THE SHORT VERSION:
Hey! I’m Jimmy. I’m a singer/songwriter/youth minister from Ohio. I’m not big on long drawn out bios, and you probably don’t care that much, so to put it simply: I love Jesus, surfing, basketball and gas station chocolate milk. Thanks for checking out my blog! Leave me a comment to say hello, feel free to interact, make yourself at home. I read (and usually respond) to every comment. You can also find me at the following sites:
THE LONG VERSION:
If you’re press or a promoter and you’re looking for something a little more official, here’s that long, drawn out bio I was just mentioning…:
Mahoning-valley native Jimmy McLoud is quickly earning a reputation as both a talented performer and an engaging stage presence. He has gained recognition in both the secular mainstream and CCM markets for his songwriting, and he’s been highlighted as one of the most promising up-and-coming artists in the region.
Bred on gospel, blues, and good old-fashioned rock-and-roll, Jimmy was “born for this.” Like many of his influences, he began singing in church at the tender age of five. Even then, it came naturally, and his love for music was apparent. It’s that love that has carried him to places he never imagined he would go.
Raised in a home where God came first and family was a close second, his mother and father taught him from an early age that anything was possible, and that hard work was the best way to achieve your dreams and accomplish goals.
Already in his life, music has taken him down a road that has seen many ups and downs. Sometimes, music has been an outlet; sometimes, a remedy. Sometimes it’s been a bandage, and occasionally, a savior. It’s the ability to weave those ups and downs of life into the lyrics of a song that make him extraordinary among the millions of writers and artists in today’s music scene.
“He’s making a name for himself by having something to offer to everyone who hears him,” says music critic Matt Brown. “It’s really something for someone to be able to speak through a song to strangers in a crowd and leave them feeling like old friends.”
To Jimmy, that’s what it’s all about.
“I don’t think there’s anything better than sitting around sharing stories and songs with people,” he says. “I’ve been extremely blessed to meet so many friendly and receptive people. I wouldn’t choose to do anything else over the opportunity to maybe be a positive or encouraging voice in someone’s life through music. To have the chance to bring hope or light into someone’s life is just incredible. I don’t think it gets any better than that.”
Jimmy is currently a member of the Ohio-based band Mercy Rising, which he co-founded with two of the other members in 2006. Recently, he’s begun working with some other emerging artists as a producer and engineer, and he’s continuing to grow as an artists in his own right at the same time. Over the years, his style has changed, his message has changed, and his priorities and mission have changed.
“There was a time when music was all about me. I’ve played the club scene, the bar scene, I’ve done a lot of different things musically. I discovered in the long run that it’s more gratifying to make your music about everyone else. Not just the songs themselves, but the reason you sing them. It’s about the person on the other side of the guitar now.”
But at the end of the day, some things will never change. And one of those things is that somewhere you will find Jimmy McLoud, sitting around with a guitar, sharing stories and songs with new and old friends, and spreading the love. To him, there is nothing else.
