Jars of Clay
Encyclopedia
Jars of Clay is a Christian rock
band from Nashville, Tennessee
. They met at Greenville College
in Greenville, Illinois
.
Jars of Clay consists of Dan Haseltine
on vocals, Charlie Lowell
on piano
and keyboards
, Stephen Mason on lead guitar
s and Matthew Odmark on rhythm guitar
s. Although the band has no permanent drummer
or bassist
, 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. Jake Goss was recently added to the band to play drums for their summer tour. Jars of Clay's style is a blend of alternative rock
, folk
, acoustic, and R&B.
The band's name is derived from the New International Version's
translation of 2 Corinthians 4:7:
This verse is paraphrased in their song "Four Seven", which appears as a hidden track on the CD release of their self-titled album
.
, Steve Mason, Charlie Lowell
and Matt Bronleewe
formed Jars of Clay at Greenville College
, in Greenville, Illinois
in the early 1990s. Charlie Lowell
first met Dan Haseltine
after noticing that he was wearing a Toad the Wet Sprocket
shirt. Pursuing a career in music together was not necessarily their original goal; some of the first songs they wrote together were for music and recording classes they were taking at the time. Their second guitarist
Matt Odmark
joined some time later. While in college playing together at local Christian coffee houses, Jars gained quite a reputation for their very original arrangement of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" which had been deftly adapted to the tune of Nirvana
's "Smells Like Teen Spirit".
In 1994, the band submitted a demo
to a talent competition run by the Gospel Music Association
and were selected as finalists. They traveled to Nashville
to perform and won the contest. Back in Greenville, they self-released a limited-run of the same demo, which they named Frail, after their song of the same name
. The buzz from their performance in Nashville and the demo's popularity resulted in offers from record labels, so the band decided to drop school and move to Nashville. At this time, Bronleewe left the band to finish school and settle down with his fiancée. He was replaced with Matt Odmark, Lowell's childhood friend and fellow McQuaid Jesuit High School
alum.
and started recording their first full-length studio album
, titled Jars of Clay
. King Crimson
progressive rock
er Adrian Belew
heard the band and offered to produce, leading to him producing two songs - "Liquid" and "Flood
". The band's self-titled debut released in 1995. When the single "Flood" began to climb the charts on mainstream radio stations, Silvertone Records
(Essential's parent company) started to heavily promote the song, turning it into one of the biggest mainstream hits ever by a band on a Christian label. The album has since reached multi-platinum certification according to the RIAA. "Flood" peaked at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100
and #12 on the Billboard Modern Rock
chart, and was the band's only secular radio hit.
The band toured in support of other Christian acts, such as PFR
, and aside mainstream acts like Matchbox Twenty
, Duncan Sheik
, and Sting. This resulted in a small backlash from fundamentalist Christian groups. The band released a Christmas EP
entitled Drummer Boy at the end of 1995. The EP was re-released in 1997 with a slightly different track listing on Silvertone.
, which was produced by Stephen Lipson
. The album sold very well and went on to earn a Grammy award for "Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album". The album has since earned platinum certification by the RIAA. They released two music videos for this album, Crazy Times and Five Candles (You Were There).
, which was produced by Dennis Herring
. The record earned the band their second Grammy award. It was during this time that touring drummer
Scott Savage left the band's touring group to play for Jaci Velasquez
and was replaced by Joe Porter. Lead radio single, "Unforgetful You
", was also featured on the soundtrack
to the motion picture Drive Me Crazy
. "Collide" was also featured on the motion picture "Hometown Legend". Upon the release of If I Left the Zoo they also released Front Yard Luge
and after a year The White Elephant Sessions
. If I Left the Zoo so far has the most singles released by Jars of Clay.
In 2001, the four members of the band received honorary degrees at Greenville College
. However, only three of them, Haseltine, Lowell, and Mason had studied at the college before dropping out in 1994 to move to Nashville
, while Odmark still received an honorary degree, despite having attended university in New York
.
and bass player
. Concerts from the subsequent "Eleventh Hour Tour" were recorded for later projects, including the release of a live concert DVD, 11Live: Jars of Clay in Concert
.
features an acoustic disc and a live disc. The acoustic disc consisted of reworked and rearranged fan favorites, two The Eleventh Hour b-sides, and a cover of Adam Again's
"Dig". The latter was actually intended for a tribute album for Gene Eugene
, who had died recently. The live disc features a recent concert recording that include songs from throughout the band's career.
