Jason Lovins - Pilgrim Road -Episode 570 - Voices In My Head (The Rick Lee James Podcast)

Welcome back to Voices in My Head. As always, I am your host Rick Lee James, and I am so grateful for all of you who are listening today. We're going to have another great conversation here on the podcast, so let's get on with it today. Today on the show, I am so honored to have Jason Lovins. He is the front man for the Jason Lovins Band, and they are celebrating 20 years of music in their ministry with their upcoming album Pilgrim Road. Known With their unique blend of gospel, country, and pop influences, the band has touched countless lives with their modern take on sacred hymns and originals alike. Jason's powerful testimony of God's faithfulness alongside his Appalachian roots continues to shape the mission of the band and inspire audiences worldwide. Jason Lovins, welcome to Voices in My Head.

Hey, Rick Lee James, honored to be here, man. Thank you.

Well, it's so good to have you here today on this, uh, at least at the time of our recording, it's a very snowy day here in Ohio, and I understand in Kentucky where you are as well. So we're snowed in for a good conversation today.

There you go.

So, well, hey, first, congratulations on 20 years of ministry with the, the Jason Lovins Band, and I think that's an amazing accomplishment. And a lot of groups don't even make it 2 years, so 20 years is, is a pretty amazing, uh, achievement for sure. So we want start by congratulating you on that, but also just to kind of ask what that milestone means for you as you kind of reflect on the journey of the band.

Yeah, that's, that's a great question. Um, I— so we started, um, a little bit before that in college, and it was the guys that were in my original band, and, um, we were called the 4 O'Clock Band because we met every day on campus at 4 o'clock at our local Christian Student Center, and we were just religious every day, 4 o'clock. That was the best time for everyone's schedule, and we just started meeting every day and just jamming and writing songs. And we didn't even realize it, and it just kind of became a band. And these were like my best friends, you know. And then it kind of grew to where, you know, a year later we're getting asked to do some of these big camps called Fuge Camps. We were in front of just hundreds of students every week. I mean, we would have 600, 700, 800 kids each week for a whole summer. And so we were in front of hundreds of churches, and we started getting asked to come, like, hey, can you come to Arkansas the second weekend of September? And I just kept saying yes. And, and those guys in the original band were like, man, we gotta We've got school to finish. And I remember thinking like, I don't know, guys, I think I'm supposed to do this. And it just started snowballing. And so then, you know, one of them graduated, one of them was getting married, and, you know, and so that kind of fizzles out. And they're still great friends. I talk to them all the time. Every single one of them are serving their church in music ministry in some form or fashion, which is so cool. But it kind of became my thing. And, and so I ended up— I got married in college and my wife at the time, I remember her. This was— we've been married 21 years. So this was a little bit before that even. I remember telling her, hey, in 20 years, I don't know if I can stand it if I don't really give this a shot. "If I try and it doesn't work, I think I can live with that, but I just feel like this is what God has called me to do, and I'm not sure I can just stand it if I don't know." And so we dove in and have went hard for the last 20 years, and then you just blink and 20 years go by, you know, and I don't know that I even was dreaming this big as far as this is our 11th album that I've done over the years. And, and, you know, I— you hope that you can do one, and then two feels like this amazing accomplishment, and then three, you just can't even believe it, right? And, and then four, five, six happens, and, and, um, and you're just blown away. And so it's been an incredible journey, and, and, um, just honestly, just I, I just feel so blessed and, and so very thankful.

