Barefoot Boy is Larry Coryell's first and only album for the Flying Dutchman label, a company created by Impulse! Records founder Bob Thiele. The album was produced by Thiele, with production assistance from Lillian Seyfert and engineered by Eddie Kramer. It features a rendition of Gábor Szabó's "Gypsy Queen", which had been recorded the year before by Santana for their album Abraxas.