Bobby McGrath
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Bobby McGrath

New York, New York, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2013 | SELF

New York, New York, United States | SELF
Established on Jan, 2013
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"Will Hoge @ Highline Ballroom NYC 08/21/2014"

Local NYC Country Band Bobby McGrath & The Brothers opened for Hoge. When NBC came to us back in April looking for a Country Act for a segment on the Today Show we sent them Bobby’s way. Since then we have caught up with the guys a few times and they are just getting better and better. McGrath has definitely picked up some new fans since the last show – there were a lot more people singing along this time around. - NYC Country Music Lovers


"Frankie Ballard @ Highline Ballroom 04/24/2014"

New York City-based band Bobby McGrath and The Brothers kicked the evening off, primarily playing songs from McGrath’s independently released EP from 2013, including “Turning Planes Around” and “Gasoline.” A cover of Randy Houser’s 2013 hit “Runnin Outta Moonlight” had the crowd singing and dancing along. Given his strong, charismatic stage presence, it would be easy to picture McGrath playing much bigger stages for a national audience in a few years’ time. - NYC Country Music Lovers


"Bethlehem grads in country band to be on Today show Sunday"

Bobby McGrath and The Brothers, a New York City-based country music band comprising three Bethlehem High Schools graduates, will be performing on the Today show Sunday morning on NBC.

The group will be playing from 8:30-9:00 a.m. and be a part of the show’s southern cooking segment. Bobby McGrath (lead singer and guitar) and Billy Trimarchi (drums) graduated in 2004. Trevor Collins (lead guitar) graduated in 2002.

More information about Bobby’s debut self-titled album can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/bobbymcgrathofficial - Times Union


"Get to Know Singer Songwriter Bobby McGrath"

New York state native Bobby McGrath is a contemporary country music singer songwriter who now lives in New York City and performs throughout the Northeast with his band “The Brothers.” In 2013, he released a five track EP and this past month he performed on The Today Show. This Thursday, Bobby and The Brothers will open for Frankie Ballard at the Highline Ballroom in NYC. Bobby graciously took the time to chat with us about his influences, the EP, playing on The Today Show and more!

Tell us a little bit about yourself including when you decided to pursue music professionally.


Well, I grew up in a small town outside of Albany [NY] and I attended college in Hartford [CT]. My older brother was already living in New York City, so about six years ago I decided to move there.
My parents were lifelong musicians; I grew up with different types of music around me all the time. My mom was a folk singer songwriter and my dad played the guitar and sang. We always had tons of instruments around the house that I was constantly picking up and playing. Once I graduated college, I knew that I wanted to write songs and play music in some capacity. Being from upstate, I thought the city would be a good place to start.

Being that your parents were musicians, were they a big influence on you?

Absolutely! My mom brought the folk influence, of course, and my dad was more into rock and roll. His favorite band is The Doors.
My parents have always been very supportive, especially of my songwriting, which began at a young age, but really became a passion in college. When I got to college, songwriting really went from being a hobby to being something I needed to do. I would constantly have song ideas in my head that I would need to write down. It was at this point that I began writing country music exclusively. I just really connected to country music as a songwriter. I really gravitated to country music because of the story telling in the songs.

Who are some of your musical influences?

I always consider myself a songwriter first and foremost. As a writer, I am drawn to 90's country, as well as songwriters such as Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Ben Hayslip [the trio comprise the group The Peach Pickers]. I enjoy following what they do. Other influences include George Jones and George Strait, who can tell a great story and draw an audience in like no one else.
As a kid I was a blues-hound, so my influences as a guitar player include Stevie Ray Vaughn, Muddy Waters, and B.B. King.

When did you start playing guitar?

Since instruments were always in the house and I was always picking them up, it's really hard to pin point when I formally started playing. I think that I really started focusing on playing around middle school. My parents taught me the basics and some chords. I ran with it from there.

In September of 2013, you released your debut EP. Talk a little bit about that.

Well, it took about six months to record, which we did in Nashville. I was lucky enough to work with Russell Wolff as my producer on the project. We had Martina McBride's touring band play on the record, as well as other musicians such as Jenee Fleenor, who is the fiddle player for Blake Shelton.
I wrote all five tracks on the EP, three independently, and two with Russell.

Recently you were on The Today Show. Tell us about that experience.

The Today Show was looking for a house band for a southern cooking segment, and they asked us, which was incredible. We were able to perform one full song, but we have not been able to see it yet. Hopefully we will get the footage soon, and once we do we will put it up for everyone to see.

This Thursday (April 24th) you are opening for Frankie Ballard at The Highline Ballroom in New York City.