Well, I'm glad that you've had such longevity and are continuing to make great music. And, uh, the, the new song that I want to play a little bit from today for our listeners to hear is actually the title track, Pilgrim Road. And I, I love the hymn-like quality to it. And, and when I say hymn-like, I guess I'm referring to the feel of the, the way that it sings for a congregation. I mean, it's absolutely Definitely. And we make so many different, I guess, definitions of what a hymn is. But for all the definitions, it's actually kind of hard to find a definition other than what a song of praise to God, you know. And so if people can sing it together, I love the way that it not only has a good sound to it, which our audience is about to hear in a minute, but it really is singable, which is something that when you're thinking about other people, that's a whole different kind of writing style when you have other people in mind who you want to sing along with you. You, but I think this is a unique track too because I think it encapsulates probably the mission of your band over these 20 years too. So if we could, let's listen to a little bit of it so our audience can hear what we're talking about right now, and then I'd love for you just to kind of share about the song and kind of how you see it tying into the mission of the band, if you don't mind. So let me go ahead and hit play here, and this is Pilgrim Road from the Jason Lovins Band.

We exalt thee, we adore thee, as we walk by thy good grace. God, we live to bring you glory as we long to see thy face. In the garden we were tempted and we chose the road of death, but you sent your Son from glory. Now in him we find our rest. We carry on in victory as our great Redeemer leads. Find us faithful, lead us home as we walk this pilgrim road. As we walk this pilgrim road.

All right, so I know everybody wants to hear the rest of the song, but you've got to go buy the album. Now you can stream it online and it's a great tune. I'd love for you just to talk to us a little bit about it, especially as it kind of ties into the mission of your band over the years.

Yeah, so we were trying to figure out like, what are we going to title this album? And for whatever reason, I've not ever been one to want to title my albums after a song on the album. We've done that before, just once, actually. And, you know, it's fine. It's just never been my thing. And we were just trying to come up with the proper title. And we just kept going back to this because this song is just— it really does remind us of the journey that we're on. And it's really cool how it came to be. I mean, we've recorded 3 hymns albums over the years. And I've put a hymn on just about everything I've ever done. And, you know, it's just near and dear to my heart. And so we, we were at a— we've been to this church in Missouri a few times. And the pastor, he has had a young son who ended up becoming their worship leader. And I believe he was about 20, 21 years old at the time. He sent me a text. He said, hey, I know you do hymns all the time, and, and I think I'm writing a hymn. Would you help me finish it? And, and I said, well, I, I'm not really a writer, but I, I would love to, to give it a shot. And, um, and so it was awesome. I mean, he sent me like— he had all these verses, and we helped write a refrain, and, and we kind of put them in a different order to where I felt like it was a more kind of chronological order, if you will. And, um, and it just was like, my goodness, we've got like an actual hymn with real verses and a refrain over and over, you know. And, and, uh, and just our band pastor said it best when I sent it to him, because every time we do something like this, I usually, you know, try to get, get a few people to, to go through it for us and make sure everything is biblically sound and And he said, "Jason, you guys have a song here that truly just shares the gospel all the way from Genesis to Revelation." And I thought, "Man, what a cool description of this song." And so it really got me thinking about the journey that I'm on and where we've been and even where we're headed, you know? And so we put this out as a single a few months ago, and it's just been awesome to be able to share it. And so as the album was coming together, it just felt right. To call it Pilgrim Road. And, and so that's where we are.

Well, that's great. I appreciate that story and even the collaborative nature of that, of working with other people. I always think that that represents the kingdom of God at its finest, not when we're individual Lone Rangers, but when we actually do things together. And it makes our, makes our music richer, makes our fellowship richer. I think everything we do. So I love that part of the story. Now, real quick, I want to make sure— I don't have it right in front of me, but I think it's— is it 17th of January when the full album releases?

Well, we're actually going to push it back because, um, you know, with the nature of the way digital music is now, to play the game with putting singles out, and, and, um, and we had a few more things that we really wanted to do. So, um, we have another single called Be My Everything that we really wanted to put out and try to get it pushed to, you know, all the playlists and try to do that, play that game. And because it is what it is, I mean, you want to— if you want your music out there digitally, you kind of got to do that. And so we just actually just decided to push the album back just a little bit further, um, and then, um, we're going to release this next single here coming up in a couple weeks. So, um, we're probably leaning more towards end of February at this point, but We're going to circle back and, and, and just do some more because there's so many things on the table still. And, you know, with my story, it's, it's, it's opening a lot of doors. And so we're trying to just walk through that the best we can.

