about jerod

Music has always drawn me in.  When I was young, I sang and played a lot in church.   I was also obsessed with mom and dad's old records and the music that my brother and sister were listening to.  It didn't really matter what kind of style: in the early days, it was just about listening and imitating what I heard.   I had The Imperials, Aretha Franklin, Foreigner, Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Benny Hester floating around in my head and heart all at the same time.

As I grew, so did the music within me.  It gave me a place to express myself, a place to compete, a place to be understood, and a place to find solace with God.   Through the years, and even today, music keeps the same place of importance in my life, which is why I've dedicated my life to making it and teaching it.

I met my wife while studying music at Baylor University.  Since the beginning, when her first gift to me was paid time in a studio to record some original music, she has been supportive, excited, and with me all the way.

A few years back I made the journey to Nashville with some of my closest friends, then called Sign of Jonah, to pursue a music ministry/career.   A lot of truth came out of that journey some great things, some hard things, but in reality it left me with a third-degree burn about music.  I found myself back in Texas attending seminary – really searching for what God wanted from me – not singing or playing anymore, but just committing myself to the search.  And then it happened again, music began to draw me back in.   I started writing songs to fulfill assignments in class, and I became part of a church that encouraged me to use my gifts.

After over a year of songwriting, producing, and recording, the album "Driven" was formed.  Focusing on the songs, their messages, and their delivery, the album contains many styles: R&B, Gospel, Rock, Jazz, and Pop.  I wasn't trying to write a cohesive album that was all the same style with all the same types of messages.   I was trying to get out what was inside and let each song take its own shape. Throughout the recording process, I was reminded of my love for different styles of music; styles that represent many different people and cultures that I've been exposed to or a part of in my life.  

Music still draws me in.  It draws me closer to my purpose, closer to the people that I love, and closer to God.   In a society where men are expected to climb the corporate ladder; my decision to follow music has been hard, called foolish, and met with a lot of skepticism.   And though the future holds no guarantees for any of us, I am confident that following a God given dream through obedience is the best decision of all.