Josh Wilson

My name is Tara Leigh, and I met Josh a few years ago when he and I toured together. Having spent such a concentrated amount of time with him, I consider myself an authority on the subject of Josh Wilson Statistics and Information (now available as a course at your local college). Before our tour, he never mentioned how ridiculously great he is. I’m surprised it didn’t come up, because it’s one of his more noticeable qualities. Since he’s too humble to mention those things, I’ve asked for the bragging rights on a couple of his more noteworthy accomplishments.

For example, he performed in the Belmont University “Best of the Best” Showcase last year after taking home First Place at the Christian Music Showcase. And that’s no easy task at Belmont, a college in the heart of Nashville that specializes in turning everyday people into proficient rock stars.

Despite those achievements, Josh has managed to avoid the typical rock star attitude that plagues most burgeoning musicians. His small town Texas upbringing and his close-knit family are just two of the things that have helped him maintain the perfect blend of humility and reality. When we were on tour, his humility repeatedly shocked me. I watched the way he treated the promoters and fans with respect and kindness, and I saw him extend grace to me and our other tour mates, even when I was on my worst behavior and didn’t deserve it.

And when he took the stage in that college auditorium on our first show together, his talent blew me away. I halfway expected him not to be good, because he was so nice; and I’m pretty sure that you’re not allowed to be disarmingly kind and great on guitar, because that’s just not fair. But I was wrong. As I sat in the back row of the audience, I had to acknowledge that Josh has both territories covered.

A few months later, Josh and I attended an artist’s retreat where we spent a week in the mountains, writing songs and performing in front of the other artists. Most of us took every opportunity to sleep in, relax, and sit in the hot tub. Every morning, from the comfort of my bed, I’d look out the window to see Josh sitting outside reading his Bible. Wisdom and discipline are rare commodities, especially in the entertainment industry, but Josh possesses both in abundance. And it’s incredible to witness that kind of thing first-hand.

But don’t be deceived into thinking he’s uptight and boring just because he’s a “good guy”—far from it. He’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. When he asked me to write this bio, we tried to conduct a “proper” interview, just to make it feel more legit. But the minute we sat down, the conversation went something like this:

“So here’s Question #1—If the moon were made of cheese, would you eat it?” I asked, doing my best impression from the Harry Carey sketch on Saturday Night Live.

“That’s a ridiculous question,” he said, rolling his eyes. “You can’t ask me a question like that without telling me what kind of cheese.”*

His laidback nature makes him easy to be around, and it also reinforces everything you think is true about him from listening to his music. Whether you’re listening to him perform live, on his full-length album Dragonfly (2004), or on his new EP Shake the Shadow, it’s easy to pick up on his personality. And what you hear is 100% authentic.

More than anyone else I know, I’m excited to see Josh’s musical career grow and move down the path where God has called him. He is determined and hardworking—he’s been teaching guitar lessons since he was 16 in order to put himself through college. And he has the right perspective on the life of a musician—it’s not easy, but it’s worth it if you do it for the right reasons.

And what are some of his reasons? “One of the things I like most about being a musician is that it’s a way for us to share common struggles and relate to each other—a way to double the joy or diminish the pain.”

And that’s true not only of Josh’s music. That’s what it’s like to be around him in general—life becomes twice as joyful and half as tough. He has an easy-going manner that will set you at ease and a sense of humor that will keep you laughing.

So the next time you find yourself within a day’s drive of one of his shows, do yourself a favor and go see it. And as you’re leaving, pick up a copy of his latest album, because you’ll want to play it for all your friends, and you’ll want to re-live the moment a million times over—that moment where your joy is doubled and your pain is diminished. And in the midst of all that, you’ll see a rarity—a kind and humble musician with talent and personality to spare.

* Swiss? —Yes. Gouda? —No. Goat? —Eww.

-by Tara Leigh Cobble
January 2006