Alumnus Barry Leach

“I will always appreciate the influences of both Southern Miss jazz and classical offerings. I was already into rock, blues and fusion, so being exposed to big band jazz and classical guitar definitely helped prepare me to make a living in the music business.”

ALUMNUS

BARRY LEACH

ADVICE

“I always tell my students to practice as much as possible while you’re young and in school, which is the same my teachers stressed to me.

“I also urge them to explore many styles, not to change what they’re really into, but to make them a more well-rounded musician, help the style you really like, and maybe make some money.

“Lastly, if they think they’re good enough and want to try the music business in a larger market, make the move when you’re young, don’t wait, give it a shot.”

“In 2016, I was invited to play for FestivalSouth that led to being hired

by Nashville legend Mac McAnally for a few shows filling in for his guitarist with members of Jimmy Buffet’s band. Since then, I have played on many projects with FestivalSouth as well as the Southern Miss orchestra.

Getting reacquainted with USM and Hattiesburg has really meant a lot and it’s been great being back in that environment.”

ABOUT Barry Leach is a guitarist, composer, singer, bandleader and educator.

A 1983 graduate with a B.M. in jazz studies and classical guitar, his integration of many musical styles has allowed him to build an eclectic career. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles, playing the Sunset Strip and Hollywood venues with the power rock trio, Scratch. When he returned to Mississippi, he began to teach private lessons and perform with an acoustic vocal harmony group, Big House Trio. Later, he formed The Vamps, a seven-piece soul jazz group that won Jazz Group of the Year at the Jackson Music Awards. Leach has performed with a wide variety of artists and projects including, the Dee Barton Orchestra, HBO, Derf Scratch, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Carmine Appice, Dorothy Moore, Greg ‘Fingers’ Taylor, Spencer Davis, Larry Raspberry, Guy Hovis and others. Today I continue to perform solo, with my trio, The Vamps, the finest musicians in the Jackson, Miss. area, and teach private lessons at Lakeland Music in Flowood.