The Revd John Barron, Vicar for High Spen and Rowland Gill in Gateshead in the Diocese of Durham is amongst the contestants that will feature in the BBC TV show ‘The Voice’ this coming Saturday 9th January.
(c) BBC / Wall To Wall / Guy Levy
Revd John on The Voice
Revd John, 49, will be singing the song: ‘This is the moment from the Show Jekyll & Hyde’ on the first show of the new season. John is a keen singer who uses his musical talents to great effect both in his role as a Vicar in Church but also in support of a number of Charitable community and fundraising activities around the North East and wider afield.
John says: “I have always enjoyed singing and it has something that has been with me long before I was ordained into the Church of England.
“Last year I sang in a memorial concert for a much-loved church member with a local community singing group ‘The Gibside Singers’ raising money for Mothers’ Union Prison projects. The previous year my eldest daughter Louise and I (who also sings musical theatre) held a Gala evening in St Barnabas Church (described in the promos as “a Gateshead West End venue”) and raised money to replace our church heating system.”
© BBC Wall To Wall / Guy Levy
In full voice
“Just before Christmas I did a cabaret evening over in Stanley and raised £100 towards our Christmas Appeal for DePaul and ‘Changing Lives’ (this was part of over £2000 raised in December by the folks in our churches for charities that help people in poverty).
“As well as singing hymns in church each Sunday, I enjoy singing musical theatre, classical, folk & opera. I enjoy listening to a variety of music – I’m open to singing all genres.
“I very much see singing as a way to further the work I do in the Church, reaching out to people in the community – which is core to our aim to grow the engagement of the church. This is part of what we do in the church – trying our best to use what God has given us to be a blessing to our communities.”
Before being ordained in Durham in 2008, John worked in the city as a management consultant.