 Barbarin was born and died in New Orleans.He began learning cornet at age 14, then played in various New Orleans brass bands, such as the Onward Brass Band, the Excelsior Brass Band, and Papa Celestin's Tuxedo Brass Band.He did not make it on to record until 1945, when he recorded with Bunk Johnson; in 1946 he recorded with the Original Zenith Brass Band.