Growing up in the Sault, Johnny Barban was always surrounded by music.
Barban’s father had musical friends who frequently played music around the family home.
“Hal Draper and Bill Duncan and are two that I have a lot of memories of listening to as a kid,” he says.
“I always thought it was just cool. Bill taught me a few things on guitar and also picked out the guitar I learned on. Hal spent a lot of time recording and writing over the years and I always loved his music. Hal is still writing and playing in Southern Ontario. Bill also still picks away at the guitar."
Barban’s grandfather, Donald Hamm from Orono, Ont., was a talented saxophone player who played in bands all his life.
The music that surrounded Barban got into his blood, made him pick up the guitar and created a desire to play.
Like many young people in the Sault, he left town post high school to go to college in Peterborough.
“I met my wife there and we got married. We lived in Peterborough for about seven years. Then we moved to the Dominican Republic to work at a school. We were there for two years before moving back to the Sault.”
In 2009, Barban and his brother Luke started JL Builders, a building company that specializes in custom built homes, kitchen cabinets and designs, renovations, remodeling, design services and more.
Despite his success in business, the love of music never left him so he tried to balance his multiple interests.
“It’s tough to find time for everything that I want to do. The reality is that being a business owner, a father and husband, the music definitely took the back burner.”
Despite that, Barban continued to sing, play and write music when he could. “I always tried to challenge myself over the years to improve on different aspects of my singing and playing.”
It was Barban’s wife that encouraged him to take the next step.
“In the New Year, my wife asked me what my resolution was. She asked, 'What is something you want to do for you?' ... This was it.”
So Barban began preparing his gritty, bluesy acoustic songs for the recording studio. He reached out to Dustin Jones at Mission Control Studio to set up the recording sessions.
“I was told that he was the guy to see,” says Barban.
Gathering musical friends that he had “jammed” with over the years, Barban began recording.
Byron and Marshall Jaaskelainen played fiddle and sang harmony, and played stand-up bass, electric bass, and mandolin, respectively.
“They are really great friends and fun guys to play with, as well as being amazingly talented musicians.”
Jason Gasparetto, another long-time friend, added some harmony vocals on the album.
“I play in a band called Johnny and the Revelators with these three guys.”
Angela Duncan, who Barban has played with in a group called Sometimes Ange with, also added vocals to the album.
Rounding out the studio band was Greg Simpson on drums, who Barban describes as “a solid and talented musician.”
Although Barban had sung and performed for many years prior to recording, the studio experience proved to be a new challenge for him.
“It’s different when you are recording and scrutinizing your own vocals and instruments,” he says. “I learned a lot from it. That experience will only make me a better musician. Dustin was very helpful. He’s an awesome, easy going and super talented dude who made it an awesome experience.”
Barban’s songs all had a deep connection to his life, but there were a few that hold a special place in his heart.
“I like all of the tunes on the album. Each of them has a special inspiration,” says Barban. “Be With You is a song I wrote for my wife Erin and I played for her when I proposed. That one is special to me.”
Another song, Change, was one he wrote many years ago “for friends who were going through difficult times and needed to make a big change in their lives. The story in the song was real for them at the time. One of my friends who I wrote this for has since passed away, so it also holds a special place in my heart.”
With the album completed, Barban weighed his options, understanding the challenges of releasing an album during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I just thought, ‘Why stop here?’” says Barban. “I need to just go with it and make do with what we have. There is so much music online nowadays and with social media that I didn’t think [the pandemic] would really change [the situation] a whole lot.”
He knew he couldn’t have a proper CD release party until potentially later in the year, so Barban decided to do a launch performance virtually on June 14 on his Facebook page.
“I was originally going to just do an acoustic set alone,” says Barban. “Now, I have Byron and Marshall joining me for an acoustic set.”
The album title Out with the Old is a direct reference to Barban’s hope that he will “wipe the slate clean” by releasing this EP and will be inspired to write more songs. “This year’s focus was recording. Next year’s may be to play more or to write more.”
“[This album] feels like this is something that I have to show for all the time I have spent singing and playing and maybe justifies all the guitars I buy,” laughs Barban. “I am really excited to get it out there and for people to hear it.”
For more information on Johnny Barban and his music, check out his Instagram, Facebook or website.
“Out with the Old” will be available on all streaming platforms on June 14.