Today we’d like to introduce you to Barnett English.
Hi Barnett, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m a music junkie. Always looking for that new favorite song or band or artist. With my espresso coffee bizz, JavaGogo, I’ve worked at more than 750 music festivals over the past 26 years. On a whim, I went to a small gathering in Joshua Tree in 2002 and loved the desert immediately. Within six months I’d moved there and produced the inaugural Joshua Tree Music Festival. Since then, we’ve had 31 festivals here in Joshua Tree. Originally, I thought the venture was all about the live music experience in the great outdoors. But it’s really about the people. The Joshua Tree area and festival community is super rich and deep and connected, and that’s been the greatest takeaway of all the magical moments here. The desert is freedom, music is power, and community is crucial!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth like a rocky desert backroad. If we fully knew the struggles ahead, nothing would ever get started! I’d never organized a festival before, so it was a trial by fire. But being consistently underfunded forces you to create and innovate. We kept the focus on making a rich, intimate experience, and people kept coming back with more friends. Organic slow growth resulted, making the JTMF community all that closer & tighter.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
JTMF is a family-friendly global music experience in the magical mojave. We’re known for unique, diverse musical lineups, for having attendees of all ages, and for the laid-back, welcoming & familial vibe. Our fest has approx. 3500 attendees; so it’s an intimate experience. You go home with new best friends, and you leave replenished, not depleted. The festivals are life-affirming and soul-enriching experiences; which is very much by design.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Do what you love, and love what you do. While I might ‘work’ more hours than others, I feel like I’m playing all the time!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com
- Instagram: @joshuatreemusicfestival
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatreemusicfestival
