WHAT IS A DAY LIKE IN THE LIFE OF JASON CRABB?
I am blessed to have the most beautiful wife, Shellye, and the two most gorgeous girls ever, Ashleigh and Emma. When I'm home, I like to wake up early, make them breakfast, have a little time to share with them and then take the girls to school. They love that and I do too! Then, during the day - like anyone else - I have a "honey-do" list, things that Shellye needs me to take care of and I love to serve her by making sure all the work gets completed. It's important for me and Shellye to have time together by ourselves too, we call that "date night" - it's important to keep "dating" your wife after you get married. We will take a night and go to a nice restaurant and go to a show, concert or something fun. She's been by my side for a long time, I love spending time with her.
APART FROM MUSIC, WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?
I enjoy spending time outdoors. We have a lake next to our house, and when school's out and it's a hot day, you can find us in the boat on the lake. As a family, we love to do that. My girls are very active in sports - you can always find me in the stands watching them play and cheering really loud.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SPORT TO WATCH/PLAY?
Kentucky basketball - go Wildcats! Anyone who knows me, knows I am a BIG BLUE fan through and through - the color of the basketball team is blue and their mascot is a wildcat. Before I started singing, I wanted to be a basketball player, but God had other plans and I am so thankful He did.
REFERRING TO THE TITLE "WHATEVER THE ROAD"... YOUR STORY IS ONE OF REMAINING FAITHFUL NO MATTER THE UPS AND DOWNS. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO READERS ABOUT DEALING WITH LOSS?
Everyone experiences loss at some time in their lives. That's life. But God promised in His word that He would never leave us or forsake us and that He would be with us until the end. Now that's a promise we can hold on to. He has promised that He would meet us.
DURING SOME OF THE DARKEST DAYS, WHAT SCRIPTURE WOULD YOU HOLD ON TO?
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths. - Prov. 3:5 & 6. Anytime I go through a situation in my life, this is something I can hold onto. We don't always understand what God is doing, but we are told to trust Him and He's never failed us yet.
HOW MANY OF THE SONGS ON THE ALBUM DID YOU PERSONALLY WRITE?
I co-wrote seven songs on Whatever The Road. Every night I visit with people after the concert until the very last person is gone - I love to hear their stories. Many of the songs on this project came out of stories I've heard or experiences in my own life. One very special song is my current single "He Knows What He's Doing." No matter what is going on in life, God knows what He's doing and we have to trust Him - even when it's hard and makes absolutely no sense to us at all.
FAVOURITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM AND WHY?
Oh boy, this is a hard one because they all serve a purpose. I love to connect with people and Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram but I'd have to say Facebook is probably my favorite.
IF YOU THINK OF SOUTH AFRICA, WHAT IS THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND?
BEAUTY - the people and the land. I've heard it's beautiful there and seen some wonderful pictures of the land and people. The one thing that comes to mind is the wild animals found there. I love nature and South Africa to me is probably the most remote area for wild animals.
ANY PLANS ON TOURING SOUTH AFRICA IN THE FUTURE?
That is a great idea! I would loveto come, let's get a tour going.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SONG ON THE ALBUM AND WHY?
I have so many favorites but the one that strikes closest to my heart is a song called "Home." My grandmother Billie was my favorite person and I loved her with all my heart. She passed away earlier this year, and one of the last conversations we had was on a day when I was just having "one of those days." She said "Jase" - that's what she called me - "when you get to the end of your rope, just hold on real tight and know that He's holding onto the other end." I miss her, every single day but I know right where she is. She loved Jesus with every thing that was in her and she let everyone that she came in contact with know just how much Jesus loved them.
WHAT PRACTICAL ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR COUPLES WITH A BUSY LIFE LIKE YOURS TO KEEP THEIR MARRIAGE ALIVE?
Communication is key. You've got to keep the lines of conversation open. Keep dating each other - keep going out for special nights, special days. Treat each other like you did when you first fell in love.
YOU HAVE EVEN HAD A ROAD NAMED AFTER YOU! WHO IN YOUR FAMILY HELPS YOU REMAIN AS HUMBLE AS YOU ARE?
My wife Shellye, and my girls Ashleigh and Emma are the ones who keep me grounded. I get to take out the trash, mow the grass, fix the toilet. That'll keep you humble! My Grandfather and Grandmother taught me about hard work and instilled within me that "you get what you work for" and that "God blesses hard work" - those words ring in my head every day.
WHICH MUSICIAN FRIENDS DO YOU "CONSULT" ON YOUR ALBUMS OR TRACKS, AND WAIT IN ANTICIPATION TO HEAR THEIR OPINIONS?
My brothers Adam & Aaron - I always like to run the music by them. I think we've made music together for so long, we've worked on music together so it's always fun to go back and play a track for them - talk about the direction of the music.
WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST CRITIC?
The Bible says "iron sharpens iron" and I have some of the best "iron sharpeners" there are. My management team - Philip & Tina Morris - have been a Godsend to my life and my family's life. They've been with me from the beginning and over the years, they've consistently pushed me to be a better person - not just an artist - but to be a better dad, husband, brother and friend. They have seen it all - from the beginning. Recently, God has placed a lady named Diane Sheets in my life. She's helped me be more polished and she's the first to call out a wrong note or tell me where I can improve myself and how I can connect more with the audience.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT THE MOST ABOUT BEING A DAD TO TWO BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS?
Everyone always says kids will change your life forever, but I don't think I understood just how much being a dad would change me and challenge me. I grew up in Beaver Dam, KY, which is just as small as it sounds. It's the kind of place where everyone knows everybody and in a sense, your neighbor's sort of feel like your family. Beyond that, I was on the road with my family for years doing music. I know family. I do the family thing well. But there is no amount of family time that could ever prepare you for kids. There is absolutely nothing in the world like being a father. Soon, I'm going to be the father of teenagers, which just seems crazy. Time flies so fast. The last thing I want to do is waste it or miss out on a chance to teach them something or encourage them in some way. I think as much as Shellye and I want to be the best parents we can be, we're still human and sometimes it's going to be trial and error. I sit back all the time and ask myself, what are they thinking? What's going through their minds? Am I doing this right? Am I giving them enough... or too much? Am I really teaching them how to live a life in Christ? In a lot of ways, God is answering all these questions and blessing me through the faith that's growing inside each of my daughters' hearts. To watch my girls get to know Christ... really, there aren't words to describe that feeling. It's amazing and demands that I keep growing right alongside them. The Bible tells us, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." (Proverbs 22:6).
YOU HAVE ACHIEVED SO MUCH IN YOUR LIFE, A GRAMMY AWARD, TOO MANY DOVE AWARDS TO LIST, WHAT IS STILL ON YOUR "BUCKET LIST"?
I'd like to hold a traveling revival tour - an old tent revival and take it on the road. One of those where you put the tent up for a few days and then move to the next city - lots of music and messages. I love to see people changed by the power of God's word - in music and message.