The band continued the acoustic and organic approach that was featured on Furthermore for their fifth studio album entitled Who We Are Instead
, which released on November 4, 2003. On the album, the band revisited various styles they had used previously, as well as experimenting with new influences, such as gospel, hymns, and Nickel Creek's
"newgrass" style.
, a collection of hymns and traditional songs. The band wrote new melodies to some old hymns and rearranged the music for several others. "God Will Lift Up Your Head
", reworked as an acoustic rocker, was a hit for the band on Christian radio. They also covered five hymns from the Indelible Grace CD series (a series which originated from the work of Reformed University Fellowship
).
, was released on September 5, 2006. Backstage at the 2006 GMA Awards, Jars of Clay labeled the album their first ever rock record. In the September 2006 edition of CCM Magazine
, the band credited fellow artist Ashley Cleveland
with inspiring the improvisational sound of the album. The magazine called it "the most profound album the Christian music community has released in years."
On September 4, 2007, two albums from the band were released simultaneously. The first was a mainstream release of Live Monsters
, which is an EP of live concert recordings of songs that were originally recorded for Good Monsters. The EP had been previously released through the iTunes Store
and through the official Jars of Clay online store. The second album released on this date was a greatest hits album, entitled The Essential Jars of Clay
, which was released through Essential/Legacy
.
On April 1, 2008, Essential Records released the band's third greatest hits album (the second in the past year), entitled Greatest Hits
. Included was the new song "Love is the Protest".
In Summer of 2007, the song "Good Monsters" was featured in the pilot of the television show Eli Stone
. Additionally, the song "Work
" was used in promotional material for the Fox Television network shows Bones
and House
.
that they were no longer on Essential Records and would now be releasing music independently. Later, press releases announced the name of their label as Gray Matters, which would be a partnership with Nettwerk Music Group. Along with the announcement of their new label, the band mentioned that they are planning to record the soundtrack to Honoring a Father's Dream: Sons of Lwala
, a documentary about Milton and Fred Ochieng' - brothers from the African village training to be doctors in the States, working to build a clinic in their home town.
The band's first release through Gray Matters was a Christmas
album that was released on October 16, 2007, entitled Christmas Songs.
Most recently, the band's song "Love Came Down at Christmas
" was sampled in the Samuel Victor song "Stars and Angels".
On July 29, 2008, Gray Matters Records released Closer EP
exclusively through online digital music stores. It was subsequently released on CD on August 19, 2008. Closer EP included reworked versions of "Flood" (called "Flood (New Rain)") and "Love Song For A Savior ('08)" from their debut album. It also included "Prisoner of Hope", which is not found on any other Jars album.
On December 8, 2008, the song "Closer" was featured in the 12th episode of the television show Privileged
.
and The Cure
. It is entitled The Long Fall Back to Earth
.
The song "Hero" was featured on a trailer for NBC's Kings.
The Long Fall Back To Earth debuted at #29 on the Billboard 200
mainstream charts, which was Jars of Clay's highest debut since The Eleventh Hour which debuted at #28 in 2002.
The first radio single off the album is "Two Hands
", which peaked at #6 on the Hot Christian Songs
chart.
The second single off the album is "Heaven."
The Long Fall Back To Earth was nominated for the Grammy to the "Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album", though they didn't win in the category.
Jars of Clay released the first EP of the "Live at Gray Matters" series in the 5th of February.
. During their promotion for the upcoming album, for a few days, the band streamed the entire album before its release on their website. Also, while promoting the upcoming album, the band shared several tracks on the K-LOVE
Christian radio stations and AIR-1. As a part of the Blood:Water Mission
charitable campaign, the band played three songs from The Shelter on the radio, including "We Will Follow," "No Greater Love," and the title track. In early 2011 they toured the United States on the Rock And Worship Roadshow headlined by MercyMe
.
s and several of the Christian music awards, known as the GMA Dove Awards. Some of these successes have been collaborative efforts, including two City on a Hill
albums and the inspired collaboration for the 2005 film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The group has won five Broadcast Music Incorporated
(BMI) awards.
In June 2009, Jars of Clay was named as one of PeaceByPeace.com's first peace heroes.
in 2002, which in turn inspired the founding of Blood:Water Mission
, a non-profit organization created to raise awareness and money for the poverty
and AIDS
stricken regions of the continent. The name is derived from, as Haseltine says, "The two things Africa needs most" - clean blood and clean water. The mission has begun the 1000 Wells project, an effort to have a thousand new well
s built throughout Africa. The group recently met their goal of providing clean water to 1,000 African communities through the organization they founded, Blood:Water Mission, and its 1,000 Wells Project. Former Bassist for Jars of Clay Aaron Sands serves as Administrative Director for the project.
's Scott Simon
on Weekend Edition Saturday
, responding to a question about the relatively subtle religious content of their music, Haseltine said, "our songs ... [are] not really there to explain our faith," but are "written about our life that is affected by our faith." Haseltine explained the decision to "shy away from ... traditional religious language" as a conscious one, in part to make their music more accessible to those "put off by religion", and to "love people in a way that isn't exclusive to simply people that understand the language of Christianity." Haseltine also stated that art can "make people feel what's true rather than telling them".
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band from Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. They met at Greenville College
Greenville College
Greenville College is located in Greenville, Illinois, a small Illinois city, located 45 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri on Interstate 70...
in Greenville, Illinois
Greenville, Illinois
Greenville is a city in Bond County, Illinois, United States, east of St. Louis. The estimated population as of July 2009 is 7,284. The population was 6,955 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Bond County....
.
Jars of Clay consists of Dan Haseltine
Dan Haseltine
Daniel Paul "Dan" 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 most recently, melodica, while with Jars of Clay...
on vocals, Charlie Lowell
Charlie Lowell
Charlie Lowell is an American pianist most known for being the pianist and keyboardist for Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay.-Biography:...
on piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, Stephen Mason on lead guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s and Matthew Odmark on rhythm guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s. Although the band has no permanent drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
or bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Jeremy Lutito and Gabe Ruschival of Disappointed By Candy fill these roles for live concerts
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
. Past tour band members include Aaron Sands, Scott Savage, and Joe Porter. Jake Goss was recently added to the band to play drums for their summer tour. Jars of Clay's style is a blend of alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
, folk
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
, acoustic, and R&B.
The band's name is derived from the New International Version's
New International Version
The New International Version is an English translation of the Christian Bible. Published by Zondervan in the United States and by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK, it has become one of the most popular modern translations in history.-History:...
translation of 2 Corinthians 4:7:
This verse is paraphrased in their song "Four Seven", which appears as a hidden track on the CD release of their self-titled album
Jars of Clay (album)
Jars of Clay is the eponymous first full-length album by Christian rock group Jars of Clay. It was released on October 24, 1995 by Essential Records. The album has been highly acclaimed, being one of few Christian albums of the mid-nineties to achieve platinum status...
.
Formation
Dan HaseltineDan Haseltine
Daniel Paul "Dan" 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 most recently, melodica, while with Jars of Clay...
, Steve Mason, Charlie Lowell
Charlie Lowell
Charlie Lowell is an American pianist most known for being the pianist and keyboardist for Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay.-Biography:...
and Matt Bronleewe
Matt Bronleewe
-Biography:Matt Bronleewe was born in Dallas, Texas, but as a young boy moved to central Kansas, Lorraine, with his family so his father could take on the family farm...
formed Jars of Clay at Greenville College
Greenville College
Greenville College is located in Greenville, Illinois, a small Illinois city, located 45 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri on Interstate 70...
, in Greenville, Illinois
Greenville, Illinois
Greenville is a city in Bond County, Illinois, United States, east of St. Louis. The estimated population as of July 2009 is 7,284. The population was 6,955 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Bond County....
in the early 1990s. Charlie Lowell
Charlie Lowell
Charlie Lowell is an American pianist most known for being the pianist and keyboardist for Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay.-Biography:...
first met Dan Haseltine
Dan Haseltine
Daniel Paul "Dan" 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 most recently, melodica, while with Jars of Clay...
after noticing that he was wearing a Toad the Wet Sprocket
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Toad the Wet Sprocket is an American alternative rock band formed in 1986. The band consists of singer/guitarist Glen Phillips, guitarist Todd Nichols, bassist Dean Dinning, and drummer Randy Guss. The band enjoyed chart success in the 1990s with the singles "Walk on the Ocean," "All I Want,"...
shirt. Pursuing a career in music together was not necessarily their original goal; some of the first songs they wrote together were for music and recording classes they were taking at the time. Their second guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Matt Odmark
Matt Odmark
Matthew Odmark is an American musician most known for being a guitarist for Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay.At times, Odmark's first name is noted as "Matthew" instead of "Matt"...
joined some time later. While in college playing together at local Christian coffee houses, Jars gained quite a reputation for their very original arrangement of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" which had been deftly adapted to the tune of Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
's "Smells Like Teen Spirit".
