Daily Inspiration: Meet Josee McGee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Josee McGee.

Hi Josee, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
For me, learning to sing was synonymous with learning to talk. In Short & Sweet form: At my youngest years (as early as age 5) I traveled around Northeast Ohio with my mother‘s and grandfather’s different, small-time musical acts. Music was my second nature and followed me throughout my childhood.

A year of college- studying Music Education- uncovered my true passion for performance. The gained knowledge in music theory boosted my musicality. Knowing possibilities to grind as a musician were out there, I left school & four years later still grind- gigging at venues in over 20 neighboring cities.

Like many in their early 20s, I crave a way to articulate the meaning of life and find songwriting to be the perfect medium. Using music to think-out-loud & make sense of it all; I produce soulful acoustic jams that remind us of what it means to have each other and the importance of self-love.

The detailed version:

I was singing from the jump. It was real for me, even in my naivety. I always felt a deep, unquestionable draw to music. Like, on the 3rd or 4th Christmas of my life I really begged my Gram’s husband, Steve, to record me singing a Nursery Rhyme Album as a gift for my parents.

My mom was a singer. She sang with her two younger sisters, in church and school choirs, too. When my mom and her sisters had children of their own, we nearly all inherited their talent. They put together a Christian Contemporary Coffee Shop Set using karaoke tracks they’d rent from Borders or the library. My cousins, sisters, and I were sometimes a background choir, sometimes soloists, paired in duets or trios. I learned harmony behind the scenes. My curious little mind glued me to my mom’s hip during rehearsals.

By the way, I have two sisters: Nikole, 2 years younger, and Courtnee, my half-sister, 5 years older.

My parents divorced before I even hit preschool. My mom remarried quickly. Dad moved around the country working a union job. Joint custody of Nikole and I was split between them, but my Grandma Jan stepped up in my dad’s absence.

Grandpa Steve was a major musical influence- a true full-time musician. He’d earned a Bachelor’s in Composition- his instrument, piano. I took lessons with him around ages 5/6, but couldn’t tough it out. I was an emotional child! I continued to sing with him, though. His weekly residencies at event centers and nursing homes offered opportunity for my younger sister and I to sing duets like, “Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah,” “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and “Once Upon a Dream” before audiences. We always attended Steve’s catholic church choir rehearsals with Grandma. Immersed in music on both sides of the family, truly.

Staying with our grandparents on weekends was life-altering in so many positive ways. Things at home were sometimes unsafe, and unhealthy. There were many positive instances at home, though, too. For example, our parents attended a church that was filled with incredible talent- another huge musical influence. Nikole and I joined the youth choir as soon as we could.

Of course, we joined school choir, too. I joined band and took on Trumpet between 10 and 13.

Unfortunately, the school’s music programs weren’t really encouraged and were quite limited. I was unable to have both Band and Choir in my schedule. At this middle school age, I started a YouTube Channel to have a platform for musical expression. Nikole and I were, initially, my main focus or really, source of enjoyment for sharing. There is nothing like having a sister to share a gift with, man. Let me tell ya.

Songwriting had always lingered within me, but I wasn’t able to identify it until the loss of a close friend- just days after turning 13. As a coping mechanism, I wrote a song processing the pain. It was my natural instinct, and it truly did help. Courtnee’s boyfriend at the time helped me record it to share to my YouTube channel.

I was blown away by the amount of people who appreciated it in our community, during that time. I felt like I had done something to help us all heal.

After that, I started to keep a journal of manuscript paper, writing song lyrics around or across the staves. For the most part, I wrote about love. Imaginary situations and relationships that 13-year-old girls could never really understand-hah!

