Growing up he listened to little more than classic rock from his fathers collection and radio. Names like Led Zepplin, Dire Straits, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Joe Walsh, Cream, Blind Faith, Peter Frampton, and Queen, just to name a few. Josh notes the first live show he ever attended was Joe Walsh with his dad. He claims he grew tired of playing “air guitar” at some point and asked for his first guitar. But he was getting into ska-influenced rock bands like No Doubt, and Goldfinger at the late age of 16 when he first picked it up. He bashfully admits to driving his family nuts playing the opening riff of No Doubts', Just A Girl on his bottom of line Epiphone electric; day in and day out until he started to learn other tunes, but it was the day he was first formally introduced to The Blues, that EVERYTHING changed. The music meant something. It was alive. He actually felt what he played inside, technique took a backseat, and tone and feeling became all that mattered.

As the Founding member of his first band Smokestack Lightnin' (deriving its name from 3 main sources: blues legend Howlin Wolf's tune by that same name, and two of his biggest influences old and new; Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack and Lightnin from Lightnin' Hopkins), Josh Barber is the up and coming guitar player in the New England live scene. Originally 'cutting his teeth' with local guys like Rory and The Blueshounds, Dave Howard and The High Rollers, and Tim Taylor. With this, his first band, he seemed to have appeared unexpectedly, with hints of influences like Hollywood Fats, Jr. Watson, Lightnin' Hopkins, T-Bone Walker, Guitar Slim, Jimmie Vaughan, Johnny Guitar Watson, and many more. You might add to those current influences; David Gilmour, Doyle Bramhall II, and Mark Knopfler. For Smokestack Lightnin', Josh teamed up with Swedish harp/vocalist Nino Paldan, and news of the band spread quickly, winning the title of Providence Phoenix Best Blues/R&B Band in their first year out of the gate, and being nominated again for the same title the following year.

As a departure from the original Smokestack Lightnin' which was still going strong although stale within, Josh started to take on more of his own sound/style of playing rather than the straight ahead WestCoast Swing and downer blues they revolved their sets around. He started to develop his own vocals and songwriting as well, calling the all new lineup what its known as today;

JB & THE STACK or commonly shortened to THE STACK.

He's been asked to sit-in and open for names like Jimmie Vaughan, LouAnn Barton, Roomful of Blues, Duke Robillard, Kid Bangham, Kim Wilson & The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Troy Gonyea & The Howl, Sugar Ray Norcia, Jerry Portnoy, Jr Watson, Nick Curran & The Nitelifes, Preston Hubbard, Doug James, Guitar Shorty, Buddy Guy, and more!

Without a doubt, if you get a chance to see a live show, don't pass it up. You'll miss out on the the new kid in town pouring his heart & soul out.