What Is Jars Of Clay Doing Now?

Jars of Clay is an American Christian rock band formed in 1993 at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois. The band consists of vocalist Dan Haseltine, guitarist Stephen Mason, pianist Charlie Lowell, and drummer Matt Bronleewe. Jars of Clay is known for pioneering the early Contemporary Christian Music landscape and cementing itself as one of the most popular acts in that genre during the 1990s and early 2000s.

The band rose to fame in 1995 with their debut album Jars of Clay, which went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album in 1996. Some of their most well-known hits include “Flood” and “Love Song for a Savior.” Over the past three decades, Jars of Clay has released 12 studio albums and has sold over 7 million records worldwide.

While staying true to their Christian roots, Jars of Clay’s sound has evolved over the years, incorporating elements of alternative rock, folk, and ambient music. The band is known for their poetic, introspective lyrics that explore themes of faith, purpose, and community. Though Jars of Clay has gone through some lineup changes, the core four members have remained active, both as a group and through various side projects.

Current Band Members

The current members of Jars of Clay are Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Stephen Mason, and Matthew Odmark. Haseltine is the lead vocalist, Lowell plays piano and keyboards, Mason is on lead guitar, and Odmark handles rhythm guitar. These four musicians make up the core lineup that has been together since the band first formed in the early 1990s.

According to the Jars of Clay official website (https://www.jarsofclay.com/), this foursome represents the longest-running band members in the group’s history. While other musicians have occasionally joined them in the studio and on tour, Haseltine, Lowell, Mason, and Odmark have remained the anchor of the band for over 25 years.

Fans appreciate the musical chemistry and talents each person brings to Jars of Clay’s signature sound. It’s remarkable for a contemporary Christian band to have retained the same members for so long. Their continued collaboration and friendship is a testament to the strong foundation established early on.

Recent Albums and Songs

In 2022, Jars of Clay released a new song called “Broken Places” as part of a tribute album to Christian folk rock legend Randy Stonehill. The song features Jars of Clay’s signature melodic rock sound with introspective, faith-focused lyrics. It marked the band’s first new material in several years and showed they are still creatively active (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiYDp7qcfgs).

Prior to that, Jars of Clay’s most recent full-length album was 2017’s 20, celebrating the band’s two decade anniversary. It featured re-recordings of some of their biggest hits like “Flood” and “Love Song for a Savior,” as well as several new songs. Reviews praised it as a solid representation of the band’s long career and ability to reimagine their earlier work with fresh energy.

In 2014, Jars of Clay released their 12th studio album Inland, led by the single “Fall Asleep.” The album integrated more electronic textures into their sound while maintaining vulnerable, introspective songwriting. It hit #30 on the Billboard Christian Albums chart, showing the band still had a loyal following after over 20 years.

Live Performances

Jars of Clay is actively touring and performing live in 2022 and 2023. The band has several upcoming shows scheduled on their current tour. Recent performances include shows in Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana in October and November 2022 (Songkick).

Some of their upcoming tour dates for 2023 include shows in Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut in January. They also have performances scheduled in Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Arizona, and California between February and April 2023 (Bandsintown).

It’s clear from their busy touring schedule that Jars of Clay remains an active live act, continuing to entertain fans by performing their catalog of hit songs and newer material.

Side Projects

In addition to their work with Jars of Clay, the band members have been involved in various side projects over the years. According to Wikipedia Jars of Clay, guitarist Matt Odmark formed a side project called The Myriad in the early 2000s. The Myriad released three albums before going on hiatus in 2007. Meanwhile, Jars of Clay lead singer Dan Haseltine started a side project called New Friends in 2014. New Friends released an EP called Two Birds in 2015. More recently, Haseltine formed a new band called Haseltine in 2017 and released an album called Mercy / Grace that same year.

Bassist Steve Mason has also pursued solo work, releasing three solo albums so far: Green, Blue in 2008, No Show in 2010, and Untitled in 2012. Mason was involved in another side project as well, a punk band called Mullet in the mid-2000s. According to CCM Classic Jars of Clay, drummer Jake Goss joined Jars of Clay in 2017 to play drums on their summer tour after a long hiatus from the band.