If you caught it earlier, I mentioned things weren’t so great at home. I found myself getting into a bit of extra trouble after losing my friend. It was sort of my breaking point. Songwriting proved to be another light in the dark when I was caught shoplifting at the mall. This is going to sound silly; I sort of hope you get a kick out of it lol:

I was prosecuted at “Teen Court.” They asked many things, but when asked questions about my life and what made it important, music was my biggest and most consistent theme/reference point. They offered to remove my charges if I did community service as a teen juror… and if I’d write a song about learning from those mistakes.

Again, the song offered healing, understanding, and growth for me, as well as those I shared it with. Even my parents. The effect was shocking to me. I couldn’t have predicted the tears or gratefulness that followed sharing my song. My Teen Court song haha.

I never fully learned to play piano but taught myself some basics by ear and through songs’ video tutorials. I continued to write using keys to accompany myself. I often practiced by recording videos for my channel. I finally switched that style of learning over to guitar when I was 16. I really fell in love with it, right away.

College came too soon for me. As a person who didn’t know much about themselves, outside of songwriting and talent, being put in position to fail at the only thing that made me sure of who I was, surely made me run away and dive into the certainty of life outside of school. So, yeah. Went off to college for a year, found myself crawling out of darkness and depression by learning and writing songs, yet again.

After leaving school I found my community through Open Mic Nights and started booking shows at farmers’ markets and other community events. The booking got steadier and steadier. Now it’s my career, 4 years in.

I play 3-hour sets combining my originals with popular covers at restaurants, bars, breweries, and private events. Occasionally, I play a concert that showcases my art and that makes all the hours worth it. After years and years of writing, I finally put together my first complete album, “Tree Rings,” with the help of incredible connections and support from those who share this journey with me.

I hope to make the right investments that will get me into more concert settings and in position to hit the road, share my music, feed my creative side, & see what the heck this country really looks like within the next couple of years.

Looking back, I see that I was using music to design my custom mechanism for healing, coping, processing, and moving on from tough times in life. How to start talking about what hurts. Songwriting’s become my way of documenting my life experience and the feelings that tag along. It has shown me so much about myself; ways to grow, change, improve. Where or why I’m insecure or strong. How I can see myself as clay. I have come to understand its power in helping others, too! It allows for understanding the intangible, emotionality that radiates within me. That radiates in many of us. That always will!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Any long stretch of road’s gonna have a blend of paved & poorly patched. Easy/straight & fearful/bending. Aren’t we so fortunate for the times we struggle, though? The view from the top of the hill is so revealing of what we couldn’t see while downhill.

Some struggle examples:

– Going to college for music & feeling incapable there. Being unsure of the only thing you know for sure about yourself. Coming from a lower-income family, being neglected by one of your parents, working your ASS off in a food prep factory to get by, barely making money anyway, living alone in a giant community, struggling to make friends, and sinking into a depression. Oh man, that was a sad time in my life.

– It’s hard to communicate to your closest people the ways you’ve been hurt by them, directly or indirectly. Hard to tell them the feelings you have that could hurt them. It can even be hard to tell them how much you love them, or how grateful you are for the little things because you feel corny or over the top, or- if y’all aren’t that close- question whether or not they feel the same. It’s hard enough bringing those things up, but to encapsulate those feelings into a song puts you both/all in a vulnerable place, every time you play it. What if they’re not ready to hear you?

-dating your bandmate/business partner. Love is messy enough!!!

-Taking a leap of faith on your “trade.” Minimum wage jobs were so miserable. Being undervalued, under/overworked, or disrespected makes you want out! But there were times when it wasn’t an option to lean entirely on music. Pushing through those was a struggle

– On the flip side- when you are a full-time musician- fighting off the feeling that you’re selling yourself when it doesn’t seem to matter how you show up or how much you give. Being the “background noise” can diminish one’s spirit.

-Recording albums, let alone during a pandemic/World Wide Quarantine.

-Finding artists, you’re compatible with to bring your music to life. Letting go of creative control. Knowing how to translate your mind’s vision, at all. Being confident in leading a band

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a musician, a singer-songwriter. Vocals are my specialty and likely what I’m known for. I may also be known for my unique sister duo.

