Barry Turner Bales (born August 23, 1969 in Kingsport, Tennessee, United States) is an American musician best known as the long time bass player and harmony vocalist for

Alison Krauss and Union Station Alison Krauss & Union Station is an American bluegrass and country band associated with singer Alison Krauss. It was initially composed of Krauss, Jeff White, Mike Harman and John Pennell. Later additions included Tim Stafford, Ron Block, A ...

. He has been in the band for around 25 years. The 2012 Grammy was awarded as a member of the Union Station band on '' Paper Airplane''. He is also a member of The Earls of Leicester.

Career

Bales grew up in

Colonial Heights, Tennessee Colonial Heights is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. It is surrounded by the city of Kingsport. The population was 3,055 at the 2020 census down from 6,934 at the 2010 census, due to annexation by the ...

, outside of Kingsport, Tennessee and attended Sullivan South High School. Early memories of music include listening to the records of Bill Monroe,

Flatt & Scruggs Flatt and Scruggs were an American bluegrass duo. Singer and guitarist Lester Flatt and banjo player Earl Scruggs, both of whom had been members of Bill Monroe's band, the Bluegrass Boys, from 1945 to 1948, formed the duo in 1948. Flatt and Sc ...

, the Stanley Brothers,

Bob Wills James Robert Wills (March 6, 1905 – May 13, 1975) was an American Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the founder of Western swing, he was known widely as the King of Western Swing (although ...

, Buck Owens and Hank Thompson from his father's extensive collection. He started experimenting with various instruments at the age of 10, starting with guitar. By age 15, Bales had found the bass and was playing regionally in various groups. Bales attended East Tennessee State University, participating in the Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music program, as did future Union Station members Tim Stafford and

Adam Steffey Adam Steffey (born November 24, 1965) is an American mandolin player, best known for playing in the bluegrass and old-time styles. He spent time as a member of bands such as Alison Krauss & Union Station, Mountain Heart, Lonesome River Band ...

Over the years, Bales has become one of the most in-demand session musicians in acoustic music. He has recorded and performed with such artists as Reba McEntire, Susan Ashton, Merle Haggard, Ronnie Bowman,

The Cox Family The Cox Family is an American country/bluegrass music group from Cotton Valley in Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, United States. The Cox Family can be heard on the ''O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' soundtrack. Their 1994 collaboration ...

Vince Gill Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist ...

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album ...

Dan Tyminski Daniel John Tyminski (born June 20, 1967) is an American bluegrass composer, vocalist, and instrumentalist. He is a member of Alison Krauss's band Union Station, and has released three solo albums, ''Carry Me Across the Mountain'' (2000), on ...

, Patty Loveless amongst others. He currently resides in Greene County, Tennessee with his wife Aliceson (née Osborn) and their young son.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bales, Barry 1969 births Living people People from Kingsport, Tennessee Alison Krauss & Union Station members American country bass guitarists East Tennessee State University alumni Guitarists from Tennessee American male bass guitarists 20th-century American bass guitarists Country musicians from Tennessee 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American double-bassists 20th-century American double-bassists 21st-century American male musicians