So, sure. Well, I want to get into your story here in just a moment. But, you know, while we're on the subject, I hadn't actually thought to ask a question about this before, but thinking about the way that music is released now, it really is sort of a new frontier in some ways as far as the way we do it. I used to always, when I would put out an album, you know, we'd put it on a CD or whatever and, you know, take it and put it on tables in the foyer. And as I still make music today, I find that I myself have been going more to singles. And then when I do a concert, just two weekends ago, for instance, and you can tell me it probably happens to you quite a bit too, I have my merch stuff set out at the table. I have CDs set up, ready to go. And a lot of people come out, great, love your music, you're on Spotify, right? You know, type thing. And go, yep, I'm there, I'm all the streaming places. And you have a few people that, that still come up and, and want the physical media. But I'm just curious from your perspective how things have changed. I always feel like we're, we're almost back to a mode of maybe back in the '50s and '60s where you would put out a single that had an A-side and a B-side instead of like full albums all the time. Is that kind of your feel, except we're doing that in the digital age as well.

Yeah, I mean, that's the world we live in, you know. And, and, um, I, I guess I'm old enough and still old school enough that I, I just love the idea of getting a full album and going through the journey of how they put these songs together, you know. And but that is just not the world that we live in now.

Yeah.

And, um, you know, we still sell a good bit of like physical copies, which is shocked by every weekend out on the road. Um, but you're right. I mean, um, it's— if you're not in the digital world, then, then you're not doing it, you know. And, and, you know, it makes me sound old, but kids, you know, I— it seems like the, the whole idea of music, uh, there's no value in music to them because it's always been free, um, and And again, it's just the world we live in. And so somebody told me not long ago, they said, you know, having your music out there in the digital world, you can almost approach it like it's radio, you know. I mean, you want more people to hear what you have to— what you're putting out there. And then, you know, hopefully that translates into them bringing you in and doing that. And, you know, we've always been a live band. I mean, that's really been our main thing, and putting out music has really been secondary. Um, and that's almost helped me with this transition of, of— because we don't rely on, you know, making a living off of the music side of it because you just don't make the kind of, of money that you used to with this stuff. And so thankfully that's never been our main focus. And so that's kind of helped us with this transition of with music in the digital world. I mean, it's a wild thing how it kind of happened so fast, you know?

Yeah, it really is. I almost feel like when the pandemic hit, that was like the nail in the coffin for physical media. And, you know, by and large, where everybody just was kind of starting to really stream everything in earnest. And so it's like, okay, we're entering a whole new world. I'm not sure what it means, but very interesting. Well, thanks for taking that side trip with me for a second. I I think that is kind of always a fascinating conversation to have and see how music is continually changing and being made. And I love the way that you said it. Maybe we don't value music as much as we once did when it's all free all the time. And I think there's a valuable lesson in there that if somehow we can learn it and help teach the value again, that there might be a good change, you know, coming in the future. Because I think I see sometimes also A good example of this, and we won't belabor this much longer, but like I sell vinyls now, you know, and it seems like it's never people that grew up with vinyls. It's always young kids that come to the table like, oh, you've got vinyl. And there's something about it to them. I think there is value, you know, they interact with it. They have to flip the song over, you know, and put it on there and it takes them away from their devices. So there is maybe some good hope for things. We always have like kind of a give and take with music and the way it's made and put into the media for sure.

Well, it's a, it's a wild thing. I mean, even that's part of the reason we're pushing the album back, because now in the digital world, if you put the album out, you can't go back and push a single into the playlist and all that, because the algorithms, they just, they— it's, it's done.

Yeah.

You know, I go back thinking about all these famous albums that had 7, 8, 9 singles on them that were really famous, you know. Um, and that's just not the world we live in anymore. It's just wild.

