Recently, I had the pleasure of spending some time with Jason Crabb, a celebrated figure in Christian music, during his performance in Kinston, NC. What immediately struck me about Jason was his authenticity. There’s no pretense, no facade – what you see is genuinely who he is. He speaks directly from the heart, sharing his personal truths with an honesty that’s truly refreshing. Our conversation, though arranged last minute, felt like talking to an old friend, delving into life, faith, music, and the driving forces behind his passion. It was an encounter that left a lasting impact, and I’m grateful for Jason’s candor and the insights he shared that evening.
Exploring the Faith Journey of Jason Crabb, From PK to Solo Artist
Jason Crabb’s journey of faith is deeply rooted in his upbringing. “Well my journey of faith started when I was a young kid,” Jason began, reflecting on his early years. “I grew up in the church, my dad was a pastor, grew up a PK (pastor’s kid).” His formative years were spent immersed in the Church of God, moving between various pastorates as his father served different congregations. However, life took an unexpected turn. “Then we kinda took a trail that was not so positive. My dad got out of church and um, just, things went really downhill, really fast.” This period brought significant family upheaval, including his parents’ separation and divorce.
Amidst these challenges, a new chapter began with his father’s remarriage to Cathy Crabb, a woman who would become a central figure in the renowned Crabb Family. “My dad remarried, married a lady who a lot of people know. Cathy Crabb. She’s kind of The Crabb Family matriarch so to speak.” This blended family marked the inception of the Crabb Family musical group. “She had 2 daughters, one of them loved to sing, the other didn’t and that’s how the Crabb Family started, a blended family.” Jason also fondly acknowledged his mother, “My mom still lives back in the same town we grew up in, an incredible woman.”
The Crabb Family’s musical journey took flight, with Jason’s father contributing significantly as a songwriter. “Of course a lot of people know my dad was a songwriter for the group and you know, it really was an incredible journey.” For fourteen years, they toured extensively as a family, establishing a strong presence in Christian music. Jason then transitioned to a successful solo career. “We traveled on the road for 14 years as a family, then I came off the road with them and I’ve been on the road now traveling for 16 years solo so I’m going into my 31st year on the road with about 170 dates a year.” His career reflects a remarkable dedication and longevity in the demanding world of music ministry.
Maintaining Faith and Integrity in the Modern Music Industry
Navigating the contemporary music scene while staying true to one’s beliefs is a challenge for any artist. Jason shared his perspective on maintaining integrity while expanding his reach. “Well, the thing about it is, there are a lot of things about it you can include yourself in. There are some things, you know, well, let’s put it like this … I remember back into day, you had to go ‘Okay, does this stage look right for me?’ Ok, let me put it like this, do I trust myself in this place?” He emphasized the importance of self-reflection and personal conviction. “I think that’s the best way to look at it. You have to do that yourself. A lot of times, the problem is with artists they look at how other people look at them on that stage. The best way to look at it is ‘Do you trust yourself’ in that place?”
Jason Crabb performing live in Kinston, NC, showcasing his authentic connection with the audience.
Drawing inspiration from Jesus’s example, Jason highlighted the importance of inclusivity and rejecting judgmental attitudes. “Because if you do, of course, follow the steps of Jesus, because He was the only perfect One but goodness, He sat with prostitutes and tax collectors and the people in the city were going around asking ‘Who’s this man sitting with unclean folk?’ Well who’s to say who’s unclean? The ones making the judgement sounded to me like they might be the most questionable. You know what I’m saying?” He advocates for discerning one’s path based on personal conviction and faith. “So, I think the best way is to just look and see if you honestly have that judge of character on yourself and say, no matter what anyone else thinks, ‘God opened this door for me’ and decide if it’s a door He opened for you and if it’s not, ask yourself if you trust yourself in that place. He’s not going put you anywhere He doesn’t trust you or you don’t trust yourself.”
“Good Morning Mercy” and “Do It For You”: New Music with Heart
Discussing his recent music, Jason enthusiastically spoke about his collaboration with Dylan Scott on “Good Morning Mercy.” “Dylan’s a good one, I saw my buddy just got nominated for an ACM Award this week. Very excited about that for him. I am very proud of him, if anyone deserves it, he does. I love how he involves his family in his music. Country music to me is a really neat platform of music.” He appreciates the authenticity he finds in country music and in artists like Dylan Scott. “Country music, if it’s authentic country, then it involves many things, it’s kind of like a patchwork quilt. It’s like here’s my wife, here are my children, the town I grew up, here’s the farm, here’s grandma, here’s grandpa and it’s all the little pieces that tell the story. It’s family, friends, faith, my country, our veterans, my experience … they’re all part of the story. Those things create the most beautiful quit.”
He contrasted this authentic approach with more commercialized music. “Then there’s a different kind of country, the commercial side of it, driven more by the sponsors. It’s like ‘Hey, I love music’ but I’m playing the music in angles vs here’s my life. I’ve got an angle for this that I know I can do so the beat’s gonna have to be here, it’s gonna have to appeal to the sponsor and be about the part. You know what I’m saying. It’s very industry driven vs. here’s the authentic.” Jason values artists who prioritize genuine expression over commercial appeal. “There are those artists like Chris Stapleton and Tyler Childers that you don’t have a question in your mind that they’re singing about what matters to them, what drives them. That’s who Dylan Scott is. He’s that kind of person, he’s refreshing, he’s what we need. It’s nice to be able to do a song with someone like that. This song is something we were both driven to do, the content matters to us.”
