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Jason Catron isn't your typical Nashville singer. In fact, he's breaking new ground in an emerging musical genre dubbed "pop-era," described as pop-influenced classical vocals with opera roots.
Jason's music is bridging genres and generations, following the release of his first two albums, Jason Catron and Hymns…The Collection. He travels frequently singing at churches and conferences, including Ruth Graham and Friends Conferences and Proverbs 31 Ministries.
Jason has also made numerous media appearances, including four times on Crystal Cathedral's Hour of Power, TCT Alive, The Dennis Swanberg Show on TBN, Bridges on CTN in Nashville, The Harvest Show and Praise the Lord on TBN, and HelpLine with Morris Cerullo, among others.
The Roots
Raised in a small Kentucky town where his father is still the mayor, Jason was only two when he first sang on stage, a version of "Jesus Loves Me." At age eight he began taking classical voice lessons, and by the time he reached high school, he was traveling and singing with choirs and evangelists, while hosting his own local cable television show called "The Jason Catron Show."
Moving to Nashville
Jason always knew singing was his calling. "Music has always been a big part of my life, and there's definitely a thread of music all throughout my formative years," he says. After moving to Nashville to attend Belmont University, he worked in the music industry for over six years, alongside artists like Nicole Nordeman, Natalie Grant, Newsong and Clay Crosse.
In 2006, Jason reached a turning point and decided to leave the business side of the industry to pursue his own music full time. "I always felt called into music ministry, but held off because fear gripped me and held me back. I felt God saying, ‘This is it.' I had to make the tough decision to step out in faith, trusting God completely in every aspect of life. It's been a constant walk of faith, but God has provided each step of the way," Jason says.
The Music
In 2005, Jason released a self-titled CD to encourage and uplift the global church. He connected with veteran producer and songwriter Steve Siler, who has worked with artists like Point of Grace and Avalon. The album is filled with majestic orchestrations, beautiful, smooth vocals, rich strings and inspiring lyrics drawn from the Scriptures. "It was amazing to see God pull it all together," he says.
In 2007, Jason followed-up his debut with Hymns…The Collection. "I love hymns. They're such a rich tradition for the Christian faith that we need to hold on to," he says. "The songs are so full of truth and beauty and theology." From classic hymns like "All Creatures of Our God and King," with lyrics dating back to the 1200's, to his mother's favorite, "His Eye Is On the Sparrow," Jason calls the project "a natural progression, a pure worshipful record."
Influences
While often compared to Josh Groban, Jason's influences range from well-known classical artists Andrea Bocelli, Michael Crawford and Tony Bennett, to popular Christian singers like Steve Green and Sandy Patti.
"I come from the world of true, pure vocalists," Jason says. "Pure music in its original form resonates with us, and people respond to that. There's a hunger and desire among people in the church to experience this style of music again," Jason says.
Booming Voice
When people first hear Jason sing, they wonder how such a big sound originates from his small frame. "It's fun for me, because I can often see the look on their faces," he says. "I grew up with this classical-styled voice. I struggled to get comfortable with who I am, but I've now embraced the voice God has given me," he says, which reflects the rich, smooth, breathy quality of his influencers.
Complimented by vivid string arrangements and moving lyrics, a freshness is found in Jason's music that has been missing in Christian music in recent years.
Loving God and People
Jason's passion is to love God and people, and his ministry reaches out to the church. "My heart and passion is to encourage, equip, enrich and edify the body. I felt this void in the Christian world for music that every church can sing on a Sunday morning, music that ministers and speaks to us," he says.
"The church today is trying to find our identity. We often lose our focus and become inwardly focused, which is a huge challenge to overcome," he says. "God demands we love each other and the church. While many people have been hurt by 'churched' people, I choose to see the good in the body and share it." Jason currently attends Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, Tennessee.
Outside of his music ministry, Jason loves to spend time with people. "I love to see new places and faces. I'm a very big people person, for me to sit at home is a stretch," he laughs. He also loves to travel for performance, mission trips, or for leisure, having visited 49 of the 50 states and nearly twenty countries, from South Africa to China to Slovakia.
"I want to spend my days encouraging and challenging my friends and fellow believers. That's what God has called me to do. We each have our own unique experiences and callings. Some may be to play rock music, others may be classical. Some have callings to medicine and others to politics. The bottom line is that we're all called. I want to motivate the church to rise to the challenge of its calling," Jason says.
Visit www.jasoncatron.com for more information.
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