Terry Dearmore

The lead vocalist and bass player for Nashville-based country-rock band Barefoot Jerry during the 1970s and early '80s, Terry Dearmore continues to make his presence felt as a Unity preacher in Virginia. "I still write songs," Dearmore said by telephone, "but they're of a spiritual nature now." The son of a guitar player, Dearmore played bass by the age of eight. Meeting the members of Barefoot Jerry shortly before Atlantic Records dropped the contract of his band, Jubal, he was asked to fill in when Barefoot Jerry's lead singer was unable to make it to a recoding session. The experience proved so fulfilling that he became a full-fledged member shortly afterwards. He remained the lead voice for the band, relocating to Hawaii in 1986. For the next five years, he remained outside of music, earning a living as a real estate agent. Returning to Nashville in 1991, Dearmore tried unsuccessfully to interest a record label in his music. After two years of knocking on doors, he left music and applied for a ministry post with the Unity Church. For a lengthy period, he served as chairman of the music department for the Association of Musical Churches. Dearmore has occasionally returned to music. He played bass and sang background on an album by Nashville-based advertising executive-turned-singer Jon Hendricks, and he produced an album of jazz standards, Love Is Here, by Unity Church vocalist Donna Salter. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide