SoundTree Welcomes Debra Barbre

Born in Los Angeles, Debra began singing in public at the age of 8 and continues to do so to this day, playing guitar and singing in southland bands. She has worked as a session vocalist and recorded two CDs of original music. She also writes and leads music for a church in Orange County.

Although her degree is in English, Debra has worked in the music products industry for 32 years.  She began her career at 19, with Fender/Rodgers/Rhodes (then CBS owned) selling parts over the counter and answering technical letters for the service department.  She grew to learn much about guitars, drums and pianos.  She has since worked for Charvel/Jackson Guitars, Yamaha Guitars, Rico Reeds and most recently Roland, where over 11 years, she created and grew Roland’s Music Education division.  Although she works in electronics, she has a healthy respect for traditional music programs. Debra says the most difficult thing she has ever done in music education was be a “band mom.”

She has written for many publications, including Music Education Technology, School Band and Orchestra, NAMM Playback and others. She sits on the boards of TI:ME, Support Music, Guitars in the Classroom and other music advocacy boards.

She credits lunch time at high school as most important to her musical education, because students gathered in the choir room to play guitar and harmonize to songs by The Eagles, CSNY, Beatles, etc.  That skill has kept her working in music and is probably the reason she’s so passionate about contemporary music making and its ability to change students’ lives today