Barrett Phillips

Barrett Barrett Phillips Phillips He was Born to Entertain!

By Donnita Fisher

Photo by Ethan Good.

Barrett Phillips can’t remember a time he didn’t want to be singing.

“My first time performing in front of an audience was in the pre-school church choir,” the 22-yearold said.

It was the start of what Barrett knows will be a lifetime of crooning and, hopefully, a career. “My end goal is to be able to use my singing in my career,” he said. “Whether that be as a full-time worship leader, in fulltime musical theater or a recording contract.”

Barrett was booked as the entertainment for the Murphy Veterans Tribute Gala planned for September. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the cancellation of that event this year, but when it’s rescheduled, Barrett will be there singing away.

“I do all kinds of shows,” he said. “I do restaurants, wedding receptions, birthday parties, galas, ambient dinner music, boutiques … pretty much if someone needs live music, I can be there!”

The second son of Wylie residents Scott and Lori (Caskey) Phillips’ four boys – Gus, 25, Barrett, 22, Grayson, 18, and Gage, 17, Barrett said his brothers have always supported his musical inclination. “My brothers and pretty much everyone I have known – for the most part – have supported my singing,” he said.

Barrett’s younger brothers, his mom, and his maternal grandfather all sing, too, Barrett said.

“I can’t recall ever being bullied, but my whole life I’ve been an athlete as well, and I don’t think I’m the type to be bullied,” the 6-feet-2-inch-tall Barrett laughed. “I’ve been raised to stand up for myself and to be confident, so I think potential bullies see that and move on.”

From the first kids’ chorus at First Baptist Church Wylie,

Barrett followed his love of music to the Collin County children’s chorus. As a second grader he was a founding member of the chorus and continBarrett playing the title roll in the Wylie HS ued to sing and take vocal musical production of Shrek lessons for the next 10 years.

“I can’t give the Children’s Chorus of Collin County enough credit,” Barrett said. “They helped me in every way possible. I honestly don’t know where to start or how to put it into words. Every aspect of being a musician I learned there.

“I learned to blend with a choir so my voice doesn’t stick out, confidence, vowel shapes, pitch matching. I made friends.

“Honestly, the CCCC helped me in ways that have nothing to do with vanilla singing. I learned how to lead people as well. I was a section leader in the choir, and I helped my fellow singers to sound like a group and get the notes right. … I could probably write a book on my experiences there.”

Practicing on one’s own “is fine and dandy,” according to Barrett. “But in my experience, the most growth I have ever had as a singer has been through choir and voice lessons. I still take voice lessons to this day.

“If you are a young person who wants to sing, join a choir outside of school along with your school choir. Also learn either guitar or piano – preferably both! There is no one in the world who regrets learning to play an instrument.”

After graduation from Wylie High School in 2016, Barrett graduated in 2018 from the University of Mary

Hardin Baylor, earning a degree in organizational leadership.

He combines his singing with his leadership skills every week as the worship leader at Invincible Church where his dad is the pastor.

“I wouldn’t call leading worship a performance though,” he said. “At church, I am essentially just wor- shiping the same as everyone else in the congregation. I’m just leading and pushing the song along. When I’m leading worship, I’m not worried about how I look or how I sound or if people are enjoying the music. I want to do my best in and out of church, but when leading worship, I am just worshiping with everyone else.

“I assume that God will use me in the way He wants, and my job is to just worship Him from the stage. Now any other gig, oh boy! It’s all about reading the room!”

During a show, Barrett is an entertainer and he wants people to enjoy performance.

“I have to be on my toes the entire time,” he said. “I’m playing a request. I’m making conversation with the regu- lars. I’m making sure the songs I’m playing are age appro- priate for everyone in the venue.”

During his senior year, Barrett discovered musical the- ater. He played the title role in the musical “Shrek.”

After doing choir “his whole life,” he said he had “zero interest in musical theater” but then “Shrek” came along and now he enjoys musical theater the most!

Since 2016 he has appeared in productions as Pirelli in “Sweeney Todd” and Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast” and has directed the music for a production of “Suessical the Musical Jr.”

“I love musical theater,” he emphasizes. “I enjoy singing musical theater the most.”

Barrett has also spent some time on the Wylie Opry stage and at other opries.

“Opries are a unique venue, for sure,” he said. “For the most part, the genre is country with some old classics thrown in. It’s really a unique experience getting to per- form with a live band in front of a live audience that is there for the music, not necessarily who is performing.”

The Wylie Opry is really run well and the Opry’s house band – the Texas Legends – “is one of the best bands I have ever heard and performed with,” Barrett said.

Anyone who wants to sing or wants to hear good music or see wonderful entertainment should go to local opry shows and community theater productions, Barrett advises.

“Opries and community theaters are some of the most welcoming and friendly venues in the world,” he gushed. “I encourage everyone that is interested in musi- cal theater to audition for a show next year. (Theaters are closed until 2021.) Same goes for people who enjoy country music. Please go to the Wylie Opry! They are incredibly welcoming.” •