Biography

Born and raised in a small New England town, Jameson grew up in a blue collar family with one older sibling.  His mother, a former catholic nun, and his father, a handy man, introduced Jameson to faith at an early age.  This foundation helped him to develop resiliency and handle the challenges he would later face attempting to break through as a Christian artist in the most spiritually malnourished region of the U.S.  

At age 13, Jameson taught himself to play several instruments, while also playing in his junior high and high school jazz bands.  His teachers commented that his musical ear unlike any they had ever come across before. By age 16, in his first ever audition for the All- State music festival, Jameson placed in the top five vocalists, singing a classical opera style solo performance before a panel of highly selective judges.   He began writing songs as a teenager and, at age 19, won free studio recording time after entering a songwriting competition.  After graduating high school, Jameson felt called to more than a college degree, believing that that his education alone could never fulfill his life’s purpose.  It was at that time when Jameson started to become active in church music.   

 Though he spent many Sundays leading worship, Jameson also wanted to reach beyond the church walls to those who had never known faith.  As part of this effort, he performed at small cafés, but was hard pressed to find other venues that would allow original music, especially in the Christian genre.  Unwilling to compromise his character, he refused to pretend he was someone else just to get in the door.  Jameson continued writing, but the challenges he faced continued when, in 1999, he began searching for studios to record material from his ever-growing song catalog.  He briefly worked with a number of small-town studio owners who didn’t have the skill or the same vision for his songs, never mind share his faith.  " There were a lot of broken promises made.  I made the mistake of trusting folks who had no track record, no artist samples or anything, because that was the only kind of studio I could afford at the time. But, I needed a demo," says Jameson.  He prayed for better opportunities, and finally in 2008 came a breakthrough.  

After recording at six different studios over a 9 year period, Jameson’s demo was finally beginning to take shape.  It had been a long process, but God had bigger plans for him.  He opened a door a thousand miles from Jameson’s home town so that he could finally finish recording some songs.  “Ever since I can remember first hearing it, I always believed in the expression, ‘Bloom where you're planted,’ ’’ says Jameson, “but after listening for a long time, God spoke to me clearly.  I felt Him inside me saying...'It's okay to go ahead now, hit the open road...step out in faith, because I'm always...well, right there with you.'  It was like He was moving heaven and earth around me to get my attention, so I listened."   
            

That personal communication with God was a pivotal moment in Jameson's life.  He holds fast to the belief that spending time in prayer and having unwavering persistence really helped him to get through early obstacles and make important decisions.   More importantly, Jameson never attributes success to luck.  Instead, he credits patience, perseverance and faith in God’s will.  Jameson says, "We may live in a complicated world, but there is no reason to complicate the way God works.  I think it's so important to live in the present.  We all struggle with that.  In difficult times we want a quick fix instead of pressing on, gaining wisdom and discernment."  

There's no denying we are in an age when musical originality is scarce and the trend is quantity over quality.  Jameson stands out for many reasons.  Having a wealth of solid original material and a natural ability are two of those reasons, but arguably the biggest reason is that he listens.   He listens to music and not just for catchy hooks, but for soulfulness.  "A lot of songs I absolutely love from artists past to present don't necessarily have an obvious hook, but they have soul." says, Jameson.   Every bit as much a musician as he is worship leader, Jameson believes in something many don't.  He believes that spending  just as much time actually listening to music as he does making it is critical.  For anyone who really knows Jameson, he doesn't struggle for new ideas.  Raw ability, creative passion and continuous improvement are at the forefront of who he is.   That said, it comes as no surprise that he would have such a wealth of unreleased material.   

It also seems that bringing people together is something he really enjoys doing.  "For me, it isn't about affecting one generation or living in the virtual world of  'fans and likes,' says Jameson.  It's about really connecting with people of all ages and encouraging relationships with God and each other through song.   Beyond that, my hearts desire is to be a living example outside of church walls. That means being there for others.  I think that kind of example is the best sermon there is."   

Aside from his love of writing music, Jameson enjoys many hobbies and spending time with his wife, Elizabeth and son, Joshua.  You can learn more about Dan Jameson's music or get booking information by sending an email request to: booking@danjameson.com   

- Rob Edwards ©2012