Rising Star
KM native Jimmy Wayne Barber’s ‘Stay Gone’
23 on Billboard country chart and still climbing
By TODD HAGANS
Special to The Herald
Bessemer City has its base-
ball star in Philadelphia
Phillies pitcher Kevin
Millwood. Now it looks like
the ‘City With A Heart’ can
claim its own rising country
music star in Jimmy Wayne
Barber.
Barber's first single, ‘Stay
Gone,’ recently ranked at
No. 23 on the Billboard
country charts and at No. 18
on the Radio and Record
charts and if the song's
growing popularity is any
indication, it could skyrock-
et to the top. The tune hit
the airways in February and
has found plenty of playing
time on Charlotte's two
country music stations and
stations around the country.
Barber, 30, whose stage
name is Jimmy Wayne,
made his television debut on
March 1 on Country Music
Television (CMT) and
appeared on the Grand Ole
Opry on March 22, two big
steps an artist takes on the
way to stardom.
People in Bessemer City
are talking about Barber's
career with many boasting
that another Bessemer City
boy has found success.
“I am so proud,” said
Willodean Wise, whose son,
Robert, 32, is Barber's
friend. “I think Jimmy is
going to make it.”
Wise said Barber and her
son spent many hours in the
basement of her Skyland
Ave. home, practicing music
performed in Roberts rock
and roll band. Wise said
Robert was interested in
hard rock while Barber obvi-
ously went the country
route. The two met while
working at the Osage Mill.
Wise said she was thrilled
to see Barber make his tele-
vision debut on CMT.
“I called him right after he
appeared on national TV
and told him how proud I
was and he said, “‘Willodean,
it started in your base-
ment,” said Wise, noting
that the basement music was
quite loud. “The pictures in
my kitchen used to vibrate.”
Wise said she never real-
ized that Barber had serious
ambitions of becoming a
country musician during the
days the two practiced in
the basement. But, she is
excited that Barber is finally
experiencing success.
“When he first started, I
didn’t know he was aspiring
to be famous,” said Wise.
“It just unfolded for him.”
Wise, the wife of the late
Bessemer City mayor and
county commissioner Bill
Wise, said Barber is very
special to her and her fami-
ly. Barber came home to
Bessemer City last summer
to sing at Mr. Wise’s funeral.
FR
“He is special to me and
he was to Bill and our fami-
ly,” she said. “We look at
him as family.”
Wise said she is glad that
Barber refers to Bessemer
City as his hometown,
although he was born in
Kings Mountain. She said
both Barber and Millwood
are proud to say they are
from Bessemer City.
“Jimmy likes to hear and
he tells people that he’s
from Bessemer City,” said
Wise, mentioning that she
loves to hear Barber’s song
on the radio. “I pray for
him every time I hear his
music.”
Wise last saw Barber at
Christmas, recalling that the
Nashville singer dropped by
her home for a visit. With
his guitar in hand, Wise said
someone asked Barber what
he was carrying with him
replying, “This is my wife.”
Barber has been busy since
last fall, making appear-
ances at radio stations across
the country. More radio
touring is ahead for Barber
as his ‘Stay Gone’ single is
set for release in stores on
April 29. His 11-song album
will be on shelves on June
24.
Barber signed with Acuff-
Rose in 1998 and co-wrote
the song, ‘Put Your Hand In
Mine,” which Tracy Byrd
recorded and peaked at No.
9 on the country charts in
early 2000. He signed a con-
tract with Dream Works in
2001 and has worked for
over a year on his debut
album. The song has
proven to be a hit, reaching
the top 30 in just five weeks.
Barber's sister, Patricia,
who lives in Shelby, inspired
the song, ‘Stay Gone,’ after
she went through a divorce.
The song's title is a reference
to his sister's wishes for her
husband. The idea of the
tune came to Barber as he
sat in traffic at a red light.
As a child, Barber's father
abandoned him and his ,
mother went to prison when
he was 12 years old. With
his parents out of the pic-
ture, Barber relied on foster
parents to provide the guid-
ance needed for a successful
life.
As a high school dropout
at the age of 16, Barber met
the late Beatrice Costner,
who owned a woodworking
shop in Bessemer City, while
looking for work. Costner
gave him a job and a home
and helped him get his life
back on track. Barber grad-
uated from Bessemer City
High School in 1992, attend-
ed Gaston College and
worked at the state prison in
Dallas before moving to
Nashville.
While chasing after his
music career, Barber per-
formed as a guest entertain-
FOOD INSPECTIONS
Cleveland County Health
Department inspected the
following food-handling
facilities during the week
ending April 11.
**Denotes 2 extra points
when an employee attended
an approved food-handling
course.
Restaurants:
Bojangles, Cleveland Ave.,
Kings Mountain, 96**
Chan's Garden, York Rd.,
Kings Mountain, 95.
Jersey Mike's Subs, E.
Dixon Blvd., 97.5
One Stop, E. Marion St.,
90.
Poppis Chicken Coop, S.
Post Rd., 91.5.
Redbone Willys, Fallston
Rd., 95.
Sub Station 11, S. Lafayette
St, 99>
Subway, York Rd., Kings
Mountain, 94.5**
Subway, Highland
Festival, 96.
The Dugout, S. Lafayette
St., 99**
Food Stands:
Dominos Pizza, Grove St.,
Shelby, 99.
One Stop, W. Dixon Blvd.,
96.
Harris Teeter Deli, E. King
St., Kings Mountain, 96.5**
Southern Convenience, W.
King St., Kings Mountain,
95.
The Pantry, E. Marion St.,
85.
Little Caesar, E. King St.,
Kings Mountain, 86.
Texaco Express, Linwood
Rd., Kings Mountain, 96.
Meat markets:
Harris Teeter, E. King St.,
Kings Mountain, 96.
er for the Miss Gastonia
pageant and was discovered
during an audition at the
Opryland theme park.
When Barber has the
chance to come home, he
often visits with family and
friends in Bessemer City,
Cherryville and Kings
Mountain.
Barber was a guest musi-
cian during the 2001 Down
Home Festival in Bessemer
City, entertaining crowds
with his favorite tunes. He
also provided entertainment
during the Bessemer City
Area Chamber of
Commerce’s annual dinner
in November 2000.
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The Kings Mountain Herald
April 17, 2003
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Kings
Mountain
native
Jimmy
Wayne
Barber
is a rising
country
music star.
His latest
single ‘Stay
Gone’ is
charts and
gaining air
play on sta-
tions in
Charlotte
and around
climbing the
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