In 1994, the band submitted a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
to a talent competition run by the Gospel Music Association
Gospel Music Association
The Gospel Music Association was founded in 1964 for the purpose of supporting and promoting the development of all forms of Gospel music. There are currently about 4,000 members worldwide...
and were selected as finalists. They traveled to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
to perform and won the contest. Back in Greenville, they self-released a limited-run of the same demo, which they named Frail, after their song of the same name
Frail (song)
"Frail" is a song written and performed by Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay. It has appeared on many recordings by the group and lends its name to the group's debut demo release, Frail, from 1994...
. The buzz from their performance in Nashville and the demo's popularity resulted in offers from record labels, so the band decided to drop school and move to Nashville. At this time, Bronleewe left the band to finish school and settle down with his fiancée. He was replaced with Matt Odmark, Lowell's childhood friend and fellow McQuaid Jesuit High School
McQuaid Jesuit High School
McQuaid Jesuit High School is an all-male, Jesuit college preparatory high school located in Rochester, New York, USA. Named after Bernard J. McQuaid, the first bishop of the Rochester diocese, McQuaid is located at 1800 Clinton Avenue South, in the suburb of Brighton.McQuaid was founded in 1954 in...
alum.
Jars of Clay & Drummer Boy EP
Jars of Clay signed with Essential RecordsEssential Records (Christian)
Essential Records is a Contemporary Christian record label based in Franklin, Tennessee. It is a division of a major label, Sony Music Entertainment.-History:...
and started recording their first full-length studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, titled Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay (album)
Jars of Clay is the eponymous first full-length album by Christian rock group Jars of Clay. It was released on October 24, 1995 by Essential Records. The album has been highly acclaimed, being one of few Christian albums of the mid-nineties to achieve platinum status...
. King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
er Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew
Adrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...
heard the band and offered to produce, leading to him producing two songs - "Liquid" and "Flood
Flood (song)
"Flood" is a song written and performed by Jars of Clay. It is considered to be their breakthrough song due to airplay on contemporary Christian music and alternative rock radio stations, two radio formats which rarely interact with one another. It was released in 1995 on their self-titled debut...
". The band's self-titled debut released in 1995. When the single "Flood" began to climb the charts on mainstream radio stations, Silvertone Records
Silvertone Records (1980)
Silvertone Records is a current British record label, owned by Zomba Music Group. The first and most famous signing to the label was The Stone Roses in the late 1980s, with whom they later had a lengthy legal battle. Other acts signed to the label during its history include Jars of Clay, The Men...
(Essential's parent company) started to heavily promote the song, turning it into one of the biggest mainstream hits ever by a band on a Christian label. The album has since reached multi-platinum certification according to the RIAA. "Flood" peaked at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and #12 on the Billboard Modern Rock
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart, and was the band's only secular radio hit.
The band toured in support of other Christian acts, such as PFR
PFR
PFR was a Christian music group in the mid 1990s. Although the group disbanded in 1997, they reunited in 2000 and have since recorded two albums, and they continue to play together.-History:...
, and aside mainstream acts like Matchbox Twenty
Matchbox Twenty
Matchbox Twenty is an American rock band, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1995...
, Duncan Sheik
Duncan Sheik
Duncan Scott Sheik is an American singer-songwriter and composer. Sheik initially found success as a singer, most notably for his 1996 debut single "Barely Breathing". He later expanded his work to include compositions for motion pictures and the Broadway stage, leading him to involvement in the...
, and Sting. This resulted in a small backlash from fundamentalist Christian groups. The band released a Christmas EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
entitled Drummer Boy at the end of 1995. The EP was re-released in 1997 with a slightly different track listing on Silvertone.
Much Afraid
The year 1997 also saw the release of the band's sophomore album, Much AfraidMuch Afraid
Much Afraid is the second album of Christian band Jars of Clay. It was released in 1997 by Essential Records.Much Afraid was highly anticipated after the success of the band's first album, but due to a noticeable stylistic shift, the album was not as well received...
, which was produced by Stephen Lipson
Stephen Lipson
Stephen J. Lipson is a musician and producer who has worked with numerous artists, including Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Cher, Grace Jones, Paul McCartney, Pet Shop Boys, Take That, Simple Minds, Lindisfarne, and Annie Lennox....
. The album sold very well and went on to earn a Grammy award for "Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album". The album has since earned platinum certification by the RIAA. They released two music videos for this album, Crazy Times and Five Candles (You Were There).
