The Goodfellers

North Carolinian Teddy Barneycastle was surrounded by music his entire life. At the age of five he was part of The Barneycastle Trio, a gospel group composed of his mother, aunt, and oldest sister. “More than one time,” Teddy remembers, “as the five-year-old with the old tape recorder with the red button…I fell asleep on the front pew of a church while recording my mom and sister and aunt…”

By 12 he was a regular performer at many area churches. Then, like most adolescents, Teddy discovered rock & roll, which expanded his musical tastes. His first rock gig was with local band Crystal Image. That experience gave Teddy a new understanding of live audiences and stage energy. It also provided him with a platform to develop his soulful voice.

When Teddy was 20, his parents invited him to an Osborne Brothers show, and it was a moment that changed his life: Although he was in the thick of the hard rock scene, he remembers,”…me being interested in music in general, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll go!’ We walked into a schoolhouse not far from where I lived, and here’s this kid, he’s got long hair and earrings in his ears and looks completely out of place—but I didn’t realize, I’d found my place.”

He decided that he wanted to create bluegrass music. Shortly after that, he began working with local bluegrass groups, including The Carolina Travelers and The Hard Times Band. In 1994, Teddy co-founded NiteFlyer with Ralph McGee.

In 2003, after a sojourn in Texas to get a theological education, Teddy returned to North Carolina, reunited with Ralph McGee, and founded what is now known as the GoodFellers. The bands most recent release is Love Somebody. Teddy plays rhythm guitar and adds a unique, powerful lead vocal that has helped root the band’s dynamic sound. Over the last few years, Teddy has become one of the favorites among male vocalists in “Grassicana.”

By Dan Walsh

To find out more, visit www.goodfellersband.com. Click here for the full interview.