Awards and Nominations

Jars of Clay has won numerous awards over the years, especially early in their career. Their debut album earned them a Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album in 1996 (Grammy). They went on to win two more Grammys in the 2000s, for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album in 2003 and Best Gospel Performance in 2005 (Wikipedia). Since then, they have continued to receive Grammy nominations, including Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for their 2017 album 20.

Beyond the Grammys, Jars of Clay has also won several Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association, including New Artist of the Year in 1996. Their song “Flood” earned them Rock Recorded Song of the Year in 1998 (IMDb). Even decades into their career, the band is still earning nominations and acclaim for their musical artistry.

Charity Work

Jars of Clay has been involved in extensive charity and advocacy work over the years. In 2005, the band founded Blood:Water Mission, a non-profit organization that works to address the HIV/AIDS and water crises in Africa. They have helped fund over 1,000 community wells in Africa and provided healthcare access to over 78,000 people (Look to the Stars).

In Atlanta, Jars of Clay founded Jars of Clay Outreach which helps homeless teenagers and young mothers. They provide housing, counseling, and access to education and healthcare (https://www.jocatlanta.org/). The band members serve on the board and actively participate in the charity’s work.

Jars of Clay also frequently partners with Habitat for Humanity, helping build homes for those in need. They have volunteered on builds across the US and in locations like Brazil and South Africa (Look to the Stars). Their advocacy and charity work reflects the band’s faith and desire to make a positive impact.

Reactions from Fans

Many Jars of Clay fans have reacted positively to the band’s recent work and performances. In a YouTube video reacting to their song “Flood,” one fan said “I feel like this song gets better every time I listen to it. The lyrics are so powerful and meaningful, and their voices blend together beautifully.”

After attending a recent concert, a fan commented “Jars of Clay’s music and lyrics touched me deeply tonight. You could feel the emotion and passion they put into their performance. I’m amazed at how their songs still resonate with me after all these years.”

On Twitter, fans have left comments like “Loving @jarsofclay’s new album! The songs take me back but also have a fresh new sound” and “So impressed by @jarsofclay’s continued creativity and musicianship. Their latest work feels nostalgic yet current at the same time.”

Many fans have expressed appreciation for the band staying true to their roots while also evolving their sound over the years. As one said, “No matter how their music changes, @jarsofclay still has the same heart and soul.”

Impact and Legacy

Jars of Clay had a major influence on the Christian music scene in the 1990s and 2000s. Their self-titled debut album in 1995 was groundbreaking as one of the first albums of its kind that blended faith-based lyrics with mainstream alternative rock music. According to one review, the album “practically redefined Christian rock” and showed that faith-based music could be just as creative, thoughtful, and well-produced as secular music (Murlough, 2000). Jars of Clay paved the way for many other Christian bands to find crossover mainstream success in the years after.

Beyond just their musical impact, Jars of Clay also emerged as artists who authentically lived out their faith. Their name itself comes from a biblical reference to clay jars carrying treasured contents, reflecting the band members’ belief that they are merely fragile vessels carrying the message of Christ (Crosswalk, 2020). Throughout their career, Jars of Clay has written songs that connect biblical truths to real human experiences and emotions. They’ve also been involved in numerous charity and activist causes over the years related to poverty, human rights, and justice.

Even as they’ve evolved musically over the decades, Jars of Clay’s legacy rests on being true artistic trailblazers as well as authentic Christian role models through their lyrics and humanitarian work. Their influence can be seen across the current landscape of faith-based music and artistry.

What’s Next

Jars of Clay does not have any major tours or album releases officially announced yet, but the band members have hinted at future plans. In a 2022 interview, Dan Haseltine mentioned they want to play more shows and write new songs together (news – Jars Of Clay). The band’s website states “We hope to do more of that in the future,” referring to touring and making music (Jars Of Clay). There is excitement among fans on Reddit hoping for a new album or tour from Jars of Clay, though nothing confirmed yet (r/jarsofclay). It seems likely the band will continue performing occasional reunion shows and potentially release new music.