If I Left the Zoo
In 1999, Jars of Clay released their third album, If I Left the ZooIf I Left the Zoo
If I Left the Zoo is the third album of the band Jars of Clay. It was released November 9, 1999 by Essential Records.-Overview:The band's third album brought about another stylistic shift, away from the lush sound of Much Afraid and into more of a raw and quirky pop/rock sound with occasional folk...
, which was produced by Dennis Herring
Dennis Herring
Dennis Herring is an American record producer, engineer, mixer, and musician. Herring has produced for The Hives, Elvis Costello, Counting Crows, Modest Mouse, Camper Van Beethoven, and Jars of Clay. Herring owns a 24-track recording studio, Sweet Tea Studios, which is located in Oxford, Mississippi...
. The record earned the band their second Grammy award. It was during this time that touring drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Scott Savage left the band's touring group to play for Jaci Velasquez
Jaci Velasquez
Jacquelyn Davette Velasquez is an American Contemporary Christian and Latin Pop singer—in both English and Spanish languages....
and was replaced by Joe Porter. Lead radio single, "Unforgetful You
Unforgetful You
"Unforgetful You" is a song written and performed by Jars of Clay. It was the first mainstream and Christian radio single from their 1999 studio album, If I Left the Zoo. As the track was produced by Dennis Herring, many similarities in the sound and production styles are noticed with tracks from...
", was also featured on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the motion picture Drive Me Crazy
Drive Me Crazy
-Tracklisting:# " Crazy " - Britney Spears# "Unforgetful You" - Jars of Clay# "I Want It That Way " - Backstreet Boys# "It's All Been Done" - Barenaked Ladies# "Stranded" - Plumb...
. "Collide" was also featured on the motion picture "Hometown Legend". Upon the release of If I Left the Zoo they also released Front Yard Luge
Front Yard Luge
Front Yard Luge is a live EP recorded and released by Jars of Clay through a special online promotion of their 1999 studio album, If I Left the Zoo...
and after a year The White Elephant Sessions
The White Elephant Sessions
The White Elephant Sessions is a rarities and demo version album by American Christian band Jars of Clay, released in conjunction with the band's third studio album If I Left the Zoo...
. If I Left the Zoo so far has the most singles released by Jars of Clay.
In 2001, the four members of the band received honorary degrees at Greenville College
Greenville College
Greenville College is located in Greenville, Illinois, a small Illinois city, located 45 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri on Interstate 70...
. However, only three of them, Haseltine, Lowell, and Mason had studied at the college before dropping out in 1994 to move to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, while Odmark still received an honorary degree, despite having attended university in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
The Eleventh Hour
In 2002, the band self-produced and released their fourth album entitled The Eleventh Hour, which earned the band a Grammy award for the third album in a row. The album relied on studio musicians and the band's touring musicians to fill in for the band's lack of drummerDrummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
and bass player
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. Concerts from the subsequent "Eleventh Hour Tour" were recorded for later projects, including the release of a live concert DVD, 11Live: Jars of Clay in Concert
11Live: Jars of Clay in Concert
11Live: Jars of Clay in Concert is a concert video DVD recorded and released by Jars of Clay's tour in support of their studio album, The Eleventh Hour...
.
Furthermore & Who We Are Instead
The year 2003 saw the band taking a look back at their career. The double-disc Furthermore: From the Studio, From the StageFurthermore: From the Studio, From the Stage
Furthermore: From the Studio, From the Stage is the fifth album of Christian band Jars of Clay. It was released in 2003 by Essential Records...
features an acoustic disc and a live disc. The acoustic disc consisted of reworked and rearranged fan favorites, two The Eleventh Hour b-sides, and a cover of Adam Again's
Adam Again
Adam Again was a rock band founded and led by vocalist Gene Eugene, with Riki Michele on vocals, Paul Valadez on bass, Jon Knox on drums, Greg Lawless on guitar...
"Dig". The latter was actually intended for a tribute album for Gene Eugene
Gene Eugene
Gene "Eugene" Andrusco was a Canadian born actor, record producer, engineer, composer and musician. Andrusco was best known as the leader of the funk/rock band Adam Again, a member of The Swirling Eddies and as a founding member of the roots music supergroup Lost Dogs.-Acting:Andrusco was a child...
, who had died recently. The live disc features a recent concert recording that include songs from throughout the band's career.
