Barry Ratliff Memorial Scholarship

Barry Ratliff was an avid musician playing his music anywhere and everywhere he could. His love for music and his stylish guitar playing could be heard almost any weekend in the clubs around Northwest Arkansas. Barry also had a very large following and made friends with everyone he met. Barry is no longer with us, but his music lives on.

Because of Barry’s musical influence on many people in this area, his friend Tim Wilson began a Memorial Fundraiser in the name of Barry Ratliff.

Barry was a very close friend of Tim’s, and because of Barry’s love of music, Tim wanted to do something to foster the memory of Barry, to help young musicians in our area - something of which Barry would certainly approved. Several years ago, Tim hosted the first annual Barry Ratliff Fundraiser, and chose the Riverfront Blues Society as his partner to receive the proceeds from the Fundraiser and to issue scholarships to young people wishing to study the field of music.

Since 1996, Tim Wilson and his many musician friends have hosted and performed at the Annual Barry Ratliff Memorial securing the success of the Scholarship. In April of 2003, the Scholarship Committee along with Tim Wilson and the Riverfront Blues Society gave their first scholarship at the annual Barry Ratliff Memorial Event.