Belmont University Songwriter Association (BUSA) presents Dave Barnes, a local artist and songwriter
who has gathered much success, at a Q&A seminar to a Belmont student audience upwards of two
hundred.
“God and His funny sense of Humor” says Barnes in regards to his seamless transition into that of a
publicly performing, success gaining artist. “Junior year of college when I first started singing, I would
soundproof my room, pillows under the door- you name it. I didn’t want anyone to hear me. I was
extremely sheepish. I was still a drummer.”
Barnes attended Middle Tennessee State University, initially enrolling with the intent of sharpening his
skills as a drummer, but a year or two in, much to the encouragement of roommates and friends, Barnes
took the pillows from under the door, and engaged the community around him as a performing artist.
Ten years later, as Barnes reaps the benefits of his song “God Gave Me You” which is currently number
one due to its adoption by Blake Shelton, Barnes shares with the student audience the path in which
brought him here.
“I feel the most blessed about not recording/releasing a song that I regret.” Barnes says. “It is not
because of my own call, it is the people that surround me that hold me to quality.” Barnes emphasizes
the importance of accountability in relation to the quality of your music. “To attain quality, you need help.
It’s terrifying to have people critique you, but it must be embraced!”
Barnes also explained the reasoning for the long duration of his early career as an unsigned artist. “The
professors at MTSU saved my career” Dave insists. “They taught me exactly what to avoid while
searching for production, publishing and record deals.” Barnes has a patient approach. It wasn’t until he
was given the opportunity to draft a contract exactly to his liking that he pulled the trigger and became a
signed artist.
“Really take in the information you learn at Belmont” Barnes tells the student audience. “It was the
information that I learned from my professors that saved me from signing a bad publishing deal at young
age and ruining my career.”
Dave shared two tracks from his next record that he’s been working on with producer John Fields in Los
Angeles. They attained a different approach and sound then his previous albums. “This is the first record
I’ve wrote that has been influenced by music that’s been put out in the last two or three years.” Says
Barnes who claims to be deeply influenced by timeless tunes from the seventies. Barnes says that this
next record will be the most personal yet.
Belmont Student, Cameron Bedell asks Barnes about his experience in determining what route to take
as a Christian pursuing a music career. Barnes appreciated the earnest question answering “For me, I
do best writing love songs or songs about life with a Christian Worldview.” Barnes does not fit the sound
nor implied content the Christian music genre calls for, yet his lyrics and approach do not betray his
Christianity. “I respect the delineation of Christian Music, it makes decisions easy for artists. Ultimately,
you can’t force it, you can push the talents that have been given to you, but you can’t force your sound.”
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