Stephen Mason
Encyclopedia
Steve Mason is an American
musician most known for being the lead guitarist for Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay
.
in 1975, however was brought up from age 8 in Decatur, Illinois
where he attended Warrensburg-Latham schools
.
Mason joined Jars of Clay as a founding member in 1993 with singer Dan Haseltine
and pianist Charlie Lowell
while studying at Greenville College
in his home state of Illinois
. As a submission piece to get into college, Mason wrote an instrumental guitar piece entitled "Frail
" which was later recorded and used as the namesake for the group's first demo Frail. The song later had lyrics added by Jars of Clay's lead singer Dan Haseltine for the group's second album Much Afraid
.
Growing up in Illinois, Mason is a Chicago Bears
football team supporter, but also now supports the Tennessee Titans, who play in his adopted city of Nashville.
Producer, Jude Adam.
, both electric and acoustic. Some of them he uses exclusively in the studio and others exclusively for live performances.
As for pedals, over the years Stephen has been seen using a Boss Tuner, Visual Sound Jekyll & Hyde, Swell Pedals G-TOD, Tonephile Puredrive, Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man, DMB Pedals, and a Pedaltrain pedalboard.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician most known for being the lead guitarist for Christian alternative folk rock group Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay
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 guitars and Matthew Odmark on rhythm guitars...
.
Biography
Mason was born in Joliet, IllinoisJoliet, Illinois
Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
in 1975, however was brought up from age 8 in Decatur, Illinois
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
where he attended Warrensburg-Latham schools
Warrensburg-Latham Community Unit District 11
Warrensburg-Latham Community Unit District 11 is a school district encompassing the villages of Warrensburg, Latham, parts of northwest Decatur, IL, parts of Forsyth, Illinois and much of the surrounding countryside. Warrensburg and Latham is a cross-county school.Warrensburg School and Latham...
.
Mason joined Jars of Clay as a founding member in 1993 with singer 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...
and pianist 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:...
while studying 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 his home state of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. As a submission piece to get into college, Mason wrote an instrumental guitar piece entitled "Frail
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...
" which was later recorded and used as the namesake for the group's first demo Frail. The song later had lyrics added by Jars of Clay's lead singer Dan Haseltine for the group's second album Much Afraid
Much 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...
.
Growing up in Illinois, Mason is a Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
football team supporter, but also now supports the Tennessee Titans, who play in his adopted city of Nashville.
Personal life
Mason was married on October 24, 2009 to former BBC RadioBBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
Producer, Jude Adam.
Guitars, Amps & Pedals
Mason uses a range of different guitars for performing with Jars of ClayJars of Clay
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 guitars and Matthew Odmark on rhythm guitars...
, both electric and acoustic. Some of them he uses exclusively in the studio and others exclusively for live performances.
- "Grand Auditorium" Taylor twelve string guitarTwelve string guitarThe twelve-string guitar is an acoustic or electric guitar with 12 strings in 6 courses, which produces a richer, more ringing tone than a standard six-string guitar...
- GibsonGibson Guitar CorporationThe Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
"Tal FarlowTal FarlowTalmage Holt Farlow was an American jazz guitarist. Nicknamed the "Octopus", Farlow's extremely large hands spread over the fretboard as if they were tentacles. He is considered one of the all-time great jazz guitarists. Michael G...
" series - Baby Taylor guitar
- Martin Backpacker travel guitar
- Gibson "Chet AtkinsChet AtkinsChester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
" series - Fender Telecaster
- GibsonGibson Guitar CorporationThe Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
Les PaulLes PaulLester William Polsfuss —known as Les Paul—was an American jazz and country guitarist, songwriter and inventor. He was a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar which made the sound of rock and roll possible. He is credited with many recording innovations... - Matchless Chief Guitar Amp
- Vox AC-30
As for pedals, over the years Stephen has been seen using a Boss Tuner, Visual Sound Jekyll & Hyde, Swell Pedals G-TOD, Tonephile Puredrive, Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man, DMB Pedals, and a Pedaltrain pedalboard.