Not for most of us, for sure. So, well, you know what, thanks, thanks again for, for taking that side journey with me. But I do want to get into your story and your testimony a little bit. And I know we don't have all the time in the world, but I know that your testimony is, is really a powerful part of your ministry and, and what you do live, and especially as it to your birth story. And, and I wonder if you would mind sharing just a little bit of that with our listeners today so they can hear and, and be blessed by that.

Yeah. And so the— I, you know, I realize now after all these years that, that God has put us on all these platforms all over the country. Um, we, we average about 40 weeks a year on the road, and it's mostly weekends. I mean, we're We're— but we're gone a good bit. And we've been able to do that for a long time now. And, you know, we've been on all these platforms all over the country that this hillbilly kid from West Virginia probably had no business being at. But yet God just continued to open doors. And, and I know a lot of it is because I was willing to share my story. And I never talked about my story as a kid growing up. And it wasn't even until I started my band, and that first original band, we were in front of a little tiny church in Eastern Kentucky one night, and I just started sharing my story. And I had a pastor come up to me afterwards. He said, "I don't think you understand what God's gonna do with your life, but you gotta promise me that you'll keep sharing your story everywhere you go." And I did, and I have. And I could tell you a lot of ways that, and a lot of stories of how God has used it. And the cool thing is I didn't have anything to do with it. That I just, you know, I missed the hard part. But, um, if you don't know, my, my story is this. My mom, at 15 years old, um, she was raped when she was walking home from the pool one day. Doesn't remember it. Months went on. Um, my grandma was chasing around 4 other kids. Um, I remember, you know, as they told me this as a young kid, trying to process, like, how do you not remember that? And I've had lots of people tell me that when something so traumatic like that happens, that your mind can block it out as if it never happened. So my mom didn't remember it, and she would tell you she was very naive for 15. She didn't understand anything about babies, so she didn't know what was happening. And so one day she told my grandma, I'm sick, I need to go to the doctor. And my grandma said, well, she's gained weight, we should take her to the doctor and see what the doctor says. And so they did. And the doctor come out and said, well, she's pregnant. And after the initial shock wore off, the best way I know to explain it to people is I had a praying mama who said, we're going to go to church and we're going to pray. And that's what they did. And if you were to have heard her tell the story, she made it sound so simple. But I understand it couldn't have been that easy. But you see, my grandma very much understood how big God is, and she believed that he is so big that he was not surprised by me. So these things that we read in the Bible, that He formed me in my mother's womb, that He had plans for me, she believed it with all of her heart. And so for her and her 15-year-old daughter, they had some choices that they had to make. And through my mom's courage and my grandma's guidance, they chose life. And, you know, adoption was the plan until my mom heard my heartbeat. And when she did, she told my grandma, I want to keep this baby. Wow. And I know I tell people all the time, my 15-year-old mama had no idea what she was getting into. Um, but my grandma did, and she said, okay, if that's what you want to do, that's what we're going to do. So my mom had me, she turned 16 a couple of months later and went on about life as normal as life could be. I always— everywhere we do a concert or if I'm leading worship somewhere and I'm sharing my story, I have a picture that I always show that it was my mom's high school graduation and it happened to be on my third birthday. And so there's a picture of me and my family and she's in her cap and gown. And, and so I always tell people, you know, not very many people can say your third birthday party and your mom's high school graduation party happened to be on the same day.

You know, that's true.

But that was it. And that was my family. And my family made it clear at a young age that, you know what, you don't have a dad. We don't even know who it is. But you have a Heavenly Father who loves you, who loves you more than you'll ever know. And we just continue to remind me that over and over and over, and it's always been enough. And that's the story that I've been able to share for so many years. And I could tell you a million ways, um, and that God has used it. I mean, just so many beautiful stories. And the best thing is I'm I'm just telling the story, right? Um, I, I miss the hard part.

Yeah.

