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ADVANCE, NC -- The European Country Music Association nominated “North Carolina … The Place to Be” for Song of the Year, and composer/performer Dick Barnes as Artist of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year, in the first-ballot nominations. The final nominations include other artists including Alan Jackson and Brad Paisley. Dick has also been awarded ,in the final round, a nomination as New Comer Artist of the Year.

“To make the nominations out of more than 3,500 artists and songs is just unbelievable,” said Barnes, whose work has been promoted by Comstock Records Ltd. “I knew the song was getting a lot of attention overseas, but had no idea that it would generate this kind of reaction among country music performers, disc jockeys and fans. I am deeply honored by the nominations.

Barnes is a native of Catawba County North Carolina. He has been performing since the age of 3. He comes from a family of 12 children that included two Gospel quartets and a duet. His roots in Gospel music slowly expanded to include country and western music, and composing as well as performing.

Dick is a former member of the North Carolina State House of Representatives and the North Carolina State Senate.

For more information visit: http://www.europeancma.com/New_Awards.htm

A little ditty about drunk driving

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on August 29, 2007 - 12:31pm.

A former state legislator has written a song against drunk driving.

Dick Barnes, a former representative and senator from Forsyth County, originally recorded "Booze It and Lose It" in the late 1990s, around the time that the State Highway Patrol began using the slogan for its DUI campaigns.

At the time, Barnes was deputy commissioner of insurance under Jim Long, who coined the phrase along with the head of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

"If you booze it you lose it, don't be a fool," the chorus goes. "The highway is not the place to be. They'll take your license, raise your insurance rates. Lock you up and throw away the key."

But he didn't have much time to promote it, and the song got only limited release in North Carolina.

Now retired, Barnes went back to the studio earlier this year and remixed the song. It's now been rereleased on IGO Records out of Nashville. He says it's getting play in Europe, Australia and Japan.

"A little song recorded in Rural Hall, N.C., has gone worldwide," said Barnes.

Barnes is no stranger to music. As a child, he performed in the Baby Barnes Quartet, one of three gospel group's formed from his parent's 12 children.

Starting at the age of three, he was onstage with the likes of Minnie Pearl and Jerry Lee Lewis. But his musical career fell to the side as her pursued a life in politics.

Now 64, Barnes said he has more time to devote to music.

"Some people play golf," he said. "My hobby is music."

He's recorded a country album called "Good Ol' Country," which includes a bluegrass number called "North Carolina ... The Place to Be." He's also at work on a gospel album as a follow-up. Meantime, "Booze It and Lose It" has been released as a single.

He said he hopes the song will get good play on the radio with the Labor Day holiday coming up.

"I just want to bring awareness to the problem of drinking and driving," he said.