ON MAY 17 members of the local music fraternity will come together to raise funds for former radio sensation John Barry at the Plantation Theatre.

The British-born locally based Barry is a radio DJ who exploded onto the local radio scene during the late eighties, playing a major role at CBC's 98.1 Liberty, as it was called at the time.

Anthony Admiral Nelson recalls, "When John first came on he was quite unaware of the genre of music that got him very popular. In the end he was 'notorious' for artistes such as Maxi Priest being big in Barbados. John would come to a fete with three records and that's all, and he would mash up the place."

Barry then went to join most of the other radio stations at the time, including BBC 90.7 and, the then YESS 104.1 FM.

He was also integral in promoting other British reggae artistes to Bajan listeners such as Aswad, UB40, Third World and Steel Pulse as well as local performers such as Gabby, Grynner and Adonijah.

Even for the young local musicians at the time, Barry was instrumental in providing them with a forum to be heard.

Geoffrey Biggie Irie Cordle, former lead vocalist of Splashband and Exodus attested to this.

"When I started in 1987, he would always encourage us (Exodus) to come to the radio station to chat and if we had anything to release we were always welcomed."

Biggie Irie also praised Barry for educating local listeners on the artistes he selected for airplay.

"He was very knowledgable of all the artistes he played. He didn't only play them because he had them, he would school the listener on their history, recordings and what they were currently doing, whether travelling or studio wise."

He has also been credited to paving the way to the in-depth manner in which other disc-jockeys approached artistes from the region and of Caribbean origins.

Barry's technical expertise was also to be found in drama and the performing arts working with some of the island's most noted theatre stalwarts such as the late Earl Warner and Patrick Foster.

"He's one of the best sound men I've ever worked with in my life. He was exceptional in his lighting and sound designs", actor, director and producer, Foster told Groove, recalling Barry's work with him in the late 1970s on his productions Colly and Alice's Adventures.

Barry suffered a severe haemorrhagic stroke in 2006 followed by another last year. Artistes who were supported and promoted by Barry over the years will come together in brotherhood to raise funds for his medical care.

Well-placed sources also indicatd there were ongoing attempts to have some overseas artistes appear at the benefit. (MS)