Geoff McBride on "The Voice" and on stage at First Note

[Dawn]

Even though it’s called “The Voice,” Santa Rosa Beach resident Geoff McBride has to be pretty quiet when it comes to his shot at the big time in the music industry.


He is going to appear on NBC’s hit reality series, but don’t expect him to elaborate.


“All I can say at this point is that I’ve auditioned,” McBride told The Sun Feb. 8.


For those who frequent First Note Music Hall, however, this will not be their first time seeing McBride perform, as he is a staple performer at the performance hall.


Before that, however, Geoff McBride was making waves in the ‘90s R & B world.


“He was actually a legitimate Atlanta record star,” said First Note Music Hall owner Tommy Jackson. “He was doing back-up singing for Aretha Franklin. He was legit. He was in the big times.”


However, because of the fickle nature of the music business, McBride found himself back in the area looking for gigs.


“My brother, Tim Jackson, found him. Geoff blew him totally away,” said Jackson.


“They ended up becoming the Old Florida Fish House band,” added Jackson of the duo.


It was after Jackson opened First Note that he approached McBride to be a regular summer performer at the music hall.


“I went to Geoff and said ‘You don’t belong in a barroom band,’ ” recalled Jackson. “Some eight weeks later, he was one of the crowd favorites.”


It wasn’t too much later that he was called to audition for “The Voice.”


“At first he didn’t want to go, but we elected that was the right move for him.” said Jackson, who has been contacted by shows like “The Voice” and “American Idol” as they look for fresh talent.


“It’s undeniable he has one of the strongest voices in the world,” said Jackson. “Chill bumps go everywhere when he starts to sing.”


Though Jackson compared the strength of his voice to “Luther Vandross on steroids,” he added, “When Geoff sings, there’s no mistake that’s Geoff McBride.”


With the next episode set to air Monday at 7 p.m., stay tuned for McBride’s appearance on “The Voice,” and catch him in person on the First Note stage Feb. 14, 17 and 18.


Since First Note Music Hall opened July 4, 2011, it has lived up to Jackson’s intention as a place to showcase artists. Located at the corner of Highway 83 and County Road 30A, First Note features between three and six varied-genre acts per evening, which rotate every five songs. Visit firstnotemusichall.com for more information and to keep up with McBride’s — and other signature artists’ — performance dates.

[Beach Runner]

Woo hoo! Geoff went with Christina. Saw a certain female SoWaller on The Voice. Congrats, y'all!

[seacrestgirl]

He ROCKED that audition! Can't wait to see him more!

[Lake View Too]

I thought he had the most powerful voice of any of the contestants tonight. He came across quite well.

[joho]

He mentioned Santa Rosa Beach Florida twice on national television...........pretty cool.

Congrats Geoff............don't forget to mention Sowal!

[kurt]

Great job Geoff - good luck!

[hippiechick]

Fantastic job. Best singer last night hands down!!!! Lets hope he goes all the way!!!

[ASH]

Great job Goeff. I would love to see you make a new entrance into the music industry. I know that's where your heart is....right alongside your wonderful family.

[organicmama]

Awwww...y'all are so awesome! We both say thank you so much! Ash, we miss you guys!

[Teresa]

Awwww...y'all are so awesome! We both say thank you so much! Ash, we miss you guys!

Hey OM!
we saw the performance last night and were blown away! You all looked so great on TV!!!
Proud of Geoff! OH - to work with Christina is exciting stuff!

[Dawn]

Geoff McBride is getting a second opportunity to rise to the top of the charts.


The Santa Rosa Beach vocalist’s “blind audition” on Monday’s episode of “The Voice” wowed Christina Aguilera, earning him a spot on her team and the opportunity to move forward in the competition.


“The very first note you hit blew me away,” said Aguilera at the audition.


During his rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground,” McBride earned an almost instant “turn-around” from Aguilera, later getting one from Cee Lo Green. If selected by more than one judge, the performers have the final say of which team they join.


“I chose Christina simply because she turned around from the beginning. She was there till the end,” said McBride. “My decision came down basically to the one I thought had more interest.”


He dedicated the performance to his father, who died from cancer when McBride was 6 years old.


McBride’s remembered his father as a gifted singer who, though he never made it to the big time, gave his son “the greatest gift in the world” — a voice.


