VA- Kearney Barton: Architect of the Northwest Sound

Label: Light In The Attic

Released 2020

When Seattle-based recording engineer Kearney Barton died in 2012, the 80 year-old studio veteran had spent the past 50 years recording the cream of the Seattle music scene through the decades. The Fleetwoods, Quincy Jones, The Ventures, The Wailers, The Sonics, Ann Wilson (Heart), The Frantics, The Kingsmen, and Dave Lewis to name a few. Barton also captured Seattle’s vibrant 1960s-70s R&B and soul scene, including Black On White Affair and Soul Swingers, among others, as documented in Light in the Attic’s Wheedle’s Groove series. In his later years Barton’s old school reputation drew in contemporary bands like Young Fresh Fellows, The Smugglers, The Minus 5, and The A-Bones into his studio. Essentially, when a local unknown band wanted to make a demo tape, or record their debut album, or perhaps someone just wanted to capture their uncle playing banjo or their kid sister’s first songs, they’d go to Barton’s studio.

Track Listing:

1. Introduction
2. Hey Little One
3. Through Eyes and Glass
4. Bold Soul Sister, Bold Soul Brother
5. Occupation Soul
6. Sticky
7. Dig That Crazy Jam Session
8. Two Guitars]
9. Ooze
10. Flying Bird
11. Spanish Harlem
12. Happy
13. Introducing a New Concept
14. Hold to God's Unchanging Hand
15. Everybody Knows
16. Wrong Age
17. With Five Types of Music
18. Qui El Petit
19. Gold + Mellow
20. Sunshine Morning
21. Bossa Nada
22. For All We Know
23. MMM MMM MMM
24. Don't Ask Me
25. He's Waitin'
26. High Flyer
27. Blind Love
28. All My Nights, All My Days
29. Mr. Blue