Over fifty years ago, during the “Summer of Love” – 1967 - Barry “The Fish” Melton celebrated his 20th birthday in June 1967. A few days later, he and his band, “Country Joe and the Fish,” were rocketed onto the world stage at the Monterey Pop Festival with such luminaries as the Jefferson Airplane, the Mamas and Papas, Otis Redding, Ravi Shankar, Simon and Garfunkel, the Who and a relatively unknown guitarist named Jimi Hendrix. And fifty years ago, in 1969, Barry appeared at the historic festival in Woodstock< New York and also appeared in the movie bearing the same name: “Woodstock.” During the five years between 1967 and 1971, Barry would tour arenas, concert halls, and stadiums through Europe and North America. He also launched his first solo effort, a blues/soul album half of which was recorded in New York with members of the Wilson Pickett Band and half of which was recorded in Chicago with a band featuring Donny Hathaway on piano, Morris Jennings on drums and Phillip Upchurch on bass.
Barry began the 1970’s with an album for Columbia Records produced by legendary guitarist Michael Bloomfield, Barry took up part-time residence in the United Kingdom and recorded two albums at Rockfield Studios in Wales; and he toured extensively in the U.K., France and the Netherlands; Barry and ultimately returned home to San Francisco to record his fifth album of the decade.
In the 1980’s, Barry put together San Francisco’s historic supergroup, “Dinosaurs,” featuring Barry and John Cipollina (Quicksilver Messenger Service, guitar), Spencer Dryden (Jefferson Airplane, drums), Peter Albin (Big Brother and the Holding Company, bass), and Robert Hunter (Grateful Dead songwriter, guitar). Other members of the band later included Merl Saunders and Papa John Creech. “Dinosaurs” recorded its debut album and opened for Tony Bennett at the 50th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge celebration in 1987.
In the 1990’s Barry’s career as a Public Defender mushroomed, beginning with a stint in the Mendocino County Public Defender’s Office, the Office of the (California) State Public Defender, and an appointment as the Public Defender of Yolo County, California, continuing into the early 21st Century. During this period, Barry played local venues in San Francisco and he toured annually in such diverse locations as England, France, Scotland, Thailand and Wales. He also recorded three collaborations with other guitarists including “Dual in the Desert,” with Rich Hopkins of Texas, “Can’t Stop to Boogie,” with Tetuzi Akiyama of Japan and Henry Kaiser of California, and “Revolution Down the Road,” with French guitarist Stéphane Missri and their band, “Jamasutra.”
Today, Barry lives in France half the year and spends the other half in the United States. In the past couple of years, he’s toured in France, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Tracks
1. Third Degree (Eddie Boyd) - 3:57
2. Something You Got (Chris Kenner) - 2:46
3. I Had A Dream (Isaac Hayes, David Porter) - 2:42
4. How Sweet It Is(To Be Loved By You) (Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland) - 3:06
5. Wine, Women, Whiskey (Alexander Lightfoot) - 2:24
6. Son Of Hickory Holler's Tramp (Dallas Frazier) - 3:01
7. You've Got What It Takes (Billy Davis, Berry Gordy, Jr.) - 2:30
8. Georgia On My Mind (Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell) - 2:42
9. I've Been In The Darkness (Barry Melton) - 3:13
10.It's A Mean Old World (Otis Rush) - 2:30
11.You've Really Got A Hold On Me (Smokey Robinson) - 2:49
12.The Sun Is Shining (Elmore James) - 2:56
Musicians
*Barry Melton - Guitar, Vocals
*Donny Hathaway - Piano
*Ed Bland - Orchestra Arranger, Conductor
*Gerald Sims - Rhythm Guitar
*Morris Jennings - Drums
*Phil Upchurch - Bass