And so I've been able to do that, and, and, um, and it's been an incredible journey even just seeing, um, God work through that story. Um, and so I've kind of had a front row seat to it all these years.

Yeah. Wow, that's a— it's, it's such a powerful story, and I appreciate you sharing it with my audience today here on Voices in My Head. For those that may not have been familiar with it, um, and there's a, there's a lot of, uh, things that come up. I actually am currently working as a hospital chaplain full-time, so Monday through Friday I'm in hospitals with people. And when you had talked about your mother and her not being able to remember, I just think of a few patients I've been with, you know. And it is very true that when you've faced trauma, your mind can do that. It's sort of a protective mechanism that the body has to help you through those things. And yet I'm amazed through this whole story by many aspects, more than we even have time to talk about today, but especially the part where you were reminding us of our Heavenly Father. For many people, they would probably grapple and wonder exactly what that means. I actually work with a man who was adopted, doesn't know his birth father, and we just recently had that same conversation about how he knew that, uh, he, he had a God who was his Father who loved him, and it made all the difference. And so I, I just applaud you being able to tell that story and to be able to share that night after night, week after week with people that you come in contact with, because we probably don't know how many people in the world that's going to resonate with, who maybe they have not yet shared their story, you know. Maybe they too are looking for that kind of relationship in their life. So I, I guess from my end of things, I just, again, I want to say thank you with gratitude in my heart for sharing your story with people who might need to hear that, for sure. So thank you.

Well, yeah, my pleasure.

Well, Jason, this has been a real pleasure today. We're just about at the end of our allotted time for our recorded podcast today, but I always like to make sure that if there was something, uh, we didn't cover today in our conversation that you were kind of like excited to talk about, and, and, oh, he didn't ask about that, this is the time where if there's anything in your mind that like, oh hey, I want people to know about this this before we go, uh, please feel free, talk to our listeners today and, and just let them know that.

Yeah, I appreciate that. I mean, obviously the, the big thing for what we're doing is, um, we just want more people to know who we are so we can keep telling these stories and sharing our music. So you can go and look up Jason LovinsBand.com. You can follow Jason Lovins Band on all of the social media. We've got it all out there. And, and we try to really document the journey each and every year. And, and we're, we're already booking a ton of dates for 2025 and, and, and just excited to get back out on the road next week. And we have been snowed in here all week, so it's been crazy. I've got a big bus parked out back that I got to go shovel out today, actually. We, uh, we, you know, it's, it's one of those things where, um, we're, you, you know, you're constantly trying to just keep moving ahead, right? And so this, this album has so many beautiful songs on it, um, some worship songs that we come across that some friends of ours had written, and, uh, and then a few that we've written. Um, a guy named Rodney Mora is my piano player. He's from Venezuela. And he has a few songs in Spanish on this album that we always try to throw in. And this album really is a great compilation, if you will, of really who we are because it's got some old songs, it's got some new songs, and everything in between. And that's kind of what we've always done, you know. And And so we're going to keep going hard and, and just excited for the journey ahead. So yeah, that's the biggest thing. Just look us up, follow us and share our stuff for us. And it's a big deal. People don't realize when you share everything on your social media from other people's stuff that you follow it, it reaches so many more people than we can reach on our own, you know? And so that's the beauty of that.

It does. And well, hey, congratulations on, on 20 years in. I'm excited for you. I'm grateful that you were one of the voices in my head this week, for sure, Jason Lovin.

So thank you.

Thank you so much for being here. And I'm going to hit the outro music here, should the technology work the way it's supposed to today. And we do want to encourage all of you to check out Jason Lovin's band and their music and share about them on your social media. That really is a help. And it always means so much. Especially when— not only because it gets shared, but it means a lot to the artist when we see our work that somebody found value in it and worth that they would share with other people. So thank you for listening to Voices in My Head, everyone, this week, and I'll look forward to seeing you next time. God bless you and have a wonderful week.