Since elementary school singer/songwriter Barb Barton has been engulfed in the art of crafting honest and personal melodies with her acoustic guitar and powerful voice.

Barton, 51, drew approximately 150 people to a release party for her new CD “Turtle Dove” Jan. 10 at the Unitarian Universalist Church in East Lansing. The title track is a coming-of-age song that preaches the importance of being self-aware.

“I turned 50 a couple years ago and I started to view the world a little differently,” Barton said. “The album is about self-reflection and personal freedom, specifically, the song ‘Turtle Dove.’ It’s about taking a look at your life and realizing we are all responsible for our lives.”

Barton said the album is also about people creating their own paths in life. “We grow up believing things about ourselves based on what other people and society tells us. You get to a point in your life when you realize you are who you create.”

Barton has also tackled tougher issues in her lyrics. “I am an endangered species biologist by training, so I often write about peoples’ connection to the environment and nature,” she said. “On my first album, I wrote a song about Columbus Day — it told the real story about what (Christopher Columbus) did to the native people, what isn’t told in the history books. I also wrote songs about alcoholism in families and other social problems in the world.”
Her progression as an artist started over four decades ago and hasn’t stopped.

Barton grew up in Edwardsburg, a tiny Michigan village that today has less than 1,500 residents. Although Barton is known for her folkie songbook, in the early 1980s, she was the vocalist and rhythm guitarist of Mahana, a band based in Three Rivers.

“I had a band backing me, but it was the first concert I played that was all my own material,” she said. “About 350 people showed up. After that I decided to stick with performing my own music.”

Since then Barton has stayed focused on her vision and message. She began booking her own concerts at various alternative venues across the state.

In 1991 she released her debut album, “No Shirt Required.” Since then she has steadily built a catalog of folk-inspired tunes and played countless shows. Barton said her live performances have a sentiment not often found in modern, radio-friendly music.

“My songs tend to move people emotionally,” she said. “They may cry, laugh, or even feel empowered. I don’t know of much pop music that can do that to people.”

For tour dates and information on “Turtle Dove,” visit www.barbbarton.com