Reverend Fair Cloth ("F. C.", or "Faircloth") Barnes (June 22, 1929July 11, 2011) was an American
gospel music
Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is com ...
ian, and the founding
pastor of Red Budd Holy Church,
Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Rocky Mount is a city in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, Edgecombe and Nash County, North Carolina, Nash counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The city's population was 54,341 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it ...
. His recorded music career began in 1983, with the album ''Rough Side of the Mountain'', released by Atlanta International Records (AIR Gospel); all his fifteen albums were on that label. That album reached no. 1 in the
''Billboard'' magazine Gospel Albums chart, and six others entered the top twenty.
Early life
Barnes was born on June 22, 1929, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, as Fair Cloth Barnes. He was reared in the church at Marks Chapel Baptist Church, where he sang in the choir.
He became a minister in 1955. He studied at United Christian College,
Goldsboro, North Carolina
Goldsboro, originally Goldsborough, is a city and the county seat of Wayne County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 33,657 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of and is included in the Goldsboro, North Carolina Metropol ...
, where in 1959 he earned his
doctoral degree.
He thereafter founded and preached at Red Budd Holy Church, and traveled with Rev. Janice Brown around North Carolina singing at churches.
Musical career
He began his recording music career in 1983 with the album ''Rough Side of the Mountain'', with Rev. Janice Brown, on Atlanta International Records (AIR Gospel).
That album would go on to chart on the
''Billboard'' magazine Gospel Albums chart at No. 1.
It stayed in the top ten for over a year;
it sold more than a half million copies, and was therefore certified
Gold by the
RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
.
He released fourteen more albums on the same label.
Six of them reached the top twenty, but only that album captured the top spot.
Personal life
Barnes and his wife Addrine Gaskins Barnes married in
Greenville, North Carolina
Greenville is the county seat of and the most populous city in Pitt County, North Carolina, Pitt County, North Carolina, United States; the principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area, Greenville metropolitan area; and th ...
; that union lasted until his death.
They had four sons, Samuel,
Luther, Melvin, and Tony, and two daughters, Demita and Valencia, and one other daughter who predeceased him.
Discography
References
External links
''Cross Rhythms'' Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnes, F. C.
1929 births
2011 deaths
African-American songwriters
African-American Christians
American gospel musicians
Musicians from North Carolina
Songwriters from North Carolina
20th-century African-American people
21st-century African-American people