Justin McRoberts is a highly respected singer, songwriter and speaker who, over the past nine years, has carved out a niche for himself in the independent music scene. He is one of those rare artists who blends artistry, honesty and humor almost seamlessly.
In much the same way that Anne Lamott has written “music lets us meet in places we couldn’t get to any other way,” Justin McRoberts believes songwriting is a way to help people to see their world differently. McRoberts says, ”In and through art, we can learn to understand ourselves and our world more completely; less fragmented or uninspired, but rather a cohesive Divinely-orchestrated story.”
Sharing his songs and stories with an audience is where Justin’s gifts are most fully realized. His live shows strike a delicate balance between intellect and emotion, which allows the 34 year old to approach difficult or controversial subject matter with his listeners. While his audiences can be quite diverse, from playing for congregates in a small rural church, to young professionals in DC, most of Justin’s schedule is made up of appearances on college campuses in the continental US.
McRoberts’ most recent release, Deconstruction (2008), is laden with the same disarming honesty he is known for both in his recordings as well as his live performances. The album is shaped by the classic “call from the desert” overtone that seems to pervade his story. Without becoming heady or overbearing, Deconstruction is a prescription for a healthy re-examination of established religious, consumer and scientific worldviews. The instrumentation on the record is as carefully chosen as Justin’s lyrics. “We really wanted to limit the instrumentation to what was essential; let the songs breathe on their own.” The record’s feel supports its theme in limiting or even tearing down what is superfluous in order to more intimately engage in what is real.
The themes of hope, justice and compassion also run through Deconstruction much as they run through McRoberts’ career in general. Justin writes “I believe these are the defining characteristics of our likeness to God. The need and desire to care for the poor and oppressed is something we share in common with all humanity, not simply the religious.”
Central to Justin’s work is advocacy on behalf of the poor and oppressed, predominately through Compassion International. “Not only do the poor need us,” he writes “we need a the poor to remind us what being human is about. In the same way that the poor learn to identify themselves with their lack, the wealthy likewise learn to identify themselves with their wealth. It is in the meeting of the two that we can recognize ourselves and one another as human.”
All the best with your music and shows! I wish you every blessing as you pursue your dream. Know that by following your passion and placing trust in your gifts, you are touching lives. Thanks for adding me as a friend! Please stop by the following pages for info that will be helpful to your career: 1.) Artist Management Resource: resources, seminars and webinars for managers and self managed artists: http://www.artistmanagementresource.com If you are a manager or a self-managed artist you will want to plan to attend the Artist Management 2010 Conference. Be part of the largest gathering of Artist/Band Managers, Self-managed Artists, and Bands / Artists seeking management representation! http://www.amconevent.com 2.) Music Business 101: the ultimate DIY guide: http://www.musicbusiness101.info
There is a lot of info there that can help you with marketing your music and getting the word out. Peace, Natalie
hey justin, thanks much for listening and ur friendness. you can hear more and pick up some CDs at http://www.cdbaby.com/all/jameskatz happy humpitude of the day, may it progress smoothly
Please, go here: http://music.mormontimes.com/contest.php?id=3604&nocache=1
and take the time to vote for us :) Also you can come back and vote for us everyday! That would be so awesome of you to do! If we had all of our fans voting for us we would win. THANKS SO MUCH!!
Just wanted to stop by and say thanks and to let you know we posted the final mixes for "The Nickajack EP (Part One)" today. We'd love it if you stopped in for a listen and let us know what you think.
Have you heard about Slingbox yet? It lets me watch my home TV from anywhere, even on my iPhone! Check out the video below and pass it on!<br><br><a href="http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=59499965">Introducing The Slingbox� SOLO</a><br/><object width="425px" height="360px" ><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/><param name="movie" value="http://mediaservices.myspace.com/services/media/embed.aspx/m=59499965,t=1,mt=video"/><embed src="http://mediaservices.myspace.com/services/media/embed.aspx/m=59499965,t=1,mt=video" width="425" height="360" allowFullScreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></embed></object>