Bio
PR Contact: management@barleystation.net
Barley Station: A Sonic Journey Through Genres
Barley Station captivates listeners with their rich tapestry of sound, blending Indie Pop and Alternative Rock sensibilities with Folk and Americana into a unique musical experience. Their intricate lyrics and organic harmonies create a melodic landscape that resonates deeply with fans. Barley Station’s ability to create music combining elements from various genres has resulted in a sound that is both contemporary and timeless. Their ability to weave intricate stories through their songs, paired with catchy melodies, has garnered them a dedicated fan base.
The band features founding member Randy Wayne Belt with frequent guest appearances by Brian Kious (of Brian Jin) -
both multi-instrumentalists and songwriters. The music is infused with clever lyrics and heartfelt ballads with topics
from love to loss and everything in between. Each song in their extensive catalog connects with listeners, evoking a sense
of belonging and emotional connection.
With numerous #1 hits and top-charting songs across both Indie and mainstream platforms, including New Music Weekly, FMQB and the European Indie Charts, Barley Station is dedicated to crafting music that celebrates the art of sound. Sound is the canvas instruments are the brushes. And music is the soundtrack to life.
Based near St. Louis, Missouri, USA, Barley Station draws inspiration from their rich musical heritage and the crossroads of various genres. Since their formation in 2011, they have continued to evolve, creating a sound that is both authentic and original. Join Barley Station on their journey as they paint vivid stories through music, inviting you to experience the beauty of their artistry.
Barley Station's music has undergone a dynamic evolution since its inception in 2011, reflecting their growth as artists and their response to changing musical landscapes.
Early Years: Establishing Their Sound
In the beginning, Barley Station focused on crafting a distinctive blend of melodic Americana and Folk Rock, characterized by intricate lyrics and organic harmonies. Their early work showcased a raw, acoustic-driven sound that emphasized storytelling and emotional depth, drawing from their diverse musical backgrounds.
Genre Crossover: Expanding Horizons
As they gained recognition, Barley Station began to experiment with various genres, incorporating more elements of Indie Pop and Alternative Rock into their music. This genre crossover allowed them to reach a broader audience while maintaining their authentic roots. Their songwriting became more adventurous, with catchy melodies and driving rhythms that appealed to both Indie and mainstream listeners.
Maturing Sound: Refinement and Depth
Over the years, the band has refined their sound, focusing on polished production and layered instrumentation. Their later albums feature richer arrangements, showcasing their growth as musicians and songwriters. The lyrics have also evolved, delving into more complex themes and personal narratives, resonating deeply with fans and critics alike.
Recent Developments: Embracing Innovation
In recent years, Barley Station has embraced new technologies and trends in music production, allowing for greater experimentation and creativity. They continue to push boundaries while staying true to their core identity. Collaborations with other artists and influences from contemporary music have further enriched their sound, making it more relevant in today’s musical landscape.
Conclusion: A Journey of Growth
Barley Station's musical evolution reflects their commitment to artistry and innovation. From their early acoustic roots to their current genre-blending style, they have consistently sought to connect with listeners through heartfelt music that paints vivid stories. Their journey is a testament to their passion for creating art that resonates across generations.
Discography
Some of the first music has appeared on multiple compilation Albums through Bongo Boy Records (Bongo Boy Records Asia) and have been actively marketed to Asia via Music Dish China and Bongo Boy Records with distribution and promotions in Asia (Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, mainland China and more). The band also has dedicated pages on services in China.
After All (February 2012)
Going back further, the band’s debut album ‘After All’ stayed in the top 40 in the Country/Alt. genre for four consecutive months (including two months in the top 10) on the APD Global Radio Indicator Charts TM. The album has appeared on the Roots Music Charts, and on the CMJ reporting stations that added songs into rotation. Those songs broke through the top 30 by the second week. The group toured the United States to support ‘After All’ with astounding live performances which broadened and strengthened their fan base further.
Damaged Goods (June 2013)
Singles from their album, ‘Damaged Goods’ have received heavy rotation in radio, landed a #1 song on the Official European Independent Music Charts and stayed at #1 for a record 18 weeks! The song also landed #1 on the AC/Hot AC charts on New Music Weekly, edging out major label artists to hold the position for record weeks.
The songs have been added to popular and large Spotify playlists, and have been well received by their fans internationally. The video for the song “Younger Summer Memories” from that album has been featured on the Bongo Boy Rock n' Roll TV Show series episode 1057 which has exclusive national airtime to over 15 million viewers in the USA on 9 major cable companies. (NBCUniversalComcast, FiOS, CableVision, Time Warner, RCN, AT TUverse, Verizon FiOS, Charter Communications, Suddenlink) GO INDIE TV ROKU Channel in Canada, The UK and The USA to name a few). The same song also won a spot in the Radio Airplay sponsored Summer Songs 2017 contest and was added in rotation on Jango Radio’s Independent Summer 2017 Playlist.
Singles & Covers (2014 – present)
Constantly in the studio, after the release and a tour of Damaged Goods, the band began to transition their earlier recordings to more revised and newly cultivated Barley Station sound without compromising consistency and quality and the singles 4th of July, I've Got News and Double Star were released in 2015. Then in 2016, Like Destiny and Must Be Something were released followed by the covers When The Stars Go Blue (Ryan Adams) and Treacherous (Taylor Swift) and have been well accepted among their loyal fan base.
In 2017 the year started with another gentle single called Just Begun followed by the release of the album Back There Somewhere. With a lot of radio in France and Europe, the band decided to release a french language version of a song from Back There Somewhere which was retitled Baisers Volés. Then shortly thereafter a Holiday song Hear The Christmas Call was released.
