The Blue News

Formation and early years: (2005–2006)

The Blue News (aka. Blue News, The Blue News Project) was formed in 2005, taking its name from a Spoonerism of the words "New Blues". JB Orn (songwriter, vocalist, guitarist and producer) founded the band after signing a recording contract with Statue Records of Hollywood, California. The band's signature sound began with a few songs recorded with a PC in a bedroom that combined live instruments and vocals with samples and drum loops programmed with the ReBirth RB-338 software. Orn self-produced the band's debut LP, titled "Blue News" in a private recording studio and the band began to tour, averaging 2-3 shows per week in several cities around the Midwest United States. After gaining momentum in the Midwest live music scene, the band was interviewed by both Chicago Music Guide and "Louisville Music Guide", and made in-studio live radio appearances as more people began to take notice.

The Signs: (2007)

In 2007, the recording contract with Statue Records was dissolved before the release of the "The Signs" EP. The album was self-released as "The Blue News Project" to reflect that the songs were the result of a collaboration with multiple musicians. During this period, however, the band primarily performed live as a duo, featuring drummer Kraig Kerins. Songs from The Signs EP were used in the band's first college campus radio campaign with Vigilant Promotions of Minneapolis, MN. The band's music aired on 75 stations across multiple states.

The songs Love's So Strong and Next Time were both featured in the PBS documentary series Roadtrip Nation. At the time the songs aired, the band was regularly playing shows at live music clubs in several US cities. In between gigs, the band started recording their third LP, Strange Light. The LP was self-produced and released by the band's "Blame Records" indie label after signing a distribution agreement with INgrooves Digital Distribution in San Francisco, Califorinia (now part of Universal Music Group).

Strange Light: (2008–2009)

By 2008, The Blue News was touring consistently while developing a concrete original style and sound and their 3rd studio album "Strange Light" was self-released to good reviews in the blues and rock communities. The LP was the first to include drummer and producer DB Rich who joined the band in early 2008. The band produced their first HD music video featuring the song "Shelter". The HD music video was shot and directed by Chris Thornberry of "Green Sky Media" and "The Price of Admission" and aired regularly on Indy's Music Channel (IMC), an independent 24-hour music television channel on cable station WDNI-CD. Although there was no official radio campaign for the album, songs from "Strange Light" received radio airplay in many areas and the music continues to be regularly placed on television. Multiple songs from "Strange Light" were placed in 2009 on the UCF TV cable channel at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, FL and that same year the station's programming received a 2009 Suncoast Emmy Award.

Good at Falling: (2010)

Partly recorded at Stable Studios in Spencer, IN and the band's private studio, the EP "Good at Falling" had an indie rock sound and was a departure from their earlier sound. In May 2010, the songs So Easy and You've Got Someone were released for the popular music video game Rock Band 2 on Xbox 360. Also in 2010, the band was invited to perform for a live "one-take" style video series called "Folked Up!". This resulted in 2 new HD music videos featuring stripped-down acoustic versions of the songs Be Yourself (And You'll Go Far) and Wasted Days. As of November 2012 the video for Wasted Days has over 35,000 views on the VISO Music Channel.

Wartime Songs: (2011-2012)

In February 2011, Orn and Rich recorded their fifth studio album Wartime Songs at Retrophonics Recording Studios in St. Augustine, FL. Retrophonics is the private studio of producer Jim Devito who has recorded several famous bands included Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Don Henley, Creed and JJ Grey & Mofro. The band recorded to analog reel-to-real tape and tracked all 6 songs during one session. The album features several vintage instruments and amplifiers from the 1950s-1970s and the song Be Yourself (And You'll Go Far) was recorded with a rare 1953 Guild acoustic guitar. In addition, the album was mixed with producer Sylvia Massy at her RadioStar Studios in Weed, CA.

The album was originally released on the band's Blame Records label on July 4, 2011. The album received mostly good reviews and two songs (Hitman Blues and Just A Game were placed on the video game Rock Band 3 for both Xbox 360 and the PlayStation Network. Another song from the album, Two Lovers, was selected by Sublime with Rome to be included on Guitar Center's Fresh Cuts Volume 7 and 50,000 CD copies were given away in stores nationwide. In 2011, The Blue News began performing with Jacob McCullough on bass and additional vocals and guitarist Patrick McDermott. This lineup was responsible for being awarded 2nd place for the Blues Foundation's Best Self-Produced Blues CD in the state of Indiana in October 2011. The Blue News charted on both CMJ Alternative Rock and Blues radio charts during a successful radio campaign with Tinderbox Music in 2011.

The band signed with Musik and Film Records in 2012 and the band's entire discography was re-released through The Orchard (company), a New York City based digital distribution and entertainment services company. Most notably, The Orchard also distributes the music of Butch Walker and Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings. Since 2011, the band has rarely played live in order to focus on songwriting, production and licensing. The band has remained self-managed during their successful 11-year career and the band owns all publishing rights, acting as their own Music publisher.

In February 2016, it was announced on the Internet that a new album was being recorded in various studios in Nashville, TN and Indiana.

In popular culture

The songs of The Blue News have been featured in TV series, commercials, movies and videos games. Some of the notable appearances are:

Discography