Steven “Stevie Jo” Rosenbalm, (born in Tyler, TX), known simply as Stevie Jo, is an American soulful singer songwriter who gained fame as a Top 20 Finalist on Season 6 of NBC’s Emmy Award-winning show “The Voice.” Wowing his audience, and Usher, with Usher’s own hit, “There Goes My Baby”, he quickly established himself as one of the media and critic’s front running competitors for the season. Usher chose Stevie Jo as winner in the ensuing battle rounds before making the tough choice to eliminate him before live rounds, ultimately leaving Stevie Jo to return home with a respectable Top 20 finish.
Stevie Jo grew up in Chapel Hill, Texas, just outside of Tyler, and his love for music has always been a constant in his life. Ask his parents, Shannon and Russell Rosenbalm, and they’ll tell you he’s been singing since he was a six-month old boy. Russell and Shannon were always involved in music when Stevie was growing up; they both played guitar in local heavy metal bands in the east Texas area. Stevie Jo emulated his parents in his own way, and by age ten, they had bought him a drum set, his first tangible venture into to music world. He learned quickly and only had thoughts for being a drummer, especially after he and childhood friends Greg Wahl and Korye Birdsong agreed to form their first band. As the years passed, they honed their skills instrumentally, but changes in lineup led to failed searches for a lead singer. At 13, Stevie Jo was finally convinced by Greg and guitarist Thayer Lee to play drums and sing lead vocals, to very positive results. The band, known as Black Daze, narrowed their genre to alternative metal and had success in the area, playing notable venues in Dallas such as The Door and The Loft at Gilley’s.
A few years later, personality issues forced them to disband, leaving Stevie Jo to take a step back from music and focus on his school career, pursuing theatre and getting a scholarship to Trinity Valley Community College after graduating from Chapel Hill High School. He still wished to challenge himself vocally, which drew him toward soul and R&B music. Throughout this time Stevie Jo was also writing and learning songs on guitar, occasionally performing for friends, and acquaintances at get-togethers. They always encouraged him to try out for a singing competition such as “The Voice”, and after his freshman year of college, he moved down to Austin, Texas for the summer to prepare for the open call auditions. The rest is history, and now that Stevie Jo has a fanbase and a newfound confidence, he is determined to carve a music career out of what had for years been just a pipe dream.
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