Barry was born in Chicago, and grew up in Evanston. He first played professionally as a musician at age 15. His first radio gig was with public radio station WGLT (Illinois State University - Normal, IL) where he began in the Fall of 1974. Barry was with WBEZ in Chicago for many years, from 1979 to 1998. He has also has a long stint as host of Jazz Transfusion at Chicago's WXRT on Sunday nights, beginning in Fall of 1986, which continues to present day.

In the Fall of 2001, Barry was hired as the mid-day jazz announcer for All Things Jazz (now DCB Jazz), and in 2016 added a "trad" show on Saturdays titled When Jazz Was King.  He has continued as a professional musician (saxophonist) and bandleader. For five years Barry was adjunct faculty at Columbia College in Chicago, and taught the course Jazz Traditions.

Barry adds:  I enjoy traveling via car, and red wine... (but never at the same time)   And thanks to my friend, Chicago jazz vocalist Jackie Allen, for taking the picture of me that you see on this page.