The band continued the acoustic and organic approach that was featured on Furthermore for their fifth studio album entitled Who We Are Instead
Who We Are Instead
Who We Are Instead is the sixth full-length studio album recorded by Christian band Jars of Clay. It was released in 2003 by Essential Records....
, which released on November 4, 2003. On the album, the band revisited various styles they had used previously, as well as experimenting with new influences, such as gospel, hymns, and Nickel Creek's
Nickel Creek
Nickel Creek was an American progressive acoustic music trio consisting of Chris Thile , Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins . The band was founded in 1989 and released 6 albums between 1993 and 2006...
"newgrass" style.
Redemption Songs
In early 2005, the band released Redemption SongsRedemption Songs
Redemption Songs is the seventh full-length album by Jars of Clay. It was released by Essential Records on March 22, 2005.-Overview:Redemption Songs is a collection of reinvented hymns and spiritual songs...
, a collection of hymns and traditional songs. The band wrote new melodies to some old hymns and rearranged the music for several others. "God Will Lift Up Your Head
God Will Lift Up Your Head
"God Will Lift Up Your Head" is a song recorded and performed by Jars of Clay. The song is a remake of a traditional hymn of the same name that was written by the 17th-century German hymnwriter Paul Gerhardt. Jars of Clay wrote the music and altered the translated lyrics slightly for the version...
", reworked as an acoustic rocker, was a hit for the band on Christian radio. They also covered five hymns from the Indelible Grace CD series (a series which originated from the work of Reformed University Fellowship
Reformed University Fellowship
Reformed University Fellowship, or RUF, is the campus ministry organization of the Presbyterian Church in America . RUF has experienced rapid growth the past few years, and currently has 110 chapters at different college campuses spread over 27 US States, Mexico, and Canada...
).
Good Monsters
In late 2005, the band announced that the writing process for a new studio album was nearing completion, and that they would be returning to the studio to record the album in the spring. This new project, entitled Good MonstersGood Monsters
Good Monsters is the eighth full-length album from Jars of Clay, released by Essential Records on September 5, 2006. This is their last album of new material from Essential Records and it is said to be lyrically their most aggressive album to date. It features eleven original songs, and a remake of...
, was released on September 5, 2006. Backstage at the 2006 GMA Awards, Jars of Clay labeled the album their first ever rock record. In the September 2006 edition of CCM Magazine
CCM Magazine
CCM Magazine was a monthly magazine published by Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications. It was first published in July 1978, and it has always been a Christian music magazine. On January 16, 2008, Salem announced that the April 2008 issue would be the final printed issue of the...
, the band credited fellow artist Ashley Cleveland
Ashley Cleveland
Ashley Cleveland is an American singer/songwriter perhaps best known as a background vocalist and Grammy-winning gospel singer. Ashley Cleveland was born in Knoxville, Tennessee...
with inspiring the improvisational sound of the album. The magazine called it "the most profound album the Christian music community has released in years."
On September 4, 2007, two albums from the band were released simultaneously. The first was a mainstream release of Live Monsters
Live Monsters
Live Monsters is an EP recorded and released by Jars of Clay. The EP contains songs that were recorded live on their tour in support of their latest studio album, Good Monsters. At first release, the only method of purchasing the album was either at one of their concerts or through Jars Of Clay's...
, which is an EP of live concert recordings of songs that were originally recorded for Good Monsters. The EP had been previously released through the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
and through the official Jars of Clay online store. The second album released on this date was a greatest hits album, entitled The Essential Jars of Clay
The Essential Jars of Clay
The Essential Jars of Clay is a greatest hits album from Jars of Clay that was released on September 4, 2007 through Essential Records/Legacy Recordings. This is the last release from the band through Essential Records as they have since moved on to the Nettwerk Music Group's Gray Matters imprint...
, which was released through Essential/Legacy
Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...
.
On April 1, 2008, Essential Records released the band's third greatest hits album (the second in the past year), entitled Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Jars of Clay album)
Greatest Hits is the third compilation/greatest hits album from Jars of Clay, that was released on April 1, 2008. This compilation follows 2001's Jar of Gems, which was released to the Singapore market, and 2007's The Essential Jars of Clay....
. Included was the new song "Love is the Protest".
In Summer of 2007, the song "Good Monsters" was featured in the pilot of the television show Eli Stone
Eli Stone
Eli Stone is an American TV series, and also the name of the title character.San Francisco lawyer Eli Stone begins to see things, which leads him to discover a brain aneurysm...
