Barry Jenkins (musician)
The steady, propulsive heartbeat behind the Animals' gritty rhythm and blues sound during their explosive 1960s peak.
Born 1944 (age 82)·English musician·Birthday: December 22·The Silent Generation
Biography
Barry Jenkins provided the backbeat for one of the British Invasion's most visceral bands. Joining the Animals in 1966, he stepped into the drum seat during a period of transition, helping to steer the group through its psychedelic phase and the subsequent breakup of the original lineup. His solid, unflashy style was the perfect anchor for Eric Burdon's powerful vocals and the band's blues-rooted intensity. Jenkins was there for the global hits like 'San Franciscan Nights' and 'Monterey,' and remained a constant when Burdon formed a new, funk-influenced iteration of the band called Eric Burdon and the Animals. While not the original drummer, his tenure covered some of their most commercially successful and stylistically adventurous years, making him a key part of their story. His musical life continued long after the 60s, playing with various rock and blues outfits, a testament to a lifetime spent in the groove.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Barry was born in 1944, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Barry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1944
#1 Movie
Going My Way
Best Picture
Going My Way
Barry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1944Born
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1949Started school
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1957Became a teenager
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Could drive
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1962Could vote
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Turned 21
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1974Turned 30
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 40
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 50
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 60
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 70
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 80
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 82 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played drums on the hit singles 'San Franciscan Nights' and 'Monterey' with Eric Burdon and the Animals.
- Was the drummer for both the classic and the later 'Eric Burdon and the Animals' incarnations in the 1960s.
- Performed at the landmark Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967 with the band.
- Maintained a long career in music, later playing with bands like Nashville Teens and the British Blues Quintet.
Did You Know?
He was originally a guitarist but switched to drums after his band's drummer failed to show up for a gig.
Before joining the Animals, he was a member of the Nashville Teens, who had a hit with 'Tobacco Road.'
His real first name was Colin, but he was always professionally known as Barry.
He briefly played in a band called Sun Dragon with former members of the psychedelic group July.
“The beat is the engine; you have to drive it, not just ride it.”
