|
Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZMcGUIRE, Barry(b 15 October 1937) Folk-rock vocalist, famous for one world-wide hit. He was a lead voice with New Christy Minstrels, i.e. on their biggest hit 'Green, Green' (top 20 '62); left to go solo on Dunhill, involved with producer Lou Adler and singer-songwriter P. F. Sloan: they hit big with Sloan's powerful protest song 'Eve Of Destruction' '65, no. 1 USA, 3 UK. An album of the same name was top 40 USA; minor hit singles 'Cloudy Summer Afternoon' and 'Child Of Our Times', album This Precious Time did not equal the big one. The circle of friends included The Mamas and the Papas; McGuire was name-checked in their celebrated historical 'Creeque Alley'. Following LPs The World's Last Private Citizen '70 and Barry McGuire And The Doctor '71 (with guitarist/songwriter Dr Eric Hord), McGuire converted to Christianity and became a religious artist on labels such as Word and Sparrow. As Christopher Hitchens has pointed out, this means that he still gets to sing about the end of days. |