b. Leonard Arthur Barnard, 23 April 1929, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. After playing drums in the family band, Barnard formed his own traditional jazz band in the late 40s. This band, one of the earliest Australian groups to make jazz records, was so popular that it remained active for more than two decades. During this same period Barnard also played with other groups ranging from jazz to dance music and he also gigged and recorded with many musicians, including Ade Monsbourgh and Dave Dallwitz. In the early 70s Barnard relocated to Sydney, where he played with many of the country’s leading musicians including Errol Buddle and John Sangster, then joined Galapagos Duck, a band led by Tom Hare. He also played on occasion with bands led by his younger brother, Bob Barnard. In the late 90s he was active with a variety of artists and appeared on record with several of them, including Janet Seidel. Although Barnard's playing is forceful in the more extroverted settings of much of his jazz work, his discreet and propulsive swing and his able use of brushes show him to be an accomplished mainstream drummer.