I host weekly open mic nights, sometimes am hired as a studio vocalist. I help organize music for community events like, “The North Canton Main Street Festival,” I play shows at farmers’ markets, art festivals, local bars, breweries, restaurants, wineries, etc. as well as private events including birthdays, weddings, backyard parties- any event that live music could be considered for!

My favorite shows are ones that feature my original compositions, especially ones that call for a band. Special online performances or venues like The Beachland Ballroom, Jenks 1929, The Winchester Tavern, The Grog Shop for example.

I’m most proud of being in a position to provide a platform to creators/musicians alike to share their work and unite in ways that strengthen the community even farther.

I’m also proud of accomplishing my first solo project, Tree Rings. It is just the beginning, but damn does it feel good to have started releasing music.

What may set me apart from others is my ability to treat this skill like a full-time job- maintaining consistency in booking and sustaining my lifestyle without needing a typical 9-5. My age could also play a part in my stand-out factor. I’m only 23, going on 24 this May 2022.

Hmm… I guess that makes me proud too. To think at this young age I’ve been confidently relying, solely, on my trade for the past 3 years.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Wow, so many beautiful, loving faces flashed across my mind when asking myself that question. I’ve been so lucky to make encouraging, reliable friends along the way.

Michael George believed in me when I wanted to leave College. He and I booked together and gigged. He led me straight into a community that opened door after door for our music. When we found that being in a band together wasn’t meant for us, he sold me the gear necessary to continue on- even my first Acoustic/Electric Guitar- for an insane price. I used that gear for 4 years before updating it. I even still use it on occasion!

Michael is also the connection to my Tuesday Night Open Mic Night at Muggswigz in Downtown Canton. He asked me to take over when he left. What an incredibly uniting community to be a part of.

He is also the connection to my 2nd ever Open Mic Night on Wednesdays at Sandy Springs Brewing Company (SSBC) in Minerva. One thing led to another, they reached out to him, he passed it on to me.

It was there that I met Randy and Dian Collins, who became my no. 1 fans and began spreading my name around to local hiring venues. I think I was able to leave my part-time job thanks to them. As well as Gordon Oliver, who they connected me to.

Gordon played the SSBC Open Mic Night before becoming one of my Duo Partners. He helped fill up my schedule and help me grow as a guitar player. I learned a heck of a lot from him. I was able to learn songs that better suited the common crowd in this area. He was a HUGE believer in my original music.

I have been lucky to be brought up in Canton, Ohio where the music community raises each other up. There just so happens to be an incredible non-profit recording studio here, Realgrey Records, that puts on a monthly songwriter’s event. This event is a fabulous networking system.

Gordon Oliver believed in me so much, he talked the owner, Ron Flack, into giving me the financial and physical space to record my first album. My boyfriend, Spencer, happened to be the main engineer there as well. When Covid came and interrupted the process of it all, we were able to take it home and finish it!

I was lucky to have Gordon and Spencer to play on that record. So lucky to have partner like Spencer to give so much of himself to produce that album and push through the emotional current with me.

I was lucky to be born into a musical family who encouraged my talent from a very young age and provided opportunity for me to grow and learn. And so freaking lucky to have my sister Nikole share in this gift with me, I know I was born with a soulmate.

I’ve been lucky to find myself in these communal spaces and to have been taken in, taught, seen as an equal, given shared opportunity, & to be raised up alongside of them.

Contact Info:

• Email: mcgee.josee@gmail.com
• Website: joseemcgeemusic.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/joseemcgee
• Facebook: facebook.com/joseemcgeemusic
• Youtube: youtube.com/joseemcgee33
• Other: linktr.ee/joseemcgee

Image Credits
JW Cooper Photography
Carmen Misja
Jada Mason
Nathan Metcalf
Justin Tibbs
Alexis Brittany
Michael Obrycki