George Barrett
George Barrett has lived many lives – musician, singer-songwriter, teacher, athlete, coach, business leader – and he puts them all into his music and songwriting.
George Barrett’s unique path from musician to business leader and back to music has endowed him with a perspective as diverse as his musical influences. George grew up in a family of musicians, in a home filled with the sounds of classical, folk, rock, blues and jazz. His diverse musical upbringing, combined with his buttery voice and natural comfort on guitar and piano, laid the foundation for an eclectic and rich music journey. After honing his skills as a session singer and performer in the vibrant clubs of NYC’s Greenwich Village, George took a detour, embarking on what would become an extensive career in healthcare without ever letting go of his musical roots. His life took a significant turn in 2022 when he reconnected with acclaimed musician, composer, and producer, Brian Keane. The reunion sparked the creation of “Not Alone,” Barrett’s debut album.
George is back in the studio wrapping up his next album.
PRESS
June 10, 2025
Second Act: A CEO Turned Singer
Opera singer, club scene regular, or Fortune 25 CEO?
George Barrett ’77 is all of the above.
You don’t often find a corporate heavyweight trading the boardroom for a recording studio—but Barrett, who for nearly a decade served as CEO for Cardinal Health Inc., a multinational corporation that’s currently number 15 on the Fortune 500—has never been easy to pin down. A former varsity athlete, classically trained opera singer, and a regular at Greenwich Village haunts like the Bitter End, Barrett took a long detour through healthcare leadership before returning to his first love: music. Now, at 68, he’s making his official debut with Not Alone, a genre-spanning album produced by Grammy winner Brian Keane.
But this isn’t a CEO’s vanity project—it’s the real deal. The record features a star-studded lineup, including jazz legends like Cyrus Chestnut and Eddie Gomez and backup singers who’ve toured with Bruce Springsteen. It flows effortlessly between gospel, Americana, blues, and funk. His lyrics are warm and searching, full of quiet grief, hope, and connection.
The standout single, You’re Not Alone, is both a personal anthem and a call to community. What begins as a gentle piano ballad grows into a soaring gospel anthem, echoing the emotional crescendos of artists like Marvin Gaye or Carole King. Gentle piano and Barrett’s steady, soulful vocals give way to a full gospel choir, building a sense of collective uplift that never veers into cliché.
In the accompanying music video, Barrett performs alongside clips of everyday moments—people holding hands, waiting for the bus, crossing the street, moving through the world together. The video also features footage from the Harmony Project, a nonprofit that builds community through music, whose mission echoes Barrett’s own. It’s a reminder that even in life’s loneliest moments, we’re still part of something larger. —Yukti V. Agarwal ’24.5
Flip the Tortilla Podcast
George Barrett: How to Build and Leverage Ambidextrous Thinking
Ambidextrous thinkers are super adept at both left and right-brain thinking. They can see the big picture as well as zoom in on details. George Barrett is one of those people, a true polymath. His accomplishments are incredibly inspiring: CEO of a Fortune 20 company, policy influencer, board member, professor, accomplished athlete, and thriving musician. His recently released debut album, Not Alone, is a beautifully composed work, soulfully written and backed by industry-leading singers and composers. In this episode, George shares how he uses and balances his left and right brain thinking. -
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George Barrett: CEO Rediscovers His Musical Roots
George Barrett accomplished lots in life. He played varsity soccer at Brown University, taught at Horace Mann, and was CEO of a Fortune 25 company.
But in 2016, he had a chance to play with The Who’s Roger Daltrey.