At twenty-nine years old, Cameron Barnes is already more than settled in his industry. He has a plethora of experience with theatre, including acting alongside good friend and Outlander actor Richard Rankin in the four-time Olivier Awards recipient production of Black Watch, a more recent run with the National Theatre’s The James Trilogies in London, and another theatre tour that’s been rescheduled for next year.
After talking to him though it’s clear that music is his true passion. He plays multiple instruments, including the piano, guitar, and bagpipes. Cameron spent years regularly playing for the Red Hot Chilli Pipers; an internationally known cover band composed almost entirely of bagpipers, and was also a member of the indie-rock band, Break The Butterfly.
Cameron has recently taken a step back from the Chilli Pipers to focus on a solo music career. Since June of 2019, he has released three solo singles: “Chasing Love,” “When I’m Home,” and “Just Smile.” With this music, he has taken full advantage of his piano and guitar skills, weaving them with smooth vocals to produce a uniquely blended folksy, pop, and country sound that does justice to his Scottish roots. He hopes to release an EP in the near future.
During our conversation, Cameron I discussed his future endeavors in possible television and theatre, his solo music career, and upcoming EP. Currently, he has two upcoming performances in July, with the first date on July 3 at The Tunnels in Aberdeen and on July 4 at The Mash House in Edinburgh. Tickets can be purchased here.
I recently discovered that you’re an actor also, and I read that you had been in the production of Black Watch. Have you done mostly theater, though?
Cameron Barnes: No. A mix of both to be honest. I’ve done quite a lot of theater since Black Watch. One of my good friends from the production – Richard [Rankin] – is an actor on Outlander. He thinks I would be great on the show. I’ve never seen it, as I have a hard time watching people that I know on TV. It takes away from me getting hooked on the program because I know the actors in real life. I would like to get involved with Outlander, though. Outside of theatre and television, music is my love. That’s what I’m trying to push now.
Obviously music is your passion, but is there anything that you want to do in acting other than theater, and is there something that you haven’t done yet in acting that you’d like to do? Or are you just going to keep the focus on your love of music?
Cameron: Keep focused on loving music, but I would kind of love to do Outlander. A little bit of me wanted to do that. Wanted to do it for a little while now. There’s a few times I’ve been seen for it. I think I would like it. I’ve never watched it, but it’s really big in America so I think I would like to do it.
How long has it been since you’ve acted?
Cameron: Well, I’m currently meant to be doing a show just now with the National Theatre again, and touring the UK, but that has been cancelled. So, that will be pushed on until later in the year. Before that, I was doing a show at the National Theater in London, on the Olivier stage. I was there, in a production called the James Trilogies. It was like Game of Thrones but on stage. I did that for quite awhile.
Listen to Cameron’s music on Spotify:
I know that you’re also a multi-instrumentalist. You’re a piper, you play the guitar and all that stuff. So when did your love of singing and playing guitar fully pick up?
Cameron: Probably when I went to school. I was starting to get really annoyed with bagpipes because it was always so loud and you can only play them for a little while during the day, so I started singing because I realized you could get a lot more girls singing. So I learned guitar and learned lots of love songs on the guitar. That was when I was maybe 17 or 18, so it was quite late when I started playing guitar and singing.
Is there a reason you got into it so late, or did it just start happening at that time for you?
Cameron: Just started happening at that time to be honest. I’d kind of left school. I’d dabbled a little bit at school but I didn’t really do that much. It was more when you went to house parties with your friends, there was always a guitar there and I didn’t like not being able to play it so I kind of taught myself. Yeah, weird how it happened. I played the piano. I always sung and played piano, but obviously not everyone has a piano at their house. So yeah, but I ended up playing guitar.
Now because you play all those instruments, is there one that you prefer over the other? I’m assuming guitar, but is there another one that you would like to discuss?
Cameron: Yeah. I like playing the guitar. It’s a lot more convenient. You pick it up, tune it, and then it’s…you just go. You know what I mean? Where other instruments, like bagpipes, they take ages to get settled and stuff and they change with anything … If the room’s too hot then they change pitch, so they’re constantly changing. Where a guitar you tune it and you just go. The same with the piano. I like the easiness and the convenience of the instrument.
Is there an instrument that you want to learn how to play?
Cameron: I actually would like to play the trumpet to be honest. I’m not just saying that I would actually enjoy it. I’ve never tried a brass instrument before. Or saxophone, I would like to play saxophone just so I could play “Baker Street.”
When did you know that you could sing?
Cameron: When I was around about 20, I joined a band, started gigging, and just kind of never looked back really. And then obviously started the solo thing. I prefer a lot more doing my own thing because I could push it a lot more. I’ve only released two songs and I’ve had a bit of success in the UK, so it’s been worth it. I’m excited to see what else comes after this shite time is over.
You mentioned you prefer being solo as opposed to in a group. Is that because you can push it more?
Cameron: Yeah. Pretty much. I’m working at it every day now.
I know that you were a member of the Red Hot Chilli Pipers. Did you leave to pursue your own solo career; to focus and push on it?
Cameron: Yeah. Pretty much. I’m still with the Chilli Pipers but I don’t do as much touring, and I’m pretty much behind the scenes. I do a lot of the writing and PR. I prefer it a lot more. I’ll come in for some big gigs, but yeah. It’s quite a good situation. I just kind of pick and choose when I play, so it’s quite good.
You’ve told me when you started getting into music, but do you recall your earliest memories with it?
