THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, August 28, 1995 TAG: 9508260057
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
BARBARA JEAN REAMES left a house next to her father's country store in Belvidere, N.C., for a house across the street from Opryland.
There's another move - from gold to silver.
Barbara Jean and the Band of Gold, fixtures in the Hampton Roads country music scene for more than a decade, have had a friendly divorce, both sides agreeing to retire the band's name.
She wants in on the national country music scene. Her band (with the exception of her steel guitar-playing hubby, Bobby ``Muskrat'' Reames) will stay here, using the name Silver Canyon.
The move was prompted by the closing of The County Line, a Military Highway club where Barbara Jean and the Band of Gold performed for so many years.
``When it shut down May 4, a part of me shut down,'' she said. ``That night I went to Ronda's house in tears. She said, `Now's the time to do it, now's the time to go to Nashville.' ''
Ronda McKinney, her cosmetologist and close friend, will live with Barbara Jean, her husband and their 6-year-old daughter, Lacey Jean. A former Nashville resident, McKinney has a job waiting for her at a salon. To round out the family, Barbara Jean's sister, Linda, will also be part of the household. She'll be working as a teacher.
``I'll be living on faith,'' Barbara Jean Reames said. ``I'll do some demo work. Rat (hubby, Muskrat) has some good leads for studio work.''
The Virginia Country Music Association started handing out awards in 1990; Barbara Jean won Female Vocalist of the Year honors every time. Muskrat was proclaimed Best Instrumentalist three years; the Band of Gold was named Best Band two years.
Barbara Jean received the Humanitarian Award in 1994 for benefits she has done for individuals as well as for groups fighting muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy and cancer.
The generous performer, who has hundreds of fans and friends in Hampton Roads - about 500 joined her for a farewell party last month at The Banque - will be helped by her many friends in Nashville, where she and the band performed several times.
Martin Parker of Edenton, drummer for Vince Gill, and his wife, Ira, Dolly Parton's personal assistant, live across the street.
Other Hampton Roads musicians have moved to the big country city. Rick Stanley and Tim Buppert, formerly with the Heavy Cowboys and Thunder Road respectively, are writing music. Singer Donna Ulisse, is doing demos. Kathy Lynn Sacra is operating a souvenir store.
``I wasn't ready for this before. Now, I'm older, more mature,'' said Barbara Jean, whose career began in the mid-'70s with a talent show win that resulted in a job as singer with the late Carolina Charlie's band.
Her big year was 1980 when she married Reames and fronted her own band.
The Band of Gold was formed 10 years ago and, Barbara Jean predicts, will still be going strong as Silver Canyon.
Silver Canyon, which will add a female vocalist and guitarist, but no steel guitar, will still be working in the area.
``The band will do fine,'' Barbara Jean said. ``I think I will. Working in Nashville is something I've always dreamed about, always wanted.''
She was pensive for a moment recently as she talked to friends who came by for her recent yard sale.
``Can I take the Perquimans River with me?'' she asked. ``Maybe I can put it in my new back yard.'' ILLUSTRATION: FRANK ROBERTS
Barbara Jean Reames, center, talks to Howard Jones and Ruby Chappell
at a yard sale Reames threw to raise money for her move.
by CNB