. Additionally, the song "Work
Work (Jars of Clay song)
"Work" is a song written and performed by Jars of Clay. It is the second radio single from their 2006 studio album Good Monsters. The song was the 13th most played song on U.S. Christian Hit Radio stations in 2007. A live concert version of the song appears on the Live Monsters EP, which was...
" was used in promotional material for the Fox Television network shows Bones
Bones (TV series)
Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
and House
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
.
Gray Matters
In March 2007, the band announced at a concert in Des Moines, IowaDes Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
that they were no longer on Essential Records and would now be releasing music independently. Later, press releases announced the name of their label as Gray Matters, which would be a partnership with Nettwerk Music Group. Along with the announcement of their new label, the band mentioned that they are planning to record the soundtrack to Honoring a Father's Dream: Sons of Lwala
Honoring a Father's Dream: Sons of Lwala
Honoring a Father's Dream: Sons of Lwala is a 2011 documentary film. Directed by Barry Simmons and produced by Mitchell Galin, David Kiern, and Barry Simmons for Epiphany Pictures, it follows the story of two Kenyan brothers who build a health clinic in their home village.-Plot:Milton and Fred...
, a documentary about Milton and Fred Ochieng' - brothers from the African village training to be doctors in the States, working to build a clinic in their home town.
The band's first release through Gray Matters was a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
album that was released on October 16, 2007, entitled Christmas Songs.
Most recently, the band's song "Love Came Down at Christmas
Love Came Down at Christmas
"Love Came Down at Christmas" is a Christmas poem by Christina Rossetti. It was first published without a title in Time Flies: A Reading Diary in 1885...
" was sampled in the Samuel Victor song "Stars and Angels".
On July 29, 2008, Gray Matters Records released Closer EP
Closer EP
Closer is an EP by Christian rock act Jars of Clay. It was released in digital download format on July 29, 2008 and in CD format on August 19, 2008. The only radio single released off the EP is the title track, although the new recording of "Love Song for a Savior" has been known to be played by...
exclusively through online digital music stores. It was subsequently released on CD on August 19, 2008. Closer EP included reworked versions of "Flood" (called "Flood (New Rain)") and "Love Song For A Savior ('08)" from their debut album. It also included "Prisoner of Hope", which is not found on any other Jars album.
On December 8, 2008, the song "Closer" was featured in the 12th episode of the television show Privileged
Privileged (TV series)
Privileged is an American television drama that premiered on The CW Television Network in the USA and Citytv in Canada on September 9, 2008. The series stars former Reba star Joanna García and is based on the Alloy Entertainment book How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls by Zoey Dean...
.
The Long Fall Back To Earth
Jars of Clay's tenth studio album was released on April 21, 2009. The new record contains 14 songs, including "Closer" and "Safe to Land" from the Closer EP, and is influenced by 80s music, specifically Tears For FearsTears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English new wave band formed in the early 1980s by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, they were initially associated with the New Wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s but later branched out into...
and The Cure
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
. It is entitled The Long Fall Back to Earth
The Long Fall Back to Earth
The Long Fall Back To Earth is the ninth studio album from Jars of Clay. It was released on April 21, 2009 through Gray Matters and distributed by Provident's Essential Records.-Overview:...
.
The song "Hero" was featured on a trailer for NBC's Kings.
The Long Fall Back To Earth debuted at #29 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
mainstream charts, which was Jars of Clay's highest debut since The Eleventh Hour which debuted at #28 in 2002.
The first radio single off the album is "Two Hands
Two Hands (song)
"Two Hands" is a song written and performed by Jars of Clay. It is the first radio single off of their 2009 studio album, The Long Fall Back to Earth...
", which peaked at #6 on the Hot Christian Songs
Hot Christian Songs
Christian Songs is a Billboard chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States....
chart.
The second single off the album is "Heaven."
The Long Fall Back To Earth was nominated for the Grammy to the "Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album", though they didn't win in the category.
Jars of Clay released the first EP of the "Live at Gray Matters" series in the 5th of February.
The Shelter
The new album was released October 5, 2010 and features eleven tracks. The style does not vary greatly from their previous album, The Long Fall Back to EarthThe Long Fall Back to Earth
The Long Fall Back To Earth is the ninth studio album from Jars of Clay. It was released on April 21, 2009 through Gray Matters and distributed by Provident's Essential Records.-Overview:...
