Interview: Jimmy Thrasher
Jimmy Thrasher is a three-time #1 Positive Country Songwriter, Producer, and along with his wife Melissa, a Publisher and Label Owner. Jimmy talks to Louder Than The Music about being a Nashville songwriter, the real life story behind his No. 1 co-wrote 'I Still Need Jesus' with Steventhen Holland, and the podcast he runs with his wife.
For those who haven’t heard of you before, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got involved in making music?
My musical journey began at age 8 as I read an article in our local newspaper about the Swampers from Muscle Shoals, AL., the Shoals Area is my hometown. The Swampers were a group of studio musicians who formed their own recording business and went on to impact the world. So many of the classic hits from the 70’s and 80’s was written and recorded right here in Muscle Shoals. When I read the article, I said a simple prayer, “God, I want to be a part of that someday.” I grabbed a pencil and a piece of paper, and I wrote my first song. Forty years later, after the passing of my late wife, God chose to answer that prayer.
I received my first invitation to travel to Nashville to co-write and it seemed like a dream come true. Oddly enough, it wasn’t the co-write that opened the door. The co-write was awesome, but after the co-write, I stopped for lunch, and I was approached by a stranger who asked if I was a musician? I said I use that word lightly, but I am a songwriter. He said me too, have lunch with me. Over the course of lunch, he answered every question of how to become a songwriter that I had ever wondered about, and he offered tons of additional information I needed to know to take my next step. This moment in my life was a God Ordained meeting for which I will forever be thankful for.
Now, eleven years later I’m on my second music deal in Nashville. I have twenty-four Singles, three of which are #1 Singles that I co-wrote and co-produced on the CDX Southern Gospel & Positive Country Chart. My wife Melissa and I also have another #1 as a Label, and a major Bluegrass Artist cut vocals on a #1 Bluegrass song here in our studio. At the time of this article, “I Still Need Jesus” by Steventhen Holland is currently an 11 Week #1.
Tell Us about the Single “I Still Need Jesus” and how you came to write it with Steventhen Holland?
I had a mutual friend who knew the two of us, but we didn’t know each other. Our mutual friend felt the two of us should meet so he made the connection happen. We met and talked for a long while and decided the two of us should connect with our music and scheduled a co-write. God laid on my heart the current condition of the world, people dealing with anxiety, depression, loneliness, hopelessness, and suicide all while Church attendance is at its lowest point in over fifty years. I had a power point presentation ready and at the end of it, Steventhen looked at me and asked me if I knew what he got out of everything I just said? I said, no what? He said the world needs Jesus; people need Jesus. I said exactly, lets write about that.
I understand the story is based on an incredibly true story.
Yes, it is. Steventhen knew my story of having lost my late wife and how that impacted everything about my life. Steventhen suggested we draw from my story of loss and how God walked through that season of life with me and led me to an entirely new life. My story unfolded over a seven-year period and can be heard on the Jimmy & Melissa Thrasher Podcast Show in episodes eleven through fourteen.
We based the first verse and pre-chorus on the incredibly hard season I went through after losing my late wife. The second verse and second pre-chorus represents the season of life I am in now where God has given me an entirely new life where He continues to richly bless me. For the bridge of the song, we turn the message outward to anyone listening who may be in a challenging and hard season themselves. We encourage them to look up to God who is reaching down to pull them up. And of course, the chorus of the song ties the heart of the song together. If you are at your lowest low or at your highest high, there is never a place where you don’t need Jesus because the truth is, we all need Jesus, all the time!
What message would you like for people to take form this song?
I think the key message I would like for people to come away with is what I mentioned in the last sentence of the last question. If you are at your lowest low or at your highest high, there is never a place where you don’t need Jesus because the truth is, we all need Jesus, all the time! I think Jeremiah 29:11 says it best. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
What other songs have you written in the past few years?