We're pretty excited! This will be our first time opening for a national act. We are so fortunate to get to open for Frankie, whose song just went to #1 [Helluva Life].
Previously, we have played at The Cutting Room, The Bitter End and B.B. Kings in NYC, but have not played The Highline, which is an awesome venue. We were at a show there last year and thought to ourselves 'wouldn't it be great to play here someday.' Now we have our chance and we are really very excited!

Your band is called "The Brothers." Are you related?

Tommy McGrath, my older brother, plays bass. Trevor Collins is our lead guitarist. He came into the band about a year and a half ago and really helped us pull our sound together. Billy Trimarchi, who is our drummer, grew up playing music with me. We also have a keyboard player, Aaron Brady who is spending time with his newborn, but will be with us at The Highline show.

What are your plans for 2014?

We are working on a few opportunities. After The Highline, we will go to Key West in June to play some shows, which we are really looking forward to! We are letting everything come together and are really excited about the future.

What are you currently listening to?

I just love Craig Campbell's new song, "Keep Them Kisses Comin'." In fact, I woke up to that song this morning. When NASH FM [the country radio station in NYC] came to New York City my world changed because now I have country radio on all the time! - The Daily Country


"Bethlehem natives Bobby McGrath and The Brothers to perform on Today"

NEW YORK >> While performing is nothing new for a band consisting of area natives, on Sunday they will take to a national stage.

Bethlehem natives Bobby McGrath and The Brothers will be the house band for the Today show from 9:30 to 10 a.m. local time during a southern cooking segment. The time will include one full song and one song from Bobby McGrath’s EP. The latter, McGrath says, will only be picked up by smaller-market NBC affiliates without local Sunday morning news.

McGrath and The Brothers have been officially together for about a year and a half, with their first show at Path Cafe in the West Village. “It’s more of a singer-songwriter place but they would always let us bring in the full band and try out new things,” McGrath says.

Initially the full band consisted of Trevor Collins on lead electric guitar back, Billy Trimarchi on drums, Tommy McGrath - his older brother - on bass, and Aaron Brady on keys; Brady has since backed out to be a dad. Trimarchi is the guitarist from Bobby’s middle school band, and Collins graduated from Bethlehem the same year as Tommy.

Currently, Tommy and Collins live in Brooklyn and Bobby and Trimarchi live in Manhattan.

Though this band is a relatively new endeavor for the singer-songwriter, music has been in his life since as far back as middle school. McGrath says he first got interested in singing when his first middle school band needed a singer. As he recalls it, “We went around in a circle to determine who could hold down the best. I guess I came out on top and we went from there.”

Growing up on mostly blues and rock, McGrath was drawn to country as he began writing songs more frequently, noting the genre’s storytelling and loyal fans. In recording his EP “Bobby McGrath,” a process that took about six months, McGrath traveled between New York and Nashville and worked with a variety of musicians.

“I started with Martina McBride’s touring band in the studio, and then we brought in some utility players to round it out over time,” he says.

The Today show opportunity arose through NYC Country Music Lovers, a group whose founder McGrath met. From there, he says, things just fell into place.

As easy as that might make it sound, there’s no doubt that hard work led to the opportunity. Each member of the group has a full time job, so for now it’s a moonlight and weekend thing, McGrath says, adding that “The Brothers and I are always running straight from work to rehearsals and shows, but we have a blast doing it.” - Troy Record


Discography

Bobby McGrath (2013)

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Bio

Bobby McGrath is a contemporary country music singer-songwriter who lives in New York City and performs with his band “The Brothers” (Tommy McGrath, Billy Trimarchi, Trevor Collins and Aaron Brady).

Growing up in a small town outside of Albany, NY, rock, blues, folk and soul formed the foundation of Bobby’s musical upbringing.  His parents, both lifelong musicians, kept the house filled with instruments and from an early age Bobby was singing and playing guitar in his own blues band. However, it was an early passion for songwriting that his parents instilled in him that eventually led him to country music and the identifiable story-telling that marks the genre.

After graduating college Bobby moved to New York City and began making trips to Nashville. Linking up with producer Russell Wolff and members of Martina McBride’s band, Bobby recorded his self-titled debut EP in 2013.

The impressive range of Bobby’s songwriting ability is on full display in his debut EP release.  With a true-to-life feel that hits home with his rapidly growing fan base, Bobby’s sound and style is modern yet at times reminiscent of country music of the 90s.

Fueled by a recent performance on NBC's TODAY Show, an opening arena slot for Rascal Flatts, and having packed venues such as Highline Ballroom (opening for Frankie Ballard and Will Hoge) and The Cutting Room in New York City, The Hard Rock Cafe in Boston and The Tin Rooster at Turning Stone Casino in Upstate New York, Bobby is excited to continue to increase his live schedule with The Brothers.

Band Members