Steve Mason | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Stephen Daniel Mason |
Born | [1] Joliet, Illinois, U.S. | July 8, 1975
Genres | Alternative rock, folk, Christian |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals |
Years active | 1993–present |
Labels | Essential/Silvertone, Gray Matters/Nettwerk |
Stephen Daniel Mason (born July 8, 1975) [2] is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist for Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay.
Mason was born in Joliet, Illinois [3] in 1975, however was brought up from age 8 in Decatur, Illinois where he attended Warrensburg-Latham schools. [4]
Mason joined Jars of Clay as a founding member in 1993 with singer Dan Haseltine and pianist Charlie Lowell while studying at Greenville College in his home state of Illinois. As a submission piece to get into college, Mason wrote an instrumental guitar piece entitled "Frail" which was later recorded and used as the namesake for the group's first demo Frail . The song later had lyrics added by Jars of Clay's lead singer Dan Haseltine for the group's second album Much Afraid .
Growing up in Illinois, Mason is a Chicago Bears football team supporter, but also now supports the Tennessee Titans, who play in his adopted city of Nashville. [3]
He is also a supporter of the Nashville SC soccer club, where he attended its first MLS home match dressed as Moses, resulting in national attention and the club referring to him as "Soccer Moses". [5] [6]
In 2014, Stephen qualified as a Master Barber and has started cutting hair at his shop, The Handsomizer. [7]
Mason married Melissa Mason in late 90’s and has two children. He left Melissa in 2009 to marry former BBC Radio producer Jude Adam on October 24, 2009. [8]
Mason uses a range of different guitars for performing with Jars of Clay, both electric and acoustic. Some of them he uses exclusively in the studio and others exclusively for live performances. [3]
As for pedals, over the years Mason has been seen using a Boss Tuner, Visual Sound Jekyll & Hyde, Swell Pedals G-TOD, Tonephile Puredrive, Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man, DMB Pedals, and a Pedaltrain pedalboard.
Jars of Clay is a Christian alternative rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. The members met at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois. They consist of Dan Haseltine on vocals, Charlie Lowell on piano and keyboards, Stephen Mason on lead guitars and Matthew Odmark on rhythm guitars. Although the band has no permanent drummer or bass guitarist, Jeremy Lutito and Gabe Ruschival of Disappointed by Candy fill these roles for live concerts. Past tour band members include Aaron Sands, Scott Savage, and Joe Porter. Jars of Clay's style is a blend of alternative rock, folk, acoustic, and R&B.
Jars of Clay is the first full-length studio album by Christian rock group Jars of Clay. It was released on October 24, 1995, by Essential Records. The album was released to commercial and critical acclaim, becoming one of the few Christian albums in the mid-1990s to achieve platinum status.
Much Afraid is the second studio album by American Christian rock band Jars of Clay. It was released in 1997 by Essential Records. Following the charting success of the band's debut album, Much Afraid was moderately successful, but was unable to achieve the level of its predecessor.
If I Left the Zoo is the third full-length studio album of the band Jars of Clay. It was released November 9, 1999, by Essential Records.
The Eleventh Hour is the fourth full-length studio album by the band Jars of Clay. It was released in 2002 by Essential Records and marked the band's first attempt at producing a full album by themselves.
Who We Are Instead is the fifth full-length studio album recorded by Christian rock band Jars of Clay and produced by Mitch Dane. It was released in 2003 by Essential Records.
City on a Hill: Songs of Worship and Praise is the first in the City on a Hill series of compilation albums by popular Contemporary Christian Music musicians. It received the Gospel Music Association's Special Event Album of the Year award for 2001.
Daniel Paul Haseltine is an American singer best known as lead vocalist for Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay. Haseltine has performed vocals, piano, accordion, percussion and melodica, while with Jars of Clay. He has had different artistic titles, including songwriter, producer, film composer, music supervisor and art designer.
Charles Daniel Lowell is an American pianist most known for being the pianist and keyboardist for Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay.
Drummer Boy is an EP release by Christian folk group Jars of Clay featuring a new interpretation of the classic 1958 Christmas Carol "Little Drummer Boy". The EP was originally released by Essential Records in the Christmas following the release of Jars Of Clay in 1995. The EP was re-released as a two-pack with Jars of Clay prior to their second album, Much Afraid.
"Overjoyed" is a song by American Christian rock group Jars of Clay. It was the fourth single from the band's second album, Much Afraid, and the fourth consecutive No. 1 radio single from the album. An acoustic rendition of the song appears on the band's 2003 double album, Furthermore: From the Studio, From the Stage. This song was also the compilation album WOW 1998.
"Crazy Times" is a song recorded and performed by Jars of Clay. The song was a writing collaboration between the band members Dan Haseltine and Stephen Mason with songwriters Mark Hudson and Greg Wells. It was the first single from their second studio album, Much Afraid. The single fared well in the mainstream, peaking at No. 38 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The demo version of the song can be found on the album The White Elephant Sessions, while a live version of the song is included on the 2003 double album, Furthermore: From the Studio, From the Stage. This song also appears on the WOW 1999 compilation album.
Christmas Songs is the eighth full-length studio album and first Christmas album from Jars of Clay, that was released on October 16, 2007, through Gray Matters/Nettwerk. This is the first ever release from the band through their newly created Gray Matters imprint via Nettwerk Music Group.
"This Road" is a song written and performed by Jars of Clay that appears on the compilation album City on a Hill: Songs of Worship and Praise that was released in 2000 through Essential Records. The song was also featured on the bonus CD that was packaged with the Brother Andrew-penned book entitled The Narrow Road: Stories of Those Who Walk This Road Together. A live version of "This Road" appears on disc two of the 2003 double album Furthermore: From the Studio, From the Stage.
"Frail" is a song written and performed by Christian rock band Jars of Clay. It has appeared on many recordings by the group and lends its name to their debut demo release, Frail, from 1994. The song has never been released as a single.
"Fade to Grey" is the first song ever written by Jars of Clay. It originally was recorded for the group's debut demo album, Frail, which was released in 1994. However, when the group recorded tracks for their self-titled debut album, time and budget issues were problems in being able to record the track.
Matthew Ryan Bronleewe is an American record producer, musician, novelist and songwriter.
The Long Fall Back to Earth is the ninth full-length studio album from Jars of Clay. It was released on April 21, 2009 through Gray Matters and Essential Records.
Let It Be Me: Mathis in Nashville is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on September 21, 2010, by Columbia Records and focused upon popular country songs. With the exceptions of the traditional folk song "Shenandoah" and George Strait's "We Must Be Lovin' Right" from 1993, the heyday of the selections that Mathis is covering coincided approximately with the first 20 years of his career, starting with Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender" from 1956.
"Out of My Hands" is a song by Christian rock act Jars of Clay that appears on their 2010-released album, The Shelter. The song, which was the first radio single released in support of the album, features vocal contributions from Mike Donehey of Tenth Avenue North and Leigh Nash of Sixpence None the Richer. The single peaked at No. 27 on Billboard's Christian Songs chart on September 25, 2010. "Out of My Hands" was co-written by two members of the band's touring ensemble, Gabe Ruschival and Jeremy Lutito.
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