. During their promotion for the upcoming album, for a few days, the band streamed the entire album before its release on their website. Also, while promoting the upcoming album, the band shared several tracks on the K-LOVE
K-LOVE
K-LOVE is a Contemporary Christian music radio programming service in the United States operated by the Educational Media Foundation. As of January 2011, K-LOVE's programming is carried on over 440 FM stations and translators in 45 states. K-LOVE claims an audience of 250,000 people each week via...
Christian radio stations and AIR-1. As a part of the Blood:Water Mission
Blood:Water Mission
Blood:Water Mission is a grassroots organization that empowers communities to work together against the HIV/AIDS and water crises in Africa. History...
charitable campaign, the band played three songs from The Shelter on the radio, including "We Will Follow," "No Greater Love," and the title track. In early 2011 they toured the United States on the Rock And Worship Roadshow headlined by MercyMe
MercyMe
MercyMe is an American Christian rock band founded in Greenville, Texas. The band consists of vocalist Bart Millard, keyboardist James Bryson, percussionist Robby Shaffer, bassist Nathan Cochran and guitarists Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul....
.
Current members
- Dan HaseltineDan HaseltineDaniel Paul "Dan" 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 most recently, melodica, while with Jars of Clay...
– vocals, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, melodicaMelodicaThe melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,... - Charlie LowellCharlie LowellCharlie Lowell is an American pianist most known for being the pianist and keyboardist for Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay.-Biography:...
– pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, keys, background vocals - Stephen Mason – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals, bass, lap and pedal steel, national, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, background vocals - Matthew Odmark – acoustic guitar, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, background vocals
Current touring members
- Gabe Ruschival – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2006–present) - Jake Goss – drumsDrummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
(2009–Present)
Former touring members
- Aaron Sands – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1995–2005) - Jeremy Lutito – drumsDrummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
(2005–2009) - Alex Fragiskatos - drumsDrummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
(2008–2009) - Joe Porter – drumsDrummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
(1999–2005) - Scott Savage – drumsDrummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
(1995–99)
Awards
Jars of Clay has been successful in being nominated for and winning several awards, including prestigious Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s and several of the Christian music awards, known as the GMA Dove Awards. Some of these successes have been collaborative efforts, including two City on a Hill
City on a Hill (series)
City On A Hill is a series of praise and worship music compilations performed by Contemporary Christian musicians and produced by Steve Hindalong, Derri Daugherty, and Marc Byrd, who are current members of Christian rock band The Choir...
albums and the inspired collaboration for the 2005 film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The group has won five Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
(BMI) awards.
In June 2009, Jars of Clay was named as one of PeaceByPeace.com's first peace heroes.
Blood:Water Mission
Lead singer Dan Haseltine visited AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
in 2002, which in turn inspired the founding of Blood:Water Mission
Blood:Water Mission
Blood:Water Mission is a grassroots organization that empowers communities to work together against the HIV/AIDS and water crises in Africa. History...
, a non-profit organization created to raise awareness and money for the poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
stricken regions of the continent. The name is derived from, as Haseltine says, "The two things Africa needs most" - clean blood and clean water. The mission has begun the 1000 Wells project, an effort to have a thousand new well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
s built throughout Africa. The group recently met their goal of providing clean water to 1,000 African communities through the organization they founded, Blood:Water Mission, and its 1,000 Wells Project. Former Bassist for Jars of Clay Aaron Sands serves as Administrative Director for the project.
Beliefs
In a 2002 interview with NPRNPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
's Scott Simon
Scott Simon
Scott Simon is an American journalist and the host of Weekend Edition Saturday on National Public Radio.- Life and career :...
on Weekend Edition Saturday
Weekend Edition
Weekend Edition is the name given to a set of American radio news magazines produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It is the weekend counterpart to Morning Edition. It consists of Weekend Edition Saturday and Weekend Edition Sunday , each of which airs for two hours, from 8 a.m. to 10...
, responding to a question about the relatively subtle religious content of their music, Haseltine said, "our songs ... [are] not really there to explain our faith," but are "written about our life that is affected by our faith." Haseltine explained the decision to "shy away from ... traditional religious language" as a conscious one, in part to make their music more accessible to those "put off by religion", and to "love people in a way that isn't exclusive to simply people that understand the language of Christianity." Haseltine also stated that art can "make people feel what's true rather than telling them".
External links
- Jars of Clay official website
- Jarchives – fan site with an active forum community
- The Jars World – one of the oldest Jars of Clay fan sites
- Blood:Water Mission – non-profit relief organization founded by Jars of Clay
- NPR interview from the Eleventh Hour era