That’s what happened when opportunity knocked on Steve Barker’s door this past week. Now, Barker, a Seth resident, and the members of his band, Bud Carroll and the Southern Souls, will be opening for Kenney Chesney and LeAnn Rimes on Thursday, May 8 at the Charleston Civic Center.
Both Barker and Whitesville resident Jimmy Lykens, 21, who plays the bass guitar for the Bud Carroll and the Southern Souls band, will be performing on Thursday.
‘I’m 30 and I’ve been playing since the 6th grade, so about 18 years now,” Barker said when asked how long he’s been a musician.
“We were approached by this young lady named Traci Ann Stanley, who asked us to back her up. She’s a singer, and we all practiced for one weekend and the next week auditioned for the WQBE contest,” he said.
The trio won the opportunity to showcase their musical talents before a packed arena at the Charleston Civic Center.
“It was nice to be able to tell my mom about this and have her understand who the band we were opening for was. She didn’t know who Clinton and the P-Funk was, but she knows who Kenney Chesney and LeAnn Rimes are,” Barker told the CVN.
Barker’s mom is Liz Barker, an employee at the Whitesville State Bank. His father is Steve Barker Sr.
When asked how his friends and family are responding, Barker said, “Everybody is just freaking out. I’ve been doing this for a long time.”
Two days before the big gig and Barker is asked if he’s feeling any pressure or nervousness. “Not at all. I’ve played in the symphony and that made me nervous. Go and play with a bunch of professional musicians who have studied their instruments for nearly their entire lives, and that’s nerve-wrecking,” Barker said.
Contact Joanie Newman at jnewman@coalvalleynews.com or call 369-1165.
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