Today we’d like to introduce you to Barry DeGroot.
Hi Barry, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, even though my path didn’t begin there professionally. For many years, I built a successful career practicing law, a profession that demanded discipline, precision, and dedication.
Although law became my profession, music never truly left me. It stayed quietly in the background, always present, waiting for the right moment to take center stage again. As life evolved, I found myself drawn back to the passion that first inspired me as a child. Today, music is far more than a creative outlet for me — it is a way to express thoughts and emotions that words alone often cannot capture.
Now, after many rewarding years as an attorney, I have come full circle and fully embraced life as a pianist and composer. I recently released an album of solo piano compositions called “Unspoken Conversations.” These were songs that I had written over decades but never shared as they were personal to me and had no commercial intent. However, to my surprise my album was well received having received numerous reviews, award nominations and over 100K listeners within a few short months.
If there is one lesson my story reflects, it is that it is never too late to pursue the dreams that have always lived within you.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The greatest obstacle in transitioning from a corporate career to creating music was, quite simply, letting go of the corporate world itself. Moving from a profession rooted in structure, analysis, precision, and constant attention to detail into one driven entirely by creativity required a profound shift in mindset. It meant learning to step away from logic and certainty, and instead embrace vulnerability, intuition, and artistic expression in a completely new way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I began playing the piano at a very young age, and creating music has always been my refuge — a place of comfort, reflection, and emotional release. Although music remained a constant presence throughout my life, for many years it existed alongside my professional career rather than at the center of it. It was deeply personal, a way to process thoughts and emotions during different moments in my life.
The compositions featured on my recent album were written over the course of decades, each piece capturing a particular feeling, memory, or chapter in time. Releasing this music was an incredibly meaningful step, and I never expected the response it would receive. While I had simply hoped that a handful of listeners might connect with the work, I was humbled and grateful to see the album placed on nearly 100 playlists, featured on over 40 radio stations, and heard by more than 100,000 listeners across multiple countries. The positive reviews and award nominations that followed made the experience even more rewarding and reaffirmed the power of sharing something deeply personal through music.
I think what sets me apart is that these songs were never written with any commercial intent. Rather, they were simply reflections of my emotions at the time I composed them and they were personal to me.
What does success mean to you?
I believe success is anything that brings a true sense of self-fulfillment. While some may define success through wealth or material possessions, I see it as something far deeper — a feeling of purpose, personal pride, and inner satisfaction. To me, success is found in pursuing what genuinely matters to you and being able to look back with a sense of meaning and accomplishment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://barrydegroot.com
- Instagram: @barrydegrootmusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barry.degroot.5
