Barnes studied under Lorenzo Tio Jr., Alphonse Picou, George Baquet, and Louis Nelson Delisle (also known as "Big Eye" Louis Nelson). Active professionally in New Orleans by 1908,  he was long well regarded locally for his bluesy and distinctively individualistic style. He played with the Chris Kelly band in from the late 1910s through the 1920s.
Barnes received training from Lorenzo Tio Jr., Alphonse Picou, George Baquet, and Louis Nelson Delisle (also known as "Big Eye" Louis Nelson). By 1908, he had become a notable figure in New Orleans, admired for his unique approach to blues music. He collaborated with the Chris Kelly band from the late 1910s until the 1920s.