie Miller.
He returned to Decatur in 2009 where he was presented with a key to the city and 19th June 2009 was declared “Barry Bailey Day”.
He died in March 2022 after having had a long battle with multiple sclerosis. He was 73 years old.
Atlantic Rhythm Section recordings
The Ballad of Lois Malone (Buddy Buie/Robert Nix/Dean Daughtry/Barry Bailey)
The Great Escape (Buddy Buie/Robert Nix/Barry Bailey)
He performs here on his co-written “The Ballad of Lois Malone”…
Sources:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Rhythm_Section
- www.atlantarhythmsection.com/arsStory07.htm
- http://thedecaturminute.com/tag/barry-bailey/
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/894644-Barry-Bailey-3
- http://www.allmusic.com/artist/barry-bailey-mn0000139968/credits