McBride related to Carson Daly before his audition, “My dad … was my hero. I feel that I’m living my dad’s dream.


“It was like my father was leading me the whole way,” McBride said in a post-audition interview. “This is a dream come true because I feel like I’m walking in his footsteps.”


Though renowned along 30A for his strong voice, the former Arista recording artist is again delving in to the big world of showbiz.


“You can get thrown under the bus. And I feel like with me that situation arrived,” said the 51-year-old of his music career faded in the ’90s.


But now he’s ready for a fresh start.


“I jumped on it … now I’m ready to ride it and rise to the top,” he said.


His family was on hand at the audition, with his wife, Lisa, and the couple’s three young children, Zoe, River, and Hunter waiting backstage.


“They are super excited,” said McBride, adding that he and his family got “no sleep (Monday) night” due to his television debut.


The popular singing show is in its second season, which McBride said adds to the pressure of the competition.


“I think it also adds a great twist because once again there’s so much talent there,” he said.


McBride will continue on to the next level in the competition, in which he will be pitted against one of his team members in a head-to-head singing competition.


Follow McBride’s progress on “The Voice” Monday nights at 7 on NBC. The show will be aired on the big-screen TV at First Note Music Hall in Santa Rosa Beach, where McBride regularly performs.


Said McBride, “I think that the journey is just beginning, so we’ll see what’s in store.”

[Dawn]

[Dawn]

Awwww...y'all are so awesome! We both say thank you so much! Ash, we miss you guys!

You looked beautiful! And so did the kids.

[bluecat]

I thought he was great. One more reason to make Santa Rosa Beach proud. Geoff, hoping this is the break you deserve.

[Beach Runner]

You looked beautiful! And so did the kids.

I agree. Those are some beautiful kids.

Thanks, Dawn, for posting the video.

Congrats again to Geoff!

[organicmama]

You guys are so wonderful! Again, thank you!

[yippie]

He was on tonight. I missed the initial show. He was GREAT!! Best singer in the whole bunch. Go all the way Geoff!!!

[organicmama]

Thanks, Yippie!

[mot]

Wonderful article about Geoff McBride in this weeks Walton Sun. We all wish him the best on his upcoming appearances on 'The Voice'.

http://www.waltonsun.com/news/love-8...iny-voice.html

Though the competition is heating up in NBC’s “The Voice,” Geoff McBride seems unfazed.


“I’m going to get to my destiny regardless,” said McBride in a sit-down interview with The Sun.


The Santa Rosa Beach resident, who was selected to be a part of Team Christina earlier in the show’s season, has been gracing the community with his voice for many of the six years he has lived along 30A.


McBride was part of the Old Florida Fish House Band duo and now can be seen regularly at First Note Music Hall. But McBride has been making music for as long as he can remember.


“I was fascinated by sound as a child,” said McBride, who grew up in Lexington, N.C. “I was always banging on something.”


He recalled his first snare drum, which he crafted out of an oatmeal canister, the top of which was covered in tin foil and secured with a rubber band.


In the longtime musician’s blind audition for The Voice, which aired Feb. 13, McBride credited his late father as his major musical inspiration.


With his father as his guiding light, he said of his mother, “(She) is one of the solid anchors.”


His mother, who lives in Maryland, always imbued her son with the value of hard work. She taught him to never let grass grow under his feet and to chase what fulfills him.


Throughout his long career, which has included a recording contract, McBride has taken these adages to heart. He strives to meet his destiny head-on.


On the national stage of “The Voice,” the country is now taking notice of his talent, but McBride maintains his levelheaded attitude.


“It’s not changing us,” he said of his family’s response to his reality television close-up. “We’re so laid back. But it is enlightening us to the love of the community.


“We just take it all in and thank God,” he added of his wife, Lisa, and the couple’s three kids, River, Zoe, and Hunter. McBride also has two grandchildren from his eldest son Romero, 27.


As a featured performer at 30A’s First Note Music Hall, McBride already has gained recognition along the Panhandle for his vocal talent and songwriting virtuosity.


In contrast to The Voice, at First Note, McBride performs his own songs for gathered crowds. His inspiration, he says, comes simply from living life.


“There’s always a song to be sung, always a lyric to be spoken,” said McBride. “That’s the greatest thing about being a writer.”


