Barry Williams Talks About Music, the ‘70s and How He Loves Bringing Both to Delighted Fans
Barry Williams has really done it all. He’s a television superstar. singer. radio DJ, and New York Times best-selling author... He takes the stage every week to lead the wildly popular theatrical production, ‘70s Music Celebration. And in March, he’ll be adding a brand-new role to that incredible list: Cruise Host of the ‘70s Rock & Romance Cruise. Barry took a break between shows at The Americana Theatre in Branson, MO recently to talk to us about the ‘70s, the music and how much both are still a very big part of his life – on land and on sea.
“Right now, my career and life is based in Branson, MO with the '70s Music Celebration show,” he starts out. “We fit an incredible 47 songs into two hours, songs that speak for a whole generation of music. And coincidentally, a lot of the artists whose songs we perform in the ‘70s Music Celebration will be on the ‘70s Rock & Romance Cruise. Acts like Orleans and Chuck Negron - a lot of what I do in the show mirrors the spirit of the cruise.”
It’s that spirit that drew Barry to the music he built the ‘70s Music Celebration around and made him immediately say “Yes!” when StarVista LIVE invited him to join the Rock & Romance Cruise. “It all just clicked immediately,” he recalls. “Plus I like to cruise,” he adds, laughing, “I’ve cruised all over the world.”
“I’d already done so much work with (StarVista LIVE sister company) Time Life. I was the host and spokesperson for the ‘70s Music Explosion CD box set and Heart of Classic Rock CD collection. My experience with that company has been so good, that as soon as I heard they were doing a cruise, I knew they were going to do it right because they don’t do anything halfway.”
“I’m going to be coming in and telling stories and sharing moments,” explains Barry, excitedly. “I’ll be adding in a completely fun-filled dynamic to the series of concerts.” But it won’t be all work for the pop culture icon. “I’m a fan like everybody else. I have all the albums, sang along with them in the living room and in the car. I took them from vinyl to 8-track to cassette to CD. I’ve enjoyed them in every form. If I’m not hosting a show, I’ll be in the audience!” Dare we hope that he might even be onstage for a song or two, singing backup or jumping in to play guitar? “It’s possible,” he teases.
Something else on his cruise to-do list? Hang out with the guests aboard the ship every day. That’s right, America’s most reliable big brother, “Greg,” is looking forward to getting to know everyone on the cruise. “No doubt, sometimes when people meet me for the first time, it’s like they are looking through a projector onto a screen. Their minds are going through all of the experiences they had when they were watching The Brady Bunch and it reminds them of a different time in their lives. But that will break down over the course of the cruise,” he says with a smile. “We’ll actually get to hang out and stuff.”
Generations have been relying on that character, Greg Brady, to be their big brother for 47 years. Even today, The Brady Bunch is on three different networks in the US alone. “The Brady Bunch has never been off the air,” he marvels. “Make no mistake; I’m very pleased to have created a character that has become so indelibly memorable. It’s a very privileged life for which I’m very grateful.”
Fans looking to hang out with their big brother on the ‘70s Rock & Romance Cruise will be welcomed with open arms. And like any beloved member of the family, Barry invites everyone to come visit him in Branson. “Branson is so family-friendly,” he says proudly of his new hometown. “Every show has heartfelt values. The fishing, the lakes, the horseback riding, the adventures - our latest attraction here is the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel that was dismantled in Chicago. There are so many things for kids to do like laser tag and go-carts and water and amusement parks, it just goes on and on. It’s just a wonderland of adventure with high-quality entertainment. They don’t realize how much there is to do once you arrive but I’m going to tell them.”
It’s the best of all possible worlds for Barry, trading his cherished Branson next spring for a week as Cruise Host atop the glittering Caribbean. When he returns home, he’ll take to the stage once again to star in his ‘70s Music Celebration and ponder what could possibly lie ahead for him next in his career, one already filled with spectacular milestones. “More cruises,” he exclaims with happiness.