Just after the new year began in 2018, another cover, the Madonna Top 10 song from the 80s Borderline, was redone with a rock edge and with the addition of harmony vocals lended by the band's friend across the pond in Britain, Verity White. 3 more singles followed that starting with a more beat driven song titled Paper Goddess followed by two more singles Like You For You and Contagious Smile. 2019 began with the single Out of Reach, followed by a collaboration with Kevin Gullickson of the band Radio Drive on a cover of The Beatles song Two of Us (Let It Be album) which was released in Oct. 2019.
Back There Somewhere (2017)
The band released a new full-length album titled ‘Back There Somewhere’ on September 14, 2017 and radio in North and South America and
To cap off 2017 with a bang, the band released a Christmas song titled “Hear The Christmas Call”. In the meantime, a cover version of Madonna’s 1984 Top 10 Billboard Hit “Borderline” was released on March 20, 2018.
This version is a bit of rock and pop more akin to Madonna’s version from the 2010 Sticky and Sweet Tour and has a male lead vocal with a female guest vocalist adding leading harmonies to give the song new texture and dimension.
The song “Waiting” from this album hit #1 on the euro Indie charts and was shooting up the New Music Weekly Charts AC/40 headed for #1 before the band lost funding for promotions due to unforeseen circumstances. The song was also a top 10 song on Music Mafia Radio's Countdown and remains popular on Streaming services both in the US and abroad to this day.
Passing Through Time (2019)
A 12 song album was released on Nov. 5, 2019. This album has generated two #1 songs and a third top 10 on the Indie Euro Charts.
Upside Down (2021)
A three song EP released November 30, 2021
Hour Past Eleven (2023)
This was a nine song album released March 20, 2023 featuring the bluesy, soulful, and yet still distinctively pop/rock song ‘Start the Night Off All Over’ and the rootsy alternative track ‘Into Your Waters’ as well as the title track, a gentle ballad exploring more sounds with vibrato guitar painting the songs images. The song ‘Hour Past Eleven’ also generated a music video that was released that year.
Cinderella's Dream (2024)
Released Nov. 18, 2024 this next nine song album continues the tradition of powerfully and emotionally grabbing songs such as ‘One Heart (Pour Yourself)’ and the feel good sounds of the still emerging song ‘Andrea’ which is still promoting itself with nary a budget.
Danced in the Night (2025)
Less than 5 months after the release of Hour Past Eleven, yet another album containing 10 songs, was released and is beginning to make its rounds with Danced in the Night (the title track) becoming the first single even as “Andrea” from the last album is still working its way across the globe.
Another full-length album is already in production and expected to be completed by the end of the year with a March 2026 release expected. Because, why not??
Awards and Recognition:
In 2013, Barley Station were nominated for "Best Country Artist" and "Best Folk Artist" for AIMA (Artists In Music) Awards followed by their nomination in 2014 for "Best Country Artist" and "Best Composer/Songwriter" also at AIMA. The band was a contestant in the 2013 Texaco Country Showdown and has been interviewed internationally by numerous radio and magazine publications, including an extensive interview with the Entertainment Vine. The band has also been featured and performed live on FOX 2 News, and The Dave Glover Show on 97.1 FM in their home base area of St. Louis, MO.
Throughout 2015 they won ‘Best Video’ award for ‘Younger Summer Memories’, and multiple ‘Best Song’ awards from the Akademia Music Awards for ‘10 Nights’ and ‘Younger Summer Memories’. In 2017, Barley Station was submitted for nomination for the Americana Music Awards in the ‘Best Song’ and ‘Best Artist’ categories.
In 2019 Barley Station received 6 Nominations at the NMW (New Music Weekly) Awards: New Top 40 Artist; Top 40 Breakthrough artist of the year; AC/Hot AC Group of the year; New AC/Hot AC Group of the year; New Country Group of the Year; and Crossover Artist Group of the Year.
A few Press Quotes
"This group always brings top drawer tunage"
- Music Is Truth (Station), Indie Music People
“Barley Station is a rare breed of band that successfully combines all of your favorite genres into a unique sound of their own.”
- Jan Ostegard, Entertainment Vine
“Rootsy alternative country at its best... ‘I Found You’ will find itself at home in any country music fan’s collection.”
- Eric De Fontenay, Music Dish Journal
"They blend alternative country and rootsy folk-rock into a style that has all the pop appeal of the classic Jayhawks records, but remains earthy and resolutely unpolished. It’s a win / win for me, and I’m sure they’d appeal to both No Depression readers and fans of first generation country rock”
- Leicester Bangs (UK)
"Barley Station has an addictive “twang” about their music that, honestly, I never knew I liked. In fact, I had to make a new category in the Genre section for Country just for them."
-Marsbands.com
"this group is not one to get labeled into one specific genre of music. I say kudos to them for branching out and making music they want to make."
- Maxim Daniels, IT's All About That Music
"it's clear that this is a band that is going in a consistent, forward direction and show no signs of stopping. "Double Star" is brilliant in its Immaculate Conception, composition, and imagery that is evoked when listening but it is also just a small piece of the pie when you consider the capacity and the quality of music that the band has already produced and recorded."
-CA Marshall in Starlight Music Chronicles Magazine
"Barley Station has created a classic Christmas folk song mixing elements of Americana, folk and rock. The lyrics stick to the classic Christmas story, yet the song sounds refreshingly new... The “Christmas Call” is an invitation to gather “one and all” and folks will be gathering around this song for years to come."
-Please Pass The Indie
Contact:
For Press or Bookings please email: management@barleystation.net