For the past four years, Asheville’s beloved blues artist, Jesse Barry, has bravely faced relentless challenges, undergoing countless tests and treatments to manage her complex autoimmune disease, all while searching for a cure.

A cornerstone of the Asheville music scene, Jesse has been captivating audiences with her soulful, electrifying voice since the age of eight. Now, she needs our support to continue her fight.

“Diagnosed with an exhaustive and complicated myriad of autoimmune syndromes, diseases, infections and afflictions, it’s been determined that all of this was triggered by Covid. Despite efforts to work and perform through the pain, by the middle of 2022, the chronic fatigue that accompanies all these maladies forced Jesse out of the workforce and off the stage.

She was running out of money. She didn’t want to sell her house but in order to survive financially, it was the best option. After all, it was unknown when or if she’d be able to return to her previous lifestyle.

“I had this vision that I would use the money from the sale of my house to move; to heal at the beach. I didn’t understand at that point that this was going to be long term and a potentially permanent illness.”

That was the plan until sadly, her mom’s cancer returned. The prognosis for Tami-Lu was not favorable, complicating even more, the navigation of a rapidly changing existence for Jesse.

Before Covid, this Blues ingénue performed each week and live music lovers filled the venues she and the boys played. Their incredible collective musicianship was undeniable and audiences thrived on the sounds they were puttin’ down. This was therapy-music from an affable, Blues centric four piece band and everyone knew it.

Jesse’s goals were culminating and she began to produce tribute shows to pay homage to some of her favorite groups and songwriters. Dirty Logic, Asheville's Steely Dan tribute band, was her brainchild and she was the first of two backing vocalists for the group along with Debrissa McKinney. Her Carole King tribute show that included songs from Tapestry and the billboard hits King wrote, was a sell-out show each and every time she took it out to play.

Amazingly, Jesse’s been stretching the money from the sale of her house for over three years. She knew it would inevitably run out and it has. Treatments, medical specialists and alternative healing modalities are expensive and have all been out of pocket costs.”

-Peggy Ratusz

50+ Living of North Carolina

Launched on October 10th in celebration of Jesse’s 33rd birthday, this GoFundMe is a lifeline to help cover her mounting medical bills and daily expenses. Every donation, no matter the size, is a gift of hope. As a heartfelt thank-you, we’re offering exclusive personalized merchandise and reissued tracks from Jesse’s iconic Skinny Legs and All era—timeless treasures of Asheville’s musical legacy. In mid-November, Jesse’s devoted musician friends will unite for “Jammin’ for Jesse,” a fundraising concert to lift her spirits and ease her burden. We’ll share the date, time, and venue details via email, social media, and updates here.

Let’s wrap Jesse in the love and strength she’s given us through her music. Your support means the world—thank you for standing with her in this fight!