Cameron: Earliest memories of music was probably my brother in the house. He was obsessed with the Beatles. So, I remember playing a Beatles tape in the house when I was younger. Pretty much that was the first introduction to music I ever had. I was just listening to that. I got obsessed with his tape and I kept playing the tape over and over. He had a guitar as well, so I kept trying to play his guitar. I couldn’t play it. I didn’t learn at that age, but I always just hit the strings.
Are there any memories with your family or anything like that, other than your brother? Any particular records you recall playing?
Cameron: My mom was obsessed with Rod Stewart, so she would have Rod Stewart on every single day, pretty much. It was always getting played in the house. It was a regular thing.
Photo by Laura Summerville
I loved the duet that you did with your nephew. Do you plan on doing another one with him?
Cameron: No, probably not. We’ve done it now. He loves singing. He sings around the house a lot. But his mum was telling me that he hasn’t stopped watching the video. He just keeps watching it over and over again. But no, he’s funny. He just got a hoverboard, so I think that has kind of took over everything. He’s obsessed with it, so I’m not sure he’s into music as much anymore.
You haven’t released a full EP or album yet; are you planning on doing that?
Cameron: Yeah, I’m planning on releasing an EP. It was meant to be at the end of this month but obviously can’t get into the recording studio. It’s pretty much done though. It’s just final touches, so maybe the end of July, hopefully.
Have you toured your music in the States yet?
Cameron: Just with the Chilli Pipers, but I’m planning on doing it early next year. I’m not sure how I’m going to do it yet. Maybe try some music festivals, so I can get my foot in the door. But it costs a lot of money. We’ll see what happens. If I’ve got the demand there, and there are some gigs, then yeah. Maybe I’ll move to Nashville for a few months. I’ve got some friends there I could stay with, so I would love to do that.
I love that your songs are very positive, and they’re focused on the good. Are there any particular stories behind your music that led to the creation of your songs?
Cameron: “Chasing Love” stemmed from Amsterdam. I wrote it when I was there. I was coming back to Scotland and I knew I didn’t want to come home. I thought I’d just stay in Germany, keep touring, and keep playing music because I had such a good time. It was the first time I had toured Europe on my own. So, the song was about feeling at home somewhere but I wasn’t home if that makes sense. With “Just Smile,” I had a pen-pal in America when we were younger, and we used to write to each other all the time. I thought she was like my first love, so that’s where that came from. We still speak to this day. She’s one of my best friends. She was always telling me: “You need to write us a song. You need to write us a song.” “Just Smile” came from there. Kind of cute.
What is your recording process like; is there a certain ritual to get you in the moment or zone, so to speak?
Cameron: I work with the same producer all the time. The guy is called Art. In Glasgow – where I record – I go to him with the idea, and we work together. He produced quite a lot of it, but he’s worked with a lot of other bands. There’s no real ritual. It’s just whatever works at the time.
Does he push you as a musician? If you’re tired of recording in the studio, and it’s been a long day, does he encourage you to continue?
Cameron: We’ve never had to be like, “No you need to work harder,” or anything like that. It’s pretty organic. We just do it, if that makes sense because it’s a privilege. It’s a privilege to be recording music so we want to do as much as we can while we have the studio.
Is there anybody, Scottish or American, that you would love to collaborate with on your music?
Cameron: With my music? Right now I’m listening to Chris Stapleton so much. I’m really digging the country thing. I don’t know. I would love to work with anybody. I feel like the music I do, and how I write, I could be a backup to any style. I would love to work with Bon Iver, too. That would be the dream.
Fun Questions
Who was your first concert?
Cameron: I went to see Muse. At that time, I was not into that sort of music at all; it was my worst nightmare. One of my friends had a free ticket, so I went along and I ended up loving it. I thought it was great. The frontman is an incredible musician.
Who has been your favorite concert so far out of all the ones you’ve seen?
Cameron: I saw a singer called Foy Vance. I saw him in Scotland. He was incredible. Probably one of the best frontman I’ve ever seen. I saw a guy called Ryan McMullan as well, that I’ve been listening to a lot. His concert was beautiful. It was just him and a guitar. There were no gimmicks. It was great. My guilty pleasure is Coldplay. I could go all day; I don’t know if I’ve got a favourite.
What was your first album on CD and/or vinyl?
Cameron: The first album I ever bought with my own money was a CD for a band called The View. Then it was Michael Jackson. My brother bought me that. I’m trying to think of what it was after that. I went through a folky stage, got into a guy called John Martin. One of the first American CDs I bought was by Gavin DeGraw.
Five albums or artists you wouldn’t want to live without?
Cameron: Sgt. Pepper by The Beatles, All of John Mayer’s albums, pretty much. I’m obsessed. Foy Vance’s album. In terms of artists, Amos Lee and Bon Iver.
Do you have any guilty-pleasure movies or TV shows?
Cameron: I love a chick flick. I went to get a film last night called Forever My Girl.
I know Scotland has the best whisky, obviously. What’s your favorite whisky to drink?
Cameron: When I’m out… That’s a difficult question. I do enjoy a Glenmorangie. I don’t know if you’ve tried that… That’s my go-to, that or a Dalwhinnie or a good Glenfiddich.
Have you had some crappy whisky?
Cameron: Yeah. Quite a lot. But whisky’s whisky man, I love it. You close your eyes and go.
Connect with Cameron on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Stream his music on Spotify. Join his US fan group here.
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