Jars Of Clay

Grammy Award-winning contemporary Christian alternative rock band Jars of Clay was formed in Greenville, Illinois in 1993. Founded by vocalist Dan Haseltine, guitarist Stephen Mason, keyboardist Charlie Lowell, and guitarist Matt Bronleewe. When the band began to become popular and were offered a recording contract, Bronleewe chose to continue his studies and the band later brough in Matt Odmark as their second guitarist. Jars of Clay has never had a permanent rhythm section and they hire musician friends to fill those positions live. Their self-titled debut album – featuring two songs produced by King Crimson/David Bowie/Bears guitarist Adrian Belew - was released in 1995. The single “Flood” was a hit, reaching the Top 40 on Billboards Hot 100 Singles chart. The band’s next three albums - Much Afraid (1997), If I Left the Zoo (1999), and The Eleventh Hour (2002) – all won Grammy Awards for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album. In 2003, Jars of Clay released the studio album Who We Are Instead and an acoustic and live album, Furthermore: From the Studio, from the Stage. After Redemption Songs (2005) and Good Monsters (2006), the band set up their own label, Gray Matters, and issued Christmas Songs in 2007. Their 2009 album The Long Fall Back to Earth reached Number 1 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart. They issued three more albums on their own label, including their anniversary album 20. In 2020, they released two live albums on vinyl LP: Much Afraid: Livestream Benefit Concert and Live in Manila. On top of three Grammy Awards, the band has also won five BMI Awards and five GMA Dove Awards.