Meet Barbara Paris | Hair by Barbara Salon & Jazz Vocalist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Barbara Paris and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Barbara, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
First and foremost I have studied over and beyond what was expected or normal in my field. Initially I took workshops and attended seminars by the most successful people in my industry at the time and continue refreshing with the changing of times.
My motivation for learning was I wished to be well versed in all aspects of the services I offer.Those skills have made it possible to achieve excellent results and to maintain happy clients along with achieving positive reviews over the course of my career.
Listening is a very intricate aspect of achieving the most satisfied customers. I listen with my ears, evaluate with my eyes, observe body language as it pertains to hairdressing and use my skill to achieve each individual’s specific requests.
When I started my business I created a treatment system for clients. Over the years rather than cutting it short or minimizing my pampering extras I have maintained them. People like consistency. I like taking time and working at a very relaxed pace. Pampering others is a gift to myself.
I have always been considerate of others’ time and keep a very timely schedule.
Aside from being a hair professional I am also a jazz vocalist and recording artist.
When beginning to perform professionally, I applied the same good processes to become prepared.
Study, practice, workshops, seminars and working with established and professional people in the music industry. If who you keep company with is a reflection of who you are. I made it a point to gravitate toward the most dedicated to their field.
I recorded my first cd 6 months after singing professionally. I was my own producer and marketing agent. I sought outreviews, and followed up with my requests. Making friendships along the way.
Since I have 4 available recordings and pursue performance opportunities continually. Music feeds my soul, releases my greatest joy and it warms hearts in a most subtle way.
I always prepare to be prepared. All good results in anything I have chosen to undertake in my life have required skill and professionalism. I feel applying those to anything would result in success.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I love the skills I have been gifted to pursue. My artistic life has been one that has never been boring. It has always resulted in being able to provide for myself.
It seems all along one thing leads to another and one dream realized lead to more dreams on the horizon.
I have in all of my entrepreneurial adventures strived for a balanced life and clear boundaries.
I was once told “If you can dream it you can achieve it”.
One of my core beliefs is the best way to succeed is to encourage others, or as some say “lift as you climb”.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Niwot Day:We would stop in the Niwot Market for a cool breakfast and enjoy their patio. After that I would stop in the Inkberry Book Store for a book reading.
Stop by the Little Shops, bike to downtown Niwot at visit Cummini’s for lunch on their fabulous outdoor patio.
We would finalize our Boulder visit by visiting St Julien Hotel for live music on their large back patio under the stars and try one of their specialty drinks.
Denver: Friday afternoon we would head to Denver to the Art Museum to see an interactive show. After that we would make our way to the Brown Palace for Friday afternoon “live jazz” in the lobby. We would then take in the early set at Dazzle jazz club and zip out of there to make our way to Nocturne for the late set of jazz.
Fort Collins day: A must visit downtown Fort Collins for shopping , antique shopping . Followed with bites at the Elizabeth hotel for sunset and a piano set on the roof top lounge. There is often live music easily found in Ft Collins. Take in a show at the Lincoln theater. Drive thru the historic neighborhood and take in the sites.
Loveland Day: The sculpture park and enjoy the historic town of Loveland will be a stop we must enjoy.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I went on to learn photography from a New York photographer Jonathan Pite, studied makeup with Linda Shae and set out to capture my hair creations. That experience lead to getting my hair photographs and inspirations published in trade magazines in many trade nagazines the world of hair design.
I then followed in developing my own product line. Aside of that and running my own salon I toured doing hair workshops and and held seminars both thoroughly inspired by Paul Mitchell.
I was mentored as a jazz vocalist by Joe Bonner, a jazz pianist. He had an astounding amount of experience with vocalists. He was at one point of his life the rehearsal pianist for Aretha Franklin. He left a plethora of recordings in his discography. He was brought up by parents in a Gospel Choir and played organ early on. He encouraged me to sing and record. I was a young artist when I met him. He was so gentle and capable of developing me without any criticism. He encouraged me to record early on. When I asked if he thought I was ready to record. He said “you will not be who you are today tomorrow”. So I went forward. He was often my greatest motivation as I wanted him to feel I was serious about the music and that his time with me would be well spent. We worked together performing for 23 years. Joe gave me the name “Barbara Paris”. I did several recordings with Joe.
I was fortunate to work with Billy Wallace, vocalist and jazz pianist. He had been performing since 1949 professionally. He had so much knowledge that in that I was able to expand my repertoire. We had a lovely friendship and he was also kind and encouraging. He loved to rehearse and would spend hours on melodies, tunes and piano lessons. We performed quite a bit during our 5 year period. That musical friendship was realized in a recording which I wrote my first grant for from Pathways to Jazz. He also helped me realize two of my personal compositions. Most recently I have discovered many of his life achievements. His 5 page discography was sent to me upon his passing from a jazz historian in Paris and to my surprise it was 5 pages long.
Website: www.hairbybarbarasalon.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/me/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/americansongbook ; https://www.facebook.com/HairbyBarbaraSalon
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hair-by-barbara-longmont
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdzZSqBnSNc
Other: www.barbaraparis.com https://barbaraparis.hearnow.com/nine-decades-of-jazz-feat-billy-wallace https://barbaraparis.hearnow.com/day-by-day https://barbaraparis.hearnow.com/where-butterflies-play https://barbaraparis.hearnow.com/swingballadsblues-bossanova
Image Credits
Sue Daniels Jerry Downs Bill Freud