Over the course of the past ten years, we have released 24 Singles with various independent artist and one major artist making a special appearance. “Modern Day Wonder Woman” by Cameron Dubois was my first #1 Positive Country Single. This song celebrates Single Mothers and how they do the impossible all day, every day. Cameron and I wrote this song together to be an encouragement to single moms who could use some hope and encouragement. “Gotta Look Up” by Katie Barbour was my second #1 song and came out right after Covid when everyone was still trying to get their lives back on track. This song was an encouragement for people to look up from their phones and their devices and to get outside and celebrate life and look up to Christ, our Redeemer.
For those who may not know, I am also an Ordained Minister and have traveled extensively in evangelism and missions. At first glance people may listen to some of our music and wonder where the connection to ministry is. Even if the songs appear to be just a country song, there is always a method behind the song to use it for ministry. For instance, the song “That’s The Lonely Talking” has been cut by two different Artist. The song sounds like a classic country sad song. The truth is; however, this song comes from the depths of the loneliness I suffered after the loss of my late wife.
Whenever Melissa and I are ministering to someone who is battling loneliness, I will mention some of the lyrics, or sometimes I will play the entire song for the person. Once they hear the song or hear the lyrics, they know that I truly know how they are feeling, and it earns their respect to listen. It provides me an open door to share my testimony of how God healed me from loneliness, and it provides a space where we can pray with them and speak words of hope and encouragement over them. We are so much about music and ministry that we have incorporated it into our logo, Thrasher Sound, LLC., Music + Ministry. Our music can be found on our website at thrashersound.com.
Alongside your wife, Melissa, you host a Podcast Show – tell us a bit more about the show.
On the Jimmy & Melissa Thrasher Podcast Show we speak to the spiritual side of mankind through God’s Holy Word, and we share our testimonies of the wonderful things God has done in our lives. Melissa and I have a heart for hurting people who have suffered loss and are struggling to put their lives back together. We talk about topics such as overcoming bullying, social anxiety, fitting in, grief, loneliness, following your dreams, striving to be your best self, and many more topics. We are currently sharing peoples “More to Say” stories.
These stories are about people who have suffered loss and are now living their new lives. We also publish episodes on our music, sharing the stories behind the songs, why we wrote them, and what we would like to accomplish through the music. We can be found on most major podcast sites such as Apple Podcast, iHeart Radio, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, YouTube and many more. Just search the internet for the Jimmy & Melissa Thrasher Podcast Show and you will be sure to find us. You can also find us on our website at thrashersound.com at the Podcast tab.
If you could work with any songwriter, who would it be and why.
Hmm, that’s a tough one. There was a point in time when I was writing with eighteen different writers at once. The process of writing, recording demos, and pitching songs to Artist who didn’t co-write the song is a long and arduous process. I came to realize that co-writing with Artist and more specifically, co-writing with Artist on their next Single, is what gives me my greatest success. With that said, and in a dream world, if Mac Powell, Bart Millard, Jason Crabb, or Brain Free were to miraculously come across my number, call me up, and say hey Jimmy, I want you to co-write my next Single with me, well then, that would be swell.
What is your favorite album of all time?
Anything Third Day, I can’t pick just one album, or even just one song. One can always hope for a comeback album, maybe that would be my favorite.
You’re stuck on an island, it’s hot, you only have enough battery life left to listen to one song on your phone. What track is it?
“Revelation” by Third Day.
What does the next year hold for you?
We are currently working on Steventhen Holland’s next Single that he and I will write and produce together. We’re excited to see that project come to fruition and are excited to see what God will do through the work. There are several other artists we are planning on working with as time will allow.
Melissa and I continue producing podcast episodes for the Jimmy and Melissa Thrasher Podcast Show. God has laid so much on our hearts to say, so much to speak to. We are always striving to make the show a better experience for the listener as we speak hope and encouragement in Christ into people’s lives.
I continue writing on my first book as I find a minute here and there. We are also taking strides to get back out on the road speaking and ministering live, to people in person. Melissa and I both work full time jobs giving us only our weekends and afternoons to work on our ministry and music. We’re astounded that God has taken our music and ministry into 38 Countries and over 300 Cities in what little time we have available. We remain hopeful that God will move mountains to allow us the resources and time to focus on our calling in a big way, please keep us in your prayers.
