David Barrett prefers to tell stories instrumentally.
The composer-guitarist captures defining moments and memories on his latest instrumental folk album, Guitar Stories From the Midwest.
“It’s not a coincidence I call it Guitar Stories because most of them for me have a plot to the story,” said Barrett, who’s based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Most of them grew out of a baby being born, a forlorn moment, or a whimsical time. They start from a place and go somewhere.”
The album’s 14 songs celebrate going to the circus, attending a family wedding, traveling on a train to Chicago, enjoying a sunrise, playing soccer in a park, and relishing notable places in Michigan.
“For me, whether it be a song or a composition, I always say, ‘A good song is one you want to hear again,’” said Barrett, who also composes on the piano. “If you’re not taken somewhere, then you’re playing a typewriter.”
Barrett’s cinematic and inspirational guitarwork invites listeners to embark on past and present adventures in their mind’s eye.
“It starts with a heartbeat, and hopefully, you carry that heartbeat and take people somewhere,” he said. “If I do that, it’s a good day in the neighborhood.”
To learn more, I spoke with Barrett about his background and latest album.
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