Despite his parents' hope for him to follow their path in pursuing law, Barry found his true calling in music at age 23 when he formed Barry Fontenot and the Hurricanes, a Motown-inspired band. After dropping out of law school to pursue music, he established an eight-piece ensemble called Barry and the Fountains, which performs monthly shows around Chicago. Beyond music, Barry finds fulfillment as a substitute teacher in Chicago's south side, working with underserved high school students. A self-proclaimed massive nerd, he maintains a unique passion for historical swordsmanship, having collected over 15 swords and participated in historical European martial arts fencing for 15 years.