Robert Barnett was born in the mid sixties and grew up in a large music loving family. His earliest musical memories are of his pre-teen sisters playing Hey Jude by The Beatles. Throughout childhood, Robert was exposed to a wide variety of music ranging from Classical, Jazz, Country, and Folk to Rock, Electronic, New Wave, Indie, and Punk.
As a child, Robert was memorized by music. Whenever anyone fired up the Magnavox console stereo, he would drop everything and sit transfixed in front of it. Not only did the music pique his interest, the machine reproducing it fascinated him. In exploration on what made the music “happen” Robert kept pulling the needles out of the coveted Magnavox. To keep him away from it, his mother bought him a little kiddie record player. Robert found a screw driver and took it apart–just to see how it worked. Over time, and after several dismantled record players, Robert figured out how to put them back together.
As a teenager, Robert acquired a used keyboard, drum machine and four-track recorder. For several years, he made experimental recordings and dreamed of writing and recording his own pop songs.
In his mid twenties, Robert joined a local LA band called November playing keyboards. November played several gigs around the LA area including The Roxy and Luna Park. As Robert approached his thirties, he quit November and left LA for Chicago where he studied Visual Communications and Multimedia and started working for Tribune Media.
Once in Chicago, Robert set up a full home Digital Audio Workstation with the intent to write and record his own songs. Over the years, he made several demos and did audio work on several commercial projects but that left little time for his own creative interests. In his forties, Robert moved to rural Arizona. He set up a new studio in his home and spent the next several years writing and recording demos.
Finally, in his early fifties, after noodling around with the guitar for a few years, Robert wrote his first release. Determined to finally get his music out there, he spent eight months writing and recording, Hello Mister Kerr which was released on April 8, 2018.
Robert moved to Madrid, Spain, set up a tiny minimalist bedroom studio, and subsequently released his second single, Beautiful Illusion, on February 2, 2021. Robert’s unconventional approach to putting forth singles as opposed to packaging entire albums is similar to being an essayist. Perhaps after several “short stories” he will release a compilation.
Robert defines his music as being “unapologetically pop”. Free from the constraints of seeking fame and fortune, Robert’s main goal is to creatively express himself, have people enjoy his work, and identify with it.
In 2017, after noodling around with the guitar for a few years, Robert wrote his first release. He was determined to finally get his music out there. After 8 months of writing and recording, Hello Mister Kerr was released on April 8, 2018.
Robert describes his music style as, “unapologetic pop“. His style is upbeat, melodic, and full of harmony. He is currently working on his next release and plans to keep on making music.