Meet Tori Barber | Country Singer/Songwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tori Barber and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tori, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’ve been singing since I was very little. My Momma will tell you that I was singing full Reba McEntire songs when I was just two. Somehow I’ve always known that music was my ultimate passion. There have been a few interests that have come and gone, but music has always been my constant.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a country singer/songwriter from Lubbock, Texas. I like to joke that my music is more “emo country,” because it’s mostly just sad songs sung by a girl with blue hair.

I’ve spent my life divided back-and-forth between Austin and Lubbock, using my gigs and connections in each city to hone my own style that mixes the two cultures of indie city and rural country.

I think my greatest hindrance in my career growth has been these back-and-fourth moves. Losing connections and steady work every few years tends to uproot the whole system I have in place for myself. But now I am settled here in Fort Worth, and I absolutely refuse to move again. I’m excited about this new prospect of building a career in this city that I can be proud of. I think Fort Worth looks good on me, personally. I’d like to see how my style changes with the exposure of all of these talented artist, and to really get to know the culture of this place better.

I had to take a long break from my musical ambitions when I was pregnant with my daughter in 2017. She has a rare disease called Noonan Syndrome that effects most of the major systems in her body. She has a heart condition, she is Deaf with bilateral cochlear implants, and there’s a slew of smaller issues including growth and development problems. The first few years of her life were spent learning how to live with and manage these conditions. There wasn’t time for me to peruse my other passions when my greatest passion, my family, was in disarray. We honesty didn’t know if she would survive birth, but here we are five years later. She is a super hero, a champion, and she is living her best life, so now this mama can dedicate more time to music and building a career.

The music game is never steady, it’s a raging river with twists and turns, and unexpected adventure. Sometimes it’s hard to find a foothold. Alas, I keep putting myself out there in people’s faces, hoping someone will hear what they need to hear in my songs. The key is to just keep pushing. Never take no for an answer. If you’ve got a message to spread, you spread it as confidently and precisely as you can. Keep going. Not everyone is going to like it, but someone is going to hear it and resonate with the message.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m still new to Fort Worth, but I do love taking my friends out to the Stockyards for some shopping and live music. If they’ve got the kids I like to go to the zoo. It’s always a treat for everyone.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The most influential people in my musical journey have been my mother, Rhonda,(my strongest and longest supporter), and my wonderful husband, Ross, who not only inspires me, but pushes me to achieve greater heights. Without their support and encouragement, I might not still be singing my heart out today.

Website: www.trbtunes.com

Instagram: @trbtunes

Facebook: Facebook.com/trbtunes

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC0kqRKguOaXqRtPm8eLBWNw

Image Credits
Jeffrey Thomas- Photographer