Barry Ward is much more than a member of the Choraleers. He is the one who quite literally puts your butt in your seat. Before every rehearsal, Barry is there setting up, and after we finish, he stays to help tear everything down. On concert day, he is the dependable right hand behind the scenes, making sure the audience setup is just right before our guests arrive.
Barry’s musical journey began in the 1960s, singing along to the great groups he heard on the radio and raising his voice in classic church hymns as a youngster. In Rocklin, California, he joined the Loomis First United Methodist Church choir as a tenor. During a trip to Branson, Missouri, he and Grace attended a show at the Andy Williams Moon River Theater where Glen Campbell was performing. Sitting front row center, Barry proudly recalls singing along when Glen leaned in with the microphone during “Wichita Lineman,” and he still likes to say he has sung with Glen Campbell.
After receiving the golden handshake from Hewlett Packard, Barry and Grace moved to Starkville, Mississippi, to be closer to family. There, he sang in the 80-voice choir at Starkville United Methodist Church and also performed with a local community choir, continuing his long-standing love of tenor harmony.
In 2017, they retired to Canyon Lake to be near their son, daughter, and three grandsons. During a Guild concert, Barry happened to sit next to George Middle, who invited him to check out the Canyon Lake Choraleers. He joined in the fall of 2018 and has been a steady anchor in the tenor section ever since.
Barry has also been a featured vocalist, often chosen for parts that showcase his southern charm and unmistakable twang. A standout moment was his performance of “Kansas City” from the musical Oklahoma!, a role that fit him perfectly and brought the house to life.
A proud Army veteran, Canyon Lake car club member, and owner of a cherry red 2013 Grand Sport Corvette, Barry is deeply rooted in the community. Grace faithfully greets guests as the ticket taker at every performance, and together they are beloved members of both the Choraleers family and the community they now call home.
Barry often says that wherever they have lived, they formed a family, and he considers the Choraleers part of that family. He plans to keep singing with this special group for as long as he can, because while he loves the music, he treasures the people even more.