Singer/songwriter Bernie Barlow has released her long-awaited new album Walking Around This Town today via Blue Élan Records. Known for her versatile vocals and decades of work with artists ranging from The Moody Blues to Melissa Etheridge, Barlow steps fully into the spotlight with a collection that is equal parts soulful, gritty, and deeply personal.
Click here to listen now/get the album.
The record features previously released singles, including the high-octane rocker “Million Miles an Hour” and the blues-driven anthem “Stand in My Way,” both of which have already introduced fans to the album’s range and power. Today, she shines a light on the new focus track, “Brave,” an R&B-tinged song that Barlow describes as “falling in love with someone who’s not good for you,” delivered with a striking mix of vulnerability and fire.
Recorded live in just one week under the direction of six-time Grammy-nominated producer Dave Darling (Stray Cats, Temptations, Glen Campbell, Janiva Magness), Walking Around This Town draws on Barlow’s decades-long career as a performer, collaborator, and songwriter. The album moves effortlessly across genres—rock, soul, blues, folk, and country—mirroring her path as a “vocal chameleon” whose voice has long been one of the most sought-after in the business.
“I’ve had a lot of great opportunities over my career, and this album is just the latest,” says Barlow. “It was like therapy to make it—about aging in the business, being a woman, and the things that come up midlife. I realize it’s not often a singer my age gets a chance to keep doing this, so I’m grateful.”
Barlow’s journey is as remarkable as her music. From early demo sessions for Wilson Phillips and touring nearly a decade with The Moody Blues as a keyboardist and background vocalist, to working alongside legends like Sarah McLachlan, Bob Seger, Joe Cocker, and Britney Spears, she has left her mark on countless stages and recordings. Her voice has graced everything from hit singles to film scores (Sweet Home Alabama) and TV soundtracks (CSI: Miami, Survivor).
With Walking Around This Town, Bernie Barlow brings her own story to the forefront—songs of resilience, family, love, and life’s twists and turns. It’s an album that feels both lived-in and timeless, proof that her voice remains one of music’s most distinctive instruments.