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Leah: Okay, to start, tell me how you came up with the name Austin’s Bridge.
Jason: Well when we started Justin was leading worship in Austin, TX down at Randy Phillip’s church. So that’s the Austin part, but when we were coming up with our mission statement, we realized that we come from a lot of different musical styles and backgrounds and we wanted those worlds to collide. We wanted to bridge the gap between the SG world and the CCM world. Musically that’s where we really wanted to go and provide an outlet so that SG could continue to grow and CCM could have something that was fresh to them.
Leah: I know that Justin played with the Crabb Family. They really tried to do some of that with their last record, “Blur the Lines.” Now that they’re splitting up and creating these other groups do you think you want to kind of pick up where they left off and continue what they were trying to accomplish.
Justin: Yeh, I think so. They’ve done a really great job doing that, and they kind of cracked the door open for us, and we want to swing it wide open.
Leah: So, you’re happy with existing in both markets?
Justin: Oh, Yeah. Completely.
Leah: How do you feel about constantly being compared to groups like Rascal Flatts?
Mike: The Flatts have their own kind of sound. It’s easy to relate us to them because they’re three guys singing kind of pop country stuff. If you really listen to it though, there are some similarities, but if you go to one of our concerts, we do some hymns, we do some worship, and it’s really different.
Leah: If you have to be compared to someone as people always seem to do, is there someone you would like to be compared to?
Justin: We would really like to be known for our own sound. We’d rather someone say, “there’s nothing out there like this.”
Leah: Well, help us get to know who Austin’s Bridge is. Tell me a little bit about each one of you and how you came together.
Justin: I’m originally from Fairport, Alabama. My Dad is a pastor down there so I grew up in the church leading worship and working with choirs. Then right out of college I joined the Crabb family and was with them for two years, then I lead worship for Randy Phillips for a year and a half and now I’m here. I knew Mike and met Jason in Austin.
Mike: I grew up similar to him. My Dad is a pastor. I went to Southeastern Assembly of God University in Florida and got a business degree and did some music as a way of paying for some of my school. As soon as graduation was over I moved to Nashville and started singing. I ran into Justin while he was with the Crabb family and kind of re-connected with him.
Jason: Well, my Dad is NOT a pastor, but I grew up in church too, in Austin, TX. My Mom and Dad have played a huge roll as far as leadership in the church, so that’s been built into me as a lifestyle. My last year of high school I got into doing some youth ministry, and lead worship during college and then I moved up to Nashville to finish my schooling and lead worship at some local churches. Worship has always been an integral part in what I do, but it’s always been kind of a side thing too. I didn’t realize that it could be full time for me, even though I wanted it to be. Where as Justin, has been doing it since he was 11 years old and doesn’t know any different. Honestly this has been a big blessing since it came along. I hooked up with Mike at church, and then I met Justin down in Austin.
Leah: You talk about the worship influence in all of your lives, and that comes through on the record especially on the last two tracks when you switch to the piano driven feel rather than the guitar thing. I really enjoyed that added dimension to the project.
Justin: Well, thanks! We really want to do more of that on the next project. Jason has a worship song now that we’re working on, and I’ve got a couple worship songs too. So for me personally, I’d like us to do more worship stuff on the next record.
Leah: Now, if you did that..there are huge controversies about the modern worship verses the hymns. Do you think that would pose a problem in your effort to bring the two genres together?
Jason: That’s something that we’re going to have to be aware of. In the sense of what we want to do, it wouldn’t make sense for us to just disregard that issue. We’ll probably include some hymns and some older stuff along with the things we’re writing.
Leah: I think worship is a great way to bridge the two because one of the purposes of worship is to bring us all into one accord, and one heart to worship one God. I’ve been a little bit surprised at the warm reception that you’re receiving from both genres.
Justin: Yeh, cause it’s never really worked before in the past. People want you to choose, but I think God has really given us favor and blessed what we desire to accomplish.
Leah: I think it also has to do with that, this is who you are. There have been groups that have been SG and wanted to branch out in to CCM for musical expression reasons or even monetary purposes, but ya’ll want to be in both genres to bring harmony and balance and it truly represents the tastes, gifts and persons that make up Austin’s Bridge.
Justin: Yeh, that’s our heart. We have worship leader backgrounds, and we’re not going to change that.
Leah: All three of you are writers, and since a lot of our readers are too, I like to ask how the process works for you.
Jason: For me, it takes a lot of inspiration for me. I’m not one of those guys who can sit down and write two or three songs a week. Maybe I’m too busy, maybe I’ve just got a lot to learn, but honestly the songs that are worth anything come quickly for me.
Leah: What inspires you?
Jason: I think different styles of music inspire me, and dramatic events in life.
Mike: Really for me, the only song I’ve written so far was with Justin, and he came to me with an idea. I’ve been doing it more and I’ve found that I think I like even more than singing or performing because it’s me being able to express what’s inside, and sometimes I don’t do that well. I get inspired in my quiet time and by life issues or I see a need in someone else.
Jason: And..here’s your real answer. HAHA
Justin: Well, I’m very inspired by changes in weather.
Leah: Do you mean seasons, or things like sudden thunderstorms?
Justin: Yes, seasons. I’ve noticed this in the last 4 or 5 years of writing, that I write most of my stuff during the fall. I write according to my mood. I agree with Jason too, I’m inspired by life changing events. I try to pick up on everything. I try to grab onto bits and pieces of conversation with people. I was talking to a little kid the other day and he made a joke and I got a hook out of it. I can find inspiration on most anything, but I’m very musically driven. I have to have a melody, because that grabs people’s attention. Usually I get the melody first, but sometimes it’s both.
Leah: Do you prefer co-writing or writing on your own?
Justin: Either or, but if I write it by myself it has to come pretty fast or I get frustrated. I think a good part of what I do is co-writing. It’s good because you have someone else there to say, “You can say that better.”
Leah:What do you think the message of your music and in particular, of this album is?
Justin: Well, I think that this album had a message of hope, and whenever your back is against the wall, there is hope. I think we want to continue to encourage people through our music and edify the church.
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Written: 08/01/2007 
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