Jason also shared the story behind “Do It For You,” highlighting the serendipitous songwriting process. “Well, there are a lot of stories behind this one. The funny thing is we were writing to create and make sure we have our next single. We were kinda positive that we did and I do believe that the song we had will be a single. We already had one and were gonna go with it. The label said why don’t we write a couple more just to make sure this is exactly what we want.” A collaborative writing session led to an unexpected discovery. “So my publicist got with another publishing company and said ‘You bring some of your writers and we’ll bring some of our writers and we’ll have a great big writer’s circus camp kinda thing.’ We have 12 different writers that showed up in one day and under one roof in Nashville and we all went into different rooms. My goal was to go 30 min in this room while they were writing, 30 minutes in this room, 30 minutes in that room and feel the way the song was going.”
Despite his planned rotation, a song emerged quickly and powerfully. “I was with Jay, we were writing, had a great song and me and Phil, one of my very favorite writers, not one hour into the write comes in and says ‘We’re finished with this song, I want you to come of listen to it and see what you think’ and I didn’t even get to get in there yet. I went in there and went, ‘I don’t know how we’ll beat this song.’ I just knew this was the right song and I told them that. This is the single. I just knew it, it felt right and it was.” He emphasized the song’s message of hope and encouragement. “So many people need encouragement right now, they can’t see past their current situation and circumstance. We’re people of emotion, we make so many decisions based on how we feel and what’s around us at the moment and sometimes if we don’t have that glimpse of hope, it seems like a doomsday. But, when someone walks up and you’re in that situation and says ‘Hey look, I’ve been just where you’re at, I know what you’re going through but I also know the God that made a way for me and if you need that highway through the sea, He’ll do it. If you need that mountain to be moved out of your way, He’s the One to move it and He’s the God of all miracles. There ain’t nothin’ He can’t do. If He did it for me, He can do if for you.'”
Surprising Insights and Redeeming the Past
When asked about a surprising fact about himself, Jason revealed an unexpected preference. “Hmmm … you know, this might sound very weird because of what I do, but when I’m in the truck, I very seldom listen to music. I love silence. When I do turn on music, it’s usually the old country stuff, you know.” This love for silence and old country music provides him with a unique form of reflection. “This is really funny because I tried to explain this the other day when I was doing a tv talk show and I know it’s not aired yet and I’m gonna get killed for it (laughs) but we were talking about worship and what it means to me and when is your alone time with God? I said ‘Y’all are gonna laugh and think I’m crazy and I’ll get letters for this, but there’s something that happens when I listen old familiar country music.’ It takes me to a place of family and thankfulness and I know it’s not every country song, I’m not saying that but there are certain songs that take me there that make me go ‘God, thank You for my upbringing. Thank You for this wonderful lfe. Thank You for my family.’ Isn’t that crazy?” He finds a sense of worship and gratitude in these unexpected musical moments. “You remember that Michael Bolton song, ‘When I’m Back on My Feet Again’ … that was an incredible ‘man in the mirror’ kinda thing. There are songs that make you look deeper.”
Reflecting on God’s redemption in his life, Jason pointed to his song “I Will Love You.”
Angels see you face to face
If I could I’d take their place
And pour out my heart to you
But what they don’t understand
Is to know your grace first hand
How it feels to love like I do.
Yes you bring me to my knees with your kindness
Theres nothing that I can hold back
He explained the profound meaning behind these lyrics. “The thing that got me with that song is that angels are created with choice and they chose the Lord. They chose to be there. It’s different when you’ve experienced the grace of God.They’ve never experienced His grace. Only we have. Only we have been through self-inflicted hell, selfish ways to where we have just failed ourselves and God comes and wraps His arms around you and loves us back and redeems us. Only us as humans can worship in grace and know what forgiveness and love are all about. So, that songs gets me a lot.” He also mentioned his father’s song, “Shepherd’s Call,” for its powerful message of divine intervention. “There’s a song my dad wrote awhile ago called ‘Shepherd’s Call’. It’s an old tune, one of the best he’s ever written. ‘There on that ledge one step would have ended it all. But I felt the hand, and I heard the Shepherd’s call’ and that it doesn’t put you right into a place … it’s truth. It’s just truth. I should have fallen actually, maybe I was going over the edge and He just grabbed me.”
Jason candidly shared the personal sacrifices inherent in his demanding career, especially regarding family time. “I’d ask the reader to not judge me on this statement, but just hear my heart in it, but when Jesus told the disciples, I forget exactly who He was talking to, He said ‘leave the ships and leave the nets’. They said ‘Let me go home and tell my family bye’ and He said ‘No, let’s leave that too, it’s time to go’ and one of the hardest things is that my youngest daughter is going to go to prom pretty soon, she’s gonna be all dressed up and I’m gonna be on the road. Ball games, you know things, things and moments I’ve missed. That’s the hardest thing so I feel like the road gets a lot of me and my family gets, I don’t want to say the left overs because when I’m home, I try to give them all of me, but they’re all mine. My gosh, I love my family so much. I’m trying to wade through the balance of life, it’s so tough. That’s the hardest part.” This vulnerability underscores the real challenges faced by artists balancing career and family.
New EP and Staying Connected
Excitingly, Jason announced a new EP on the horizon. “I have a new EP coming out that I”m very excited about, has some great songs on there. There’s a song on there that will probably be the next single called ‘Hallelujah Story’, man people just love it. You don’t have to introduce it or say anything, the song introduces itself. It’s coming soon so just watch the social media pages for the official announcement.” Fans can anticipate new music soon.
To stay updated on Jason Crabb’s music and tour dates, visit his website at www.jasoncrabb.com and follow him on social media @jasoncrabbmusic. Support Christian artists by downloading, streaming, and purchasing their music and merchandise. As Jason noted, “You know, in reality, the big corporations and sponsors don’t stand behind Christian artists like they do mainstream artists so they depend on your support.” Your support directly fuels their ability to continue creating and sharing their inspiring music.
