Bartley has explored traditional music in many genres, from folk to jazz to blues. Acoustic Guitar says of him: “He shows that he can play and sing the classic songs with the restraint and dignity of a performer who has mastered the techniques, yet knows that in blues, soulfulness is as important as flash licks.” This critique applies especially to the sparingly-produced album, “Hear That Wind Howl,” a collection of acoustic Delta and country blues. Bartley’s “One Kind Word” album is more lavishly produced and features songs of heartbreak and hope.
Known for off-beat, humorous dialogue with the audience as well as his performing style, Bartley puts on memorable concerts. His eloquent original songs paint pictures of our inner worlds and of the greater world we live in, with streetwise commentary on the condition of the human race. A fan on Bartley’s press biography sheet sums him up best: “I don’t know anybody who does it better than you. I’ve always left one of your performances feeling both moved and entertained, and reminded of what I love about folk music when it’s done really well."