Violinist Ready for a 'Brawl' at Morristown's Got Talent

It was a classic rock and roll story.

About a year ago, Sam Barnes left his native Indiana and ended up in Morristown because of a band and a girl.

But, unlike many songs that start in similar fashion but end in heartbreak, Barnes' story is still being happily written. 

Besides performing violin with that band, The Grand Nationals, and living here with that girl, the 25-year-old also is one of 16 finalists who will be competing on Feb. 29 in the fifth-annual Morristown's Got Talent.

While it was the fiddler's first foray into the event, it's not the first time he heard about it. Missing tryouts by a hair last year, Morristown's Got Talent first caught Barnes' interest when Jasmin Serrano, a former co-worker at Zebu Forno, competed last year (and, will be competing again this year).

That event came and went, and Barnes forgot about it, until members of the Morris Educational Foundation–which organizes the fundraiser–stopped by the cafe to put up a promotional flyer.

And, Barnes thought, "I play the violin, I've got a talent." 

That talent began when he was just four-years-old, and he started playing piano because his sister had received one as a gift. Then, a neighbor began playing the violin, so he wanted to play that, too. "I was really competitive," Barnes said. "I found a drive in music I didn't find elsewhere."

Going into tryouts, Barnes said he was confident in his abilities. However, he said he was still elated to be selected among the nearly 100 who tried out.

His piece is an original fiddle tune called "Donnybrook," which Barnes said basically means a brawl. 

The musician said music, for him, is one of the things he cares about most. "If I didn't have to pay my bills, I wouldn't care about making money," Barnes said.

Come Feb. 29, he said he hopes not only to impress listeners with his performance, but most importantly, "I hope they feel something from it.

"Emotional attachment to the music is what's most important," Barnes said. 

The fifth-annual Morristown's Got Talent will be held Feb. 29 at the Mayo Performing Arts Center. For more information, check out our MGT 2012 guide.