The Road to Blackbird

A Conversation with John McBride

In the world of music production and recording, few names carry as much weight as Blackbird Studio and its founder, John McBride. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with John for an intimate conversation about his journey from Wichita, Kansas to becoming one of Nashville's most influential figures in the recording industry.

The Foundation of Success: Attitude Is Everything

"Attitude is 99% of the gig," McBride states emphatically. "If that's all you learn, I'm not going to feel too guilty, but it's the most important thing you can learn. No one wants to work with an asshole." This philosophy has guided McBride throughout his career, from his earliest days in Wichita to running one of the world's premier recording studios. "If you have a great attitude and a decent work ethic and maybe even a little bit of talent, you can go as far in this business as you want to go."

From Wichita to Nashville: The Early Years

Growing up in Wichita, Kansas, McBride knew no one who made a living in music. "To make a living in music, you would have to leave Wichita. That's kind of been just the rule," he explains. His passion for music and sound started early, fueled by reading magazines like Stereo Review in junior high and high school. His entrepreneurial journey began with a $6,000 loan from the Wichita State campus credit union. "I bought a 12-channel mixer, 100-foot snake, two mics - a 421 and a 58 - stereo 10-band EQ, and a pair of speakers." He started doing live sound for local bars, reinvesting every penny back into more gear.

The Power of Risk and Determination

McBride's approach to business might be best summarized by what he jokes should be on his tombstone: "Ready, Fire, Aim." This willingness to take calculated risks, combined with an unwavering work ethic, became his trademark. One of his most significant early risks came when he secured a $75,000 loan through the Small Business Administration - with his parents' house as collateral. "If you think about your parents being homeless, you will work some overtime," he says with a laugh, though the gravity of that responsibility clearly shaped his work ethic.

Building Blackbird Studios

The creation of Blackbird Studios in Nashville represents the culmination of McBride's vision and risk-taking nature. From 2002 to 2006, he invested $18 million in the studio, then borrowed another $12 million "because 18 wasn't enough." "I want the studio to never be the reason you didn't get the record you wanted," McBride explains. His philosophy was to provide every possible tool an artist or producer might need - "If you're going to do something, anything, just do it right."

The Technical Side: Pursuing Excellence

McBride's approach to recording is rooted in capturing pure, beautiful sounds. "My approach to recording is, I try to record as pure a sound as I can, because that way you can manipulate that to be anything you want. But if you record something odd and you want it to be pure, you can't." His commitment to quality extends to every aspect of the studio. "Most studios, when they get in trouble, the first person to go is the tech, because the tech is expensive. I told our main techs, if there's three people left here, it's going to be me and you two, because we're not going to have problems with gear."

The Human Element

Despite all the technical excellence and world-class equipment, McBride emphasizes that success in the music industry comes down to people. "No one works for me here. They work with me," he explains. "That's why I see it, because a lot of shit is a team effort." This philosophy extends to how he treats everyone who comes through Blackbird's doors. "I expect women to be treated with respect," he states firmly. "I don't go around thumping a Bible... but I rarely go to church. And one other thing I'll say is, if dogs don't go to heaven, I want to go where they go."

Looking Forward: The Wichita Project

Today, McBride is working on bringing his expertise back to his hometown through a new Blackbird studio in Wichita. But he's not just building a studio - he's creating an infrastructure for musical creativity. He plans to bring Nashville's top session musicians to Wichita to teach local players how to be great session musicians. "The great thing about Nashville is it's all here," he reflects. "We have labels, we have pros, we have publishing companies and management companies and bus companies and booking agencies and studios coming out of our ears here."

Lessons Learned

Throughout our conversation, McBride returns to several key principles that have guided his success: 1. Attitude is everything 2. Work hard and stay humble 3. Take calculated risks 4. Never stop learning 5. Treat people with respect 6. Focus on quality above all else "Working in music makes me so happy," McBride says. "I will never retire. I want to do what I get to do forever, what I would do for free, and yet I get paid. What the hell?"

The Legacy

John McBride's story is more than just a tale of business success - it's a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and treating people right. From his early days borrowing money to buy sound equipment to building one of the world's premier recording studios, his journey demonstrates that with the right attitude and work ethic, anything is possible. As we conclude our conversation, McBride offers one final piece of advice: "If you're going to do something, just do it right. That last 5% of doing it right costs the same as the first 95%. It's just hard and expensive to do it right, but it's worth it."

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This story is part of A Minor In Reality, a series on the messy, magical leap from 0 to 1. Built for founders—both for-profit and nonprofit—these are real conversations with real builders.

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