I'm Matt Howe, and I'm the proprietor, curator, researcher, writer and creator of Barbra Archives — an online guide to the career of Barbra Streisand. First, some disclaimers: Barbra Archives is not an offical website connected to Miss Streisand or her team — I'm simply a fan who has spent my spare time “putting it together.”
“It all began .....”
Barbra's film Yentl was what first inspired me to begin following her career. Barbra’s last note on “A Piece of Sky” was like nothing I had ever heard before. Then I discovered and collected her record albums. Live Concert at the Forum was an early favorite of mine. I was always inspired by the sumptuousness of her film On A Clear Day You Can See Forever. And, in the 1980s, I have fond memories of gathering around cable TV to watch One Voice when it aired on HBO. My dream came true when I finally saw her sing live in Washington, D.C. in 1994 ....
Barbra inspired me so much that I learned how to build a website about her! Barbra Archives went live on the internet in May 2003. I have a talent for facts and a photographic memory, so I thought I'd gather all I'd learned about Miss Streisand in one place on the internet and share it with other fans of hers.
Since 2003, I've endeavored to make Barbra Archives as factual and accurate as possible regarding Miss Streisand's career. These pages reflect over eighteen years of research I have done, consulting many of the available biographies and photo books about Barbra. But I've gone further than those books (which often repeat not-quite-accurate things). In this digital age, I can search archived newspapers online; I've scanned many of the magazines I've collected over the years, too. In some cases, I've visited the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and looked at the papers of Jerome Robbins (Funny Girl's director) at the New York Public Library and Marvin Hamlisch’s papers and recordings.
All the time, Barbra Streisand fans have generously sent me clippings & scrapbooks; others have scanned and emailed rare items to me. I've also been lucky to interview some of Barbra's colleagues who have worked with her on various projects.
Although this website is not officiated by Miss Streisand, her colleagues, nor Columbia Records, I do help Team Barbra from time to time. I was a research assisant on the Release Me albums and the 50th Anniversary Funny Girl album, and I provided some photo research and fact-checking for Barbra's latest tours and tour programs.
And, yes, I have met Barbra in person a few times. She has always been lovely to me, warm and friendly. You must know that her eyes are as blue in person as they are on screen! It's really unbelievable sometimes to think that I have been able to meet the woman who has inspired me to create this website.
I'm thrilled to be a fan of Barbra Streisand's art and an admirer of her life and career. And it is gratifying that this website has inspired other fans to learn more about her extraordinary career ... because she is, without a doubt, the greatest star, and an amazing woman.
– Matt Howe
Pictured: That's me, between Jamie Foxx and Barbra Streisand after her Miami concert in 2016. They filmed that concert as a Netflix special, and it was fun to spot myself in a couple of the audience shots, too! Photo by Manny Hernandez.
