S2: E6: - Gabe Garcia - A Nashville Star From Lytle, Texas

Backstage Pass Radio

At 15 years old Gabe recorded his first 2 song demo in Nashville with his brother’s high school buddy Touchstone Mcdonald. When Gabe turned 16, his brother left to college leaving behind a guitar that Gabe self taught himself with and where a year later Gabe joined a band from Pearsall, Texas called the “Texas Wranglers”. During a family vacation in South Padre Island, Gabe and his dad met Clint Bullard, a Nashville songwriter who was performing at a nearby hotel. Clint allowed Gabe to sing a few songs and months after Gabe and his brother flew out to Nashville to cut a full country album with Clint. In high school, with some musical experiences already under his belt, at age 17 he was asked to sing and compete for his high school FFA program. Gabe competed in and won all rounds of the competitions and performed back to back years at the National FFA Convention.

​After playing with country band the “Texas Wranglers” Gabe and the band regrouped and began a new band renaming themselves the “Maverick Creek Cowboys”. Gabe and the band toured the South Texas scene gaining a following and also later landing a First Place spot at the Annual State Colgate Country Showdown. After graduating from high school Gabe landed a job in San Antonio working 8 years for CPS Energy and using every vacation day traveling back and forth to Nashville gaining major attention from major record labels while working with Bart Bartler. Bart and his Dad Bill Butler from Hondo, Texas were introduced to Gabe by friend Tommy Calame. Bart who is a successful songwriter & producer in Nashville continued working with Gabe where in 2006 he produced another full country album with Gabe that gained more major label interest and hinted for Gabe to move to Nashville. In 2007 Gabe hit the hardest time of his life when his dad Juan J. Garcia Sr. passed away. With Gabe’s dad and family being very supportive in his musical accomplishments Gabe then decided to quit his job, sell his home, and finally move to Nashville in January 2008.

After 3 months into moving to Nashville Gabe landed a spot on NBC’s then popular show Nashville Star in 2008 where he placed First Runner-up out of 65,000 total contestants that tried out. Shortly after the show Gabe was taken in by Manager Erv Woosley, whom currently still manages George Strait. Gabe and Erv worked together for 2 years while also landing a one year songwriting deal with Bill Butler Music who published well known Strait songs such as “Baby Blue” and “Love Without End Amen”. After the 2 years Gabe was then managed and signed to another writing deal with John Rich of country duo “Big & Rich”. While working With John, Gabe landed a record deal with Average Joe’s Entertainment out of Nashville. After 5 years of living in Nashville Gabe decided to just follow his roots back to South Texas. As he continues to travel back and forth between Tennessee and Texas, Gabe left his Nashville label and began his own current label 396 Entertainment with Dallas, Texas buddy Jody Redlich.

​While Gabe has had an awesome adventure in his long running music career and experiences playing the smokey bars of South Texas, opening for major country artists in large venues, being on major network television, toured and played Canada and France, radio stations playing his music all over the world, and many more accomplishments under his belt, Gabe continues to love his passion for music which he will never let down. Gabe has 3 country albums "Shotglass", "Missing", and "Cold Beer and a Suntan" available on iTunes, Spotify, and Pandora. You can connect with Gabe via his social media accounts located above or for more info and tour dates right here on gabegarcia.com.