John McBride

John McBride is an award-winning audio engineer, recognized subject-matter expert in professional audio, and the owner and co-founder of Nashville’s world-renowned Blackbird Studio. He is also the co-founder and Institutional Director of The Blackbird Academy and the co-founder of Inside Blackbird, extending Blackbird’s expertise through hands-on training and online education for the next generation of audio professionals. Known for his deep technical knowledge, John has spent decades advancing the craft of recording and live sound.

Getting his start in live sound by launching MD Systems Sound in his hometown of Wichita, he came to Nashville in late 1990. John sold the company to Clair Brothers Audio in 1997.

John fulfilled a lifelong dream by opening Blackbird Studio in 2002 – which quickly became a favorite of artists, musicians, producers, and engineers worldwide. A champion of analog recording, he has amassed one of the largest private collections of vintage and modern recording equipment on the planet, including a microphone collection without equal.

In 2013, John opened The Blackbird Academy, dedicated to advancing the quality of recording education through a hands-on, professional training curriculum. In 2014, John received two Pensado Awards – the Educator Award and the Live/FOH Award. In 2025, he received the Guitar Center Music Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to audio, music education, and the music community.

John is married to country superstar Martina McBride, his partner in life and business; they have three children.