John McBride received two Pensado Awards at a ceremony held in Los Angeles on June 28, 2104 – one for “Live/FOH” engineering and a “Dave Pensado Educator Award.”
It’s great when hard work is recognized with an award, but this one was extra special. Forbes Magazine calls the Pensado Awards “a hand up to the people in this business without whom there would be no business at all: the songwriters, engineers, producers, educators, entrepreneurs, assistants, interns, and runners of today and tomorrow.”
Why were McBride and The Blackbird Academy singled out for this honor?
Because as the music business has changed, so has audio education. Our approach at The Blackbird Academy is unique. Mix Magazine states: “No facility has committed itself to mentor-based, studio-driven education quite like Blackbird Studio in Nashville,” and it’s true. No other school gives you this kind of access to the gear, facilities, expert staff, and guest mentors who make hit records every day.
“The standards we are keeping [at The Blackbird Academy] are right in line with what we’ve been doing at the studio. No matter what it is, it has to be the best. We have to do it the best,” said John McBride, upon receiving the Dave Pensado Excellence in Audio Education Award. “Outside of being a dad and a husband, there is nothing that I’m doing in my life that is more important than this school. When you see the light go off in their eyes, and you know you got the point across, it’s the greatest feeling in the world.”
Make yourself a part of The Blackbird Academy by calling 615-385-2423 today for more info on upcoming classes or apply here.