Not that long ago, Chris Cron was fronting the Warner Bros. Records-signed band, Melee, touring the world and living the rock and roll dream. When that band parted ways, it left Cron, newly married, with a lot of questions and confusion. 

Though he thought he had said goodbye to life as an artist upon moving to Nashville, working at a local YMCA, God had other plans. From meeting people in the Christian music industry to an appearance on NBC's The Voice, Cron realized that his artistry wasn't over; it was being repurposed.

In the 8 questions below and Cron's recent NRTLIVE interview, we hear about his testimony, his new lease on life and music, and what drives him nowadays. 
 
1. Ever since I can remember, music has been a part of my family. My grandpa was in barbershop quartets. My mom and dad both sing, and my dad leads worship at church. My mom enrolled me in piano lessons when I was five, and I picked up guitar around 13 when my dad brought home a hand-me-down Fender Strat.

2. I don't know if it's very surprising, but I doubt most people would guess that I'm also a part time handyman. 

3. I feel as if I'm finally returning to the innocence of why I got into music in the first place. I've been a people pleaser and when my old band signed to a major label, I made records that I thought they wanted. I made more product, and less art if that makes sense. After the band ended and I took a sabbatical from music, I was able to come back to it with the idea that I can and should only create what I'm inspired to create; the things that move me. I'm much less worried about trying to please people who are just trying to make a buck. I'm much more focused on creating what needs to come out of me. 

Now with all that said, some things haven't changed much, and that's because it's natural to me. I have a big loud voice, and it's hard for me to write outside of that.

4. Identity is such a huge theme in my music because I lost mine. I'm still gaining it back. We start out as innocent kids, fascinated by the simple things God has for us and then someone tells you that you are good at something and you should become that. Well, then you go for that thing, whatever it is and it ensnares you. It obsesses over you and you over it. It becomes your identity. If it happens to all get pulled out from under you (which it most likely will) then you end up completely lost. You don't know who you are anymore. It's really hard as an adult to get back to that place we all started as children, knowing that our identity is only found in the love that God has for you, despite your accomplishments and failures. That's why it's so important to balance dreams and aspirations with a healthy dose of scripture and reality.
 
5. For anyone who hasn't heard my music, I'm an 1980's kid with a 1940's soul who loves love songs, underdogs and keyboards. Lot's and lot's of keyboards.

6. Why is this the hardest question to answer? I love artists who take chances melodically. Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, George Gershwin and The Clash...to name a few. Spiritually, I'm inspired more by hymns than anything else. The "beauty of the lilies" verse in The Battle Hymn of the Republic gets me every time.

7. I feel that the 20-30 something male demographic has been largely underserved by the Christian music business and I'd like to be a voice for them. We all are struggling to find out who we are as men and in Christ while we juggle our careers and families.
 
8. My song Atlas was the most carthatic song I've written in a long time. It deals with the break up of a longtime friendship that I had, and my responsibility in it's demise. I didn't sugar coat anything and because of that, it's a bit hard for me to sing. 

9. Right now, I think the verses that I've been holding on to lately are Lamentations 3:22-23. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness".

Listen to the 'In It To Win It' Playlist, featuring songs Chris has recorded, written and produced.