-
10 Questions with ... Josh Wilson
April 8, 2013
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Discography:
- 2004: Dragonfly (independent)
- 2006: Shake the Shadow EP (independent)
- 2008: Trying to Fit the Ocean in a Cup (Sparrow Records)
- 2008: Sing: A Christmas EP (Sparrow Records)
- 2009: Life Is Not a Snapshot EP (Sparrow Records)
- 2010: Josh Wilson (Sparrow Records)
- 2011: See You (Sparrow Records)
- 2012: Live From Carson Center - EP (Sparrow Records)
- 2012: Noel (Sparrow Records)
- 2013: Carry Me (Sparrow Records)
1. Give me a brief history....birthplace, childhood, schools, jobs, current hometown
I was born in the bustling metropolis of El Dorado, Arkansas (population 20k or so) and raised in Lubbock, Texas. I'm a pastors kid and the middle child between two awesome sisters, Rachel and Amy. I played percussion in my high school marching band, and I was in a Christian rock band with a few of my buddies. We had a great time, and that's when I fell in love with songwriting. I taught guitar lessons for my job, and continued to do so in college. I went to Belmont University in Nashville, TN and studied music business, and continued writing music. It was my sophomore year when I realized I wanted to be a singer/songwriter, and I suppose the rest is history.
2. What does a normal day at home look like for you?
It depends on whether I'm at home or on tour. At home, a normal day usually starts fairly early (I'm a morning person) with a cup of coffee. I'll read for a while, then head downstairs to my basement studio. I'll either write or record for the morning, then take a lunch break. Then I'll hit it again in the afternoon. About 6pm, I'll call it a day. My wife and I like to relax in the evenings. Maybe see a movie or go have dinner somewhere. She's also an amazing cook, so we eat at home quite a bit.
3. What's the song that you just can't get out of your head right now ?
Probably "Miracle" by Third Day and "You Are" by Colton Dixon. I'm on tour with him and Third Day right now, so it's hard not to get their songs stuck in my head. It's not a bad thing though because they are great artists!
4. How do you juggle life on the road with wanting to be home?
i enjoy traveling, so I never really get homesick. I do, however, miss my wife when we are apart. She gets to come with me fairly often, though. The hardest thing to balance being on the road (I'm out roughly 200 days a year) is finding community. I travel on weekends, so I'm not often able to attend my local church. We have to be very intentional about spending time with our friends when we are in town.
5. What's the biggest "God moment" that you've ever experienced, personal or professional?
I don't know that I've had a single "God moment," as much as I have seen God work gradually and consistently in my life. I never thought I'd be a touring artist, but God has opened all the right doors for that to happen. I never thought I'd marry such an incredible girl, but he brought that about, too. Whenever I look back at what He has brought me through, I am always blown away.
6. What's the last book you read?
The last book I read was "Ready Player One." It's this super geeky book about a virtual world. It's set in the future, and the world as we know it has crumbled and is in severe poverty. People have resorted to spending their time with virtual reality glasses inside a giant simulation. The creator of the simulation dies at the beginning, and leaves his multi-billion dollar fortune somewhere in the game. Walt, the main character, spends the entire book facing challenges to uncover the fortune and turn his life around. It's a fantastic book. Yes, I am a nerd.
7. Tell me about how you became a believer. What caused you to want to serve God in full time ministry?
I was raised in the church, so I heard about Jesus from a young age. When I was ten years old, I decided I wanted to repent and follow Christ. Since then, my relationship with Jesus has had its ups and downs, but it has definitely grown stronger. I've always loved music and because of my love for Christ, I figured it just made sense to put the two together. I'm blessed to do what I love.
8. Tell us about a few of the songs on your latest project, "Carry Me".
Carry Me - This is the first single from the project, and it's about my struggle with anxiety and panic attacks. In my most anxious moments, all I can do is cry out to God and ask for his peace. My prayer is that people will be able to read their own stories into this song and realize we all need Jesus to carry us.
Faith Is Not a Feeling - So many times we get caught up in our feelings. Feelings aren't bad things, but they're not always reliable. I don't always feel like I believe, but that doesn't mean I don't have faith. I have to look back to what God has done in my life and remember that He never changes, even when I. The songs says "I keep on believing, cause faith is not a feeling."
I See God In You - We are all made in the image of God, and this song reflects that. It's a story song, and it's all true. The first verse is about my 94-year-old neighbor, Lillie, who has been a widow for 40 years. She reads through her Bible every year and can't wait to see her husband in heaven someday. The second verse is about a little down-syndrome boy I met before a show. The Bible says the last will be first, and I felt like I was talking to royalty when I met him. The third verse asks if I'm too far gone for God's grace. None of us are too far gone, and I see the image of God reflected in each person I meet.
9. If you could go back and change three events/decisions in your life, what would they be, and why?
I would have loved to meet my wife sooner. We met when I was 25. I can only imagine the amazing times we could have had if we had met and married sooner.
I wouldn't have bought a guinea pig. At the time, I thought it was a great pet. It was smelly, high maintenance, and not really that cute.
I would have paid more attention in my college classes. I majored in music business, which is incredibly helpful for what I'm doing. However, at the time, I didn't know I'd be doing this. I suppose hindsight is 20/20.
10. Person you'd most like to have a discussion with, living or dead?
CS Lewis. I wouldn't want to talk at all. I'd just listen to him. And take notes... lots of notes.
Bonus Questions
1. Favorite Bible verse....life verse. Why?
Exodus 14:14 "The Lord will fight for you. You need only to be silent." So many times, I feel as though I have to handle a situation, but God is the one who is in control. That's a really comforting thought to me.
2. Funniest or most embarrassing moment? (details, details, details!)
I've had plenty of embarrassing moments, but one of the best is when I had fish for dinner one night, then packed my bag to head to the tour bus. The next day, I opened my bag and it reeked of rotten fish. Apparently, a piece had fallen on to my shirt, and I didn't have time to wash it before the show. I was opening for Matthew West, and when he introduced me to the meet and greet crowd, he said "This is Josh Wilson, and he smells like fish." I did. It was awful.
3. What artist or pastor has had the greatest impact on you, and why?
Tim Keller has had a giant impact on my lately, because I feel like he strikes the balance between theologian and conversationalist. He is incredibly brilliant, but doesn't leave you in the dust when you read his books or listen to his sermons.
-
-