McBride told The Sun that one of his role models is James Taylor, as his lyrics “tell a story.” His other influences include Gov’t Mule, Sarah McLachlan, Aretha Franklin and Donny Hathaway.


Those who have been to First Note can attest to McBride’s stunning vocals and stage presence. But, for McBride, he is just doing what he loves.


“I’m in a whole different element on stage,” he said. “Anytime I can bless a person with my voice, I will. I love to do what I do.”


Upcoming in “The Voice” competition are “battle rounds,” in which two teammates are pitted against each other with the same song. The coach then selects the winner based on who better performs the selected song, and with the collection of talent on The Voice, the choice can be a difficult one.


“They’re as talented as can be,” said McBride of the other contestants. But he added, “It’s not about doing battle, it’s about what you bring to the table.”


For McBride, no matter the outcome, he recognizes his time on the television show as a gift.


However, he added, “Regardless of what happens on ‘The Voice,’ my career goes on.”


Keep track of McBride’s progress on "The Voice" Monday nights at 7 on NBC.

[organicmama]

Mot, I hope you know how much you mean to all of us. Thanks so much for posting. Wish we saw you more, but just know that you are very loved by the McBride family.

[buster]

FINDING HIS VOICE

Mar 16th, 2012 | 0
By ALICIA LEONARD
For those following the NBC show The Voice, Santa Rosa Beach resident Geoff McBride has been a source of pride for local residents rooting for his ascent to the big leagues of music. Many were already impressed by his abilities after catching him preform in different venues along 30A in south Walton, but now, he has amassed an even larger audience and although he will not move forward in the competition after this week’s episode, he drew some mighty big compliments from some artists that have already reached the top of the music mountain.
“That was a true boost to my spirit,” McBride recalled to the Herald-Breeze after getting a supportive tweet from country star Reba McEntire and stunning music legend Lionel Richie with his talent in this week’s episode. McEntire tweeted to the twitter universe that she was “Watching The Voice. I really liked Jeff!!!! Sara is great too but I was pulling for Jeff. Congrats Sara! Thanks, Reba!” McBride, a fan of both stars, said his love of country and soul music made getting the kudos from both a memory he will never forget and a great confidence booster.
Something that most fans don’t realize that McBride shared with the Herald-Breeze is he has fought and won a long seven-year battle with health issues, mainly due to a problem with his adrenal and thyroid glands. “I’m a hundred percent now. But I was sick for a really long time. I didn’t even share this with The Voice, but my wife, my family, they helped me heal, kept me strong. Helped me get back and I am, I’m back and ready to move forward. I’m looking to the future and playing to bigger audiences and taking care of my family.”
Right now McBride can be found at the First Note Music Hall in Santa Rosa Beach, but will be releasing a new album soon and is setting-up the planning that goes with promoting such an endeavor. “It’s going to be a throwback to old soul with a little touch of new flavor. I really want to give a shout out to those cats that made real music.”
McBride said he had nothing but good things to say about his experience with The Voice. “It put me out there. Gave me a tremendous boost to my career and put me back in front of a large audience. It was a comeback for me and has helped me in so many ways. I’m very thankful for the opportunities and experience it has given me.”
The singer, father and husband had some more thanks to share, ” First, I want to say thank you to my wife, Lisa, and my family, my friends. I couldn’t do it without them. I also want to thank my many, many fans that are growing everyday. They can look forward to a huge surprise from me in the very near future. World, get ready,” he said with a note of excitement and mystery in his voice.
The Herald-Breeze is not privy to exactly what McBride has up his very talented sleeve, but he did share some advice he has learned throughout his career, “Don’t give up. Believe in yourself and when one door closes another will open. You just have to look for it.”
To keep up with McBride and his future endeavors, fans can go to www.facebook.com/GeoffMcBrideMusic for updates. A web site for Mcbride will also be up soon to coincide with his new music release. The Herald-Breeze will be keeping readers updated on this local talent that has now caught the eye of industry insiders and stars alike.

[mot]

The entire McBride family is a class act. And we all wish them much happiness and success.

[kurt]

If Geoff McBride seems unfazed by all of the attention he’s gotten recently, it might be because he’s been in the spotlight before....
http://www.sowal.com/story/geoff-mcb...mily-man-first