Johnny B—a rising Christian contemporary music (CCM) artist, worship leader, faith-based creative, and COO of Fresh Wine Records—has reached millions globally, amassing over 30 million views in 2025 through faith-inspired encouragement, worship moments, and storytelling, while also hosting Worship Nugs, a podcast centered on worship and genuine faith.
Now based in Atlanta with his wife Natalie and their two children, Johnny’s mission remains simple: to lead people into the presence of God through music, storytelling, and worship.
Johnny’s journey—one that began with being raised in church (as he jokingly says, having a “drug problem” because his mom “drug” him to church), before faith became real for him at about 15 years old during a youth conference, in an all-in-one moment when he saw the worship team on stage and felt both the call to give his life to Jesus and the desire to spend his life leading worship and pointing others to Him. That calling led him, at 20, to join Eddie James Ministries as a guitarist and worship leader, traveling for several years before transitioning to start his own band, securing a record deal from 2010 to about 2015 and enjoying a strong run.
Since then, he has served in local church ministry as a worship pastor for nearly 13 years—and now, he’s stepping out as an artist, releasing brand-new music.
You're stepping into a major leadership role as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Fresh Wine Records. What has this new season been like for you, balancing leadership and artistry?
I'm learning on the job. It's been a great season so far. I think, you know, being in local church ministry for the last 13 years, you get comfortable wearing multiple hats, doing more than one thing. So, I think in this season, I'm kind of taking that framework and applying it to this. I get to sit in the COO seat, develop and lead other artists, and step out to be an artist myself.
Fresh Wine Records has a strong worship foundation, thanks to Eddie James. How are you helping to shape the label’s vision and future?
Great question. Some of the label's alumni include Joe L. Barnes, Aaron Moses, and