Steven Ybarra Biography
As
heard on NBC, ESPN, MTV and
all over the radio, Steven Ybarra is a meteor of musical talent
showering us
with a heartfelt group of songs from his just-released new album “Love
Love
Love.” After spending years touring the US with his band and sharing
the stage
with the likes of the Gin Blossoms, Hootie and the Blowfish, and Lit,
he has
branched into his own solo career. The San Diego Music Awards has
honored him
more than three times, and he is a platinum prize-winner at the San
Diego
Songwriter’s Guild for his cross-genre songs that span from Christian
pop to
adult contemporary. The world-renowned marine artist Wyland has made
Steven his
official musician, and Steven has also lent his talents to the Red
Cross Ivan
Benefit Fundraiser, The Surfrider Foundation, Leukemia and Lymphoma
Society,
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, American Heart Association,
March of
Dimes, and the YMCA, among many other causes. Whether you
privately savor
his CD or catch him playing live at the House of Blues, Steven’s
signature
vocal intimacy will not leave you unmoved. His captivating eyes reflect
the
world’s joys and sorrows, while his music mostly underlines hope and
love
inspired by his faith and his wife, Kellee.
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Steven
Ybarra began learning
music at the age of 3 when his family got him a drum set and an
accordion.
Being raised in a family of Germans and Hispanics, his culture at home
was
colored and full of variety as he listened to everyone from Julio
Iglesias to
Helmut Lotti. His Oma (German for grandmother) first took him to Germany
as a one-year-old, and from then on life became a mixture of sauerkraut
and
tamales. This Texas-born singer-songwriter attended Catholic
school
through the 8th grade, which set a spiritual foundation for his
profound
beliefs today. That’s where it all began - singing every week in
church, being
a part of the worship and praise music, and not knowing or dreaming at
that
young age what his life would hold. "I knew that I had been
blessed
with talent, I just was not sure how or where I would use it.
Growing up,
I just wanted to be successful in whatever I did. For a
while, I wanted
to be an attorney and know everything about justice. I wanted
to make
good for my family, I had a strong drive to excel at whatever I did,
and to
make a positive difference.”
In
middle school, Steven played
the snare drum in band, as did his father. After moving to San Diego from Houston, Steven went to
high school in Carlsbad,
CA
where he found himself drawn to friends
that wanted to play music. Right after high school, his
mother took him
to a Christian church where TV evangelist and prophet Kim Clement was
visiting.
At an altar call, Kim made a prophecy about Steven’s life saying “The
Lord is
working a miracle in this man’s life right now; he has no idea what the
Lord is
going to use him for.”
Around
that time he became the
front-man and co-writer for a band that he would perform in for over 12
years.
The band’s name began as Liquid Groove then became 34Below,
named after
the 34th meridian, where the city of Carlsbad
lies on a map. While Steven lead the band, they produced 5 CDs
(distributed by
EMI) spawning national radio airplay, and securing them bookings at key
venues
like House of Blues and Coors Amphitheater. Steven wrote over 200
songs, played
over a thousand shows, was featured on radio and TV, and toured in 47
states,
including the national Wyland Environmental Tour. Steven's
singing has been
on MTV's Road Rules, ESPN's Surfer Magazine Live, Beyond the
Boundaries, the
soundtrack from Wanted, and the Sycuan Casino TV Commercial.
He has
played with the national acts Sugar Ray, Vertical Horizon, The Calling,
Five
For Fighting, Gin Blossoms, Lit, Hootie and the Blowfish, Dishwalla,
Switchfoot, Jason Mraz, The Pat McGee Band, A.J. Croce, the
highly-touted top
comedian Carrot Top, and many others. He has also personally worked
with
engineers Mike Plotnikoff (Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Cranberries,) and Mikal
Blue
(Colbie Caillat, Augustana, Five for Fighting).
Suddenly,
in late 2005, Steven
became very ill with Meningitis. As a result, his life
completely
changed. Although he could no longer perform with the band,
his profound
faith increased, causing a domino effect leading to an invigorating
profound
sense of Christian faith and spirituality, a thriving solo career where
he
could make his own songwriting decisions, and to marrying
his long-time
girlfriend Kellee who now manages his career. He now
had time to
slow down and find out what mattered most. He attends church regularly,
sometimes singing in his church's worship service, and now is
a guest
worship leader in many churches in southern California such
as The Rock Church in San Diego and
Horizon Christian Fellowship in Rancho Santa Fe. When you listen to
Steven’s
new album, you’ll hear the bright optimism of his words and compassion
of his
tender voice. Moving tunes like “Good Thing” and “Please Please” jump
off the
CD to reveal an honest singer-songwriter making the very most of his
refined
craft. Steven’s outstanding musicianship and vocal nuancing make him
shine
among contemporary artists: listen closely, then become a believer.