From college radio to opening for Sting - that's the journey of four "innocent spirits that didn't fully realize the magnitude of their talent and the gifts that God had given them," says Director of Essential Records Robert Beeson in an interview with CCM magazine.
The popular Contemporary Christian group Jars of Clay has recently released its fifth project, a double-disc entitled, Furthermore - From the Studio; From the Stage.
The band's 1995 debut album Jars of Clay, which includes the mega-hit "Flood," has gone Double-Platinum. They've had 15 No. 1 radio hits. Their music has been played in 10 films. And, in total, they've sold over five million records.
The band, Dan Haseltine, Stephen Mason, Matt Odmark, and Charlie Lowell, co-headlined with dc Talk at Edmonton's Skyreach Centre in July 1999 and continues to tour the world. They're home now with their families, after extensive hours on the road, visiting over 40 cities on their "Spring 2003 Tour" with Caedmon's Call.
As Jars' frontman, Haseltine prepares for his Living Light News telephone interview, he's interrupted. Not by his road manager or publicist or even his record label. No, someone with much more clout is calling. Haseltine's two-and-a-half-year-old son Noah wants Daddy's attention. Haseltine transforms from music celebrity to loving father, excuses himself politely from our conversation, and attends to his son. Fatherhood is relatively new to Haseltine, unlike his 10-year role of pop/rock singer.
Jars has garnered tremendous accolades, including a 2001 Grammy for the album If I Left the Zoo and seven Dove Awards, the most recent, the 2003 Modern Rock/Alternative Album of the Year for The Eleventh Hour. Plus, their music has been featured in films, including We Were Soldiers, starring Mel Gibson; A Walk to Remember, starring Mandy Moore; Hard Rain, starring Morgan Freeman and Christian Slater; and The Chamber, starring Gene Hackman.
While the music business has the potential to consume an artist's personal life, Haseltine says his family and his faith in God remain his priorities. Above all, he wants to be a good father, and a good husband to his wife, Katie. Haseltine encounters musicians who alienate themselves from family.
"If there's one thing I've learned it's if your family isn't called to it, there's a pretty good chance you're not," he says. "You're following more of a selfish desire than a true calling ... God does not put families together to give them diverse callings."
Haseltine's priorities are built upon the relationship he has with Jesus Christ. Born into the Catholic church, Haseltine grew up learning about liturgy and tradition. "For me, it was good thing," he says. "It created a structure and a unique sense of awe for God while growing up, even though [at the time] I didn't really know who He was."
Haseltine's mother moved their family several times after his parents divorced. She took Dan to church, and he attended, primarily to honour her wishes. But it wasn't until they moved to Florida, when Haseltine was in high school, that he met a youth pastor and people in a Christian community who taught him about having a personal relationship with Jesus. He invited Christ into his life, finally realizing "that God was pursuing [him] rather than [him] pursuing God."
Haseltine continues to discover how Jesus is working in his life as his relationship with Christ grows. "It's amazing how we write songs. We'll think they're about one thing, but we won't actually find out what God has in store until after the album is out. People will tell what the song is about and how God is working through that song. It's really obvious that it's not really us using our gifts and abilities to share the Gospel as much as it's God saying, 'You write the songs, but this is what it's going to be about. You're going to learn about this later.' "
Their current project gives us two unique looks - one disc contains brand-new, reworkings of classic Jars of Clay tunes, while the other endeavours to capture the energy found only in the band's high-octane live shows. Plus, there are three new songs, including the controversial "The Valley Song" (Sing of Your Mercy), born of tragedy - the unexpected death of a close family member. Mason's sister-in-law, who was eight months pregnant, had a brain hemorrhage that killed her and the baby, who was born brain dead.
Unsure of what to do or how to handle their experience with death, the other band members sat down and put their thoughts and feelings into song. They never intended to record it but eventually did through the encouragement of friends.
The song has been an instrument of healing for many listeners struggling with death. And it has stirred Christian communities to question the line, "when death like a gypsy comes to steal what I love."
"The way it's used in the song is actually meant to say death is nomadic. It has no roots; it has no traditions; and therefore, it's hard to predict where it's going to show up."
Now that they're home, Dan, Stephen, Matt, and Charlie are back in the studio putting the final touches on an album to be released in November. Whether the guys are in the studio, on stage, or at home, one fact is certain. Their relationship with Jesus Christ continues to shape Jars of Clay.
Now that Haseltine's a father, he's beginning to understand the magnitude of God's love, and the relationship God the Father has with us and His Son. "God [is] revealing Himself to me more every day," he says. "And honestly, the more he reveals Himself to me, the more I change."
