— courtesy McGregor Hall

Grammy & Dove Award Winning Gospel Artist Jason Crabb To Fill McGregor Hall With Songs Of Hope During New-Album Tour Stop This Sunday

Grammy and Dove Award winning Gospel Artist Jason Crabb performs Sunday, November 12, 2017, at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Henderson, N.C., while on a national tour following the release of his newest album “Whatever The Road.”

Crabb is the first act of the Joy! performance series package at McGregor Hall, which features a total of three shows with five well-known Christian artists and groups. Karen Peck with New River will perform on Feb. 23 and the Talleys with Tribute on April 7. With a regular ticket price of $75, the three-show Joy! package is reduced to $50.

Crabb’s performance on Sunday starts at 7 p.m. and the doors open at 6.

In recording his fifth solo album, Crabb said he poured himself into his songwriting and explored the things that matter most and the greatness of the God he serves. “You have to reach in deeper places to write music, and with songwriting you have to stay there for a little bit,” said Crabb, who co-wrote seven of the album’s 10 songs.

Working with producers Jason Ingram (who has worked with Chris Tomlin, Tenth Avenue North, Kari Jobe), and Paul Mabury (Lauren Daigle, One Sonic Society), Crabb takes a bold new step forward, not just lyrically but stylistically, and has finely honed a collection of anthems for the church that have sophisticated pop sensibilities as well as deep, substantive lyrics.

“I’ve never wanted to be pigeon-holed. I just wanted to make music,” he said. “I finally found that if you’re part of the creative process of the song, then it becomes you. With this record, I feel like it’s a little more of who I am than what I’ve been. It’s where I want to be and it’s wonderful.”

This Sunday, Crabb will unleash his passionate voice through songs that offer a strong current of hope, particularly with the song, “He Won’t Leave You There.” In the chorus, Crabb sings, “When the darkness overwhelms you and the fear just won’t subside, when your questions outweigh answers on those long and lonely nights, when you’ve got to keep on moving, He is with you in the valley of despair, and He won’t leave you there.”

Crabb explains, “I just want to encourage people and give them hope. The album is titled ‘Whatever The Road,’ and I want people to know that whichever direction or whatever road you’re headed down, God is going to walk with you.”

Crabb also doesn’t shy away from tackling tough topics such as the album’s first single, “He Knows What He’s Doing,” which was inspired by an 11-year-old fan named Lily. “Lily showed up at a concert and wanted to sing ‘Love is Stronger’ with me on stage,” Crabb recalls, smiling as he remembers their duet. “So this song is about her. She was battling cancer when we first met and she’s gone home to be with the Lord now.”

Another poignant moment on the album is the tender ballad, “Home,” which was written by Jason’s father, Gerald Crabb, a Dove Award-winning songwriter. “I had already recorded it and then grandma passed,” he says of losing his maternal grandmother, Billie Richardson, in early 2015. “When I recorded it, I didn’t know that that was going to be my song for her at that moment, but you know? I’m thankful. When I sing it, I just close my eyes and think of her in her little blue house, fixin’ everybody something to eat, but I’m not going to see her ever again like that, and that’s a big chapter closed.”

Though the album has a few heart-tugging moments, ‘Whatever The Road’ also includes the buoyant tune, “It’s a Good Life.” Stylistically, the song is reminiscent of Tom Petty’s earthy anthems, but lyrically, it’s strictly autobiographical. “If I Shout” is a vibrant celebration of how Jesus can change a life.

From inspiring ballads to jubilant, up-tempo tunes, the common denominator in every song is the passion and authenticity Crabb brings to every vocal performance. It’s a gift he’s cultivated from a young age. A native of tiny Beaver Dam, KY, Crabb rose to prominence singing with his siblings as the Crabb Family.

The talented, musically progressive family band broadened the scope of Southern Gospel music and became one of the most successful groups in the genre. When his siblings decided to pursue separate ministries, Jason released his first solo album in 2009, and it earned him his first Grammy the following year. Since then, he’s amassed numerous industry accolades, among them 21 Dove Awards, including wins in the “Artist,” “Male Vocalist,” and “Song of the Year” categories.

Crabb said he is looking forward to coming to Henderson to share his music with the area. “I love making music. I love singing. I love throwin’ down and having a blast on stage,” he said, “but what an honor it is to get to share my life in these songs.”

Tickets are on sale for $25 or $22 plus sales tax. Group and student rates are available. Tickets can be purchased directly at the McGregor Hall Box office, which is open Monday through Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Box Office is located at 201 Breckenridge Street in downtown Henderson. The Box Office can also be reached by phone by calling (252) 598-0662. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.McGregorHall.org by using the secure and trusted purchasing platform, eTix. Online fees apply.

Those purchasing the Joy! series before the Sunday night show can also add on the Christmas Wonderland show, scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 5, at McGregor Hall for a reduced price of $20.

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(McGregor Hall is an advertising client of WIZS.)