Jarvis, John Barlow (2nd January 1954-Present)

He is a keyboard player, pianist and songwriter who was a classical competition winner while still only young. He was signed up at Edwin H. Morris Music as a studio musician and songwriter when he was only 14, and soon he was performing piano on recordings by many of the day’s popular artists.

In 1974 he became a member of the Rod Stewart Band who he toured and recorded with and during his stay with them he would feature on the hits “Hot Legs”, “You’re In My Heart” and “Tonight’s the Night”. At the same time he could continue his work as a studio musician as well as appear as a pianist in 1978 movie The Buddy Holly Story. In 1982 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, from California to carry on his recording work with many of the popular musicians in the world of country music.

An award winning songwriter his song “The Flame” was sung by Trisha Yearwood at the 1996 Olympics, he has been nominated for an Emmy, and the songs “Love Can Build a Bridge” by The Judds and “I Still Believe in You” by Vince Gill both brought him Grammy Awards.

The artists he has accompanied through the course of his career are to numerous to mention but include Air Supply, Chet Atkins, Long John Baldry, Bobby Bare, Stephen Bishop, Debby Boone, Bonnie Bramlett, Jimmy Buffett, Glen Campbell, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Ray Charles, The Chieftains, Steve Cropper, Mac Davis, Art Garfunkel, Vince Gill, Crystal Gayle, Dobie Gray, Faith Hill, Eddie Kendricks, Mark Knopfler, Lyle Lovett, Mac MacAnally, Reba MacEntire, John Mellencamp, Edgar Meyer, The Miracles, Olivia Newton John, Harry Nilsson, Mark O’Connor, Jerry Reed, Diana Ross, Carole Bayer Sager, Leo Sayer, Earl Scruggs, Bob Seger, Dusty Springfield, Ringo Starr, George Strait, James Taylor, Randy Travis, Travis Tritt, Shania Twain, Hank Williams Jr. and Tammy Wynette.

The artists who have recorded his work are even more numerous but have included Alabama, John Denver, Amy Grant, Brenda Lee, Stevie Nicks, Taj Mahal and Conway Twitty.

In 1985 he was asked by MCA to record for their Master Series label and between 1985 and 1993 he released five solo CDs including Whatever Works, So Fa So Good, Something Constructive, Contours and Balancing Act that reached the jazz Top 10 and 2007 saw him releasing his yet a further solo one, View From a Southern Porch, which received even more critical acclaim.

Continuing his work as a pianist he has toured with the Vince Gill Band since 2016.

Other albums he features on are Come on Over by Shania Twain, Foot Loose & Fancy Free by Rod Stewart, Montana Cafe by Hank Williams Jr., Words and Music by John Mellencamp, Last Mango in Paris by Jimmy Buffett, Enchanted by Stevie Nicks, Reba Duets with Reba MacEntire, Nashville Rebel by Waylon Jennings, Pure Country by George Strait, Songbird: Rare Tracks & Forgotten Gems by Emmylou Harris, Photograph by Ringo Starr, White Limozeen by Dolly Parton, What a Crying Shame by The Mavericks and The Conway Twitty Collection.

Here’s his “Best of Both Worlds”…

https://youtu.be/mBjYoLXMIk4

Sources:

Jarvis, John Barlow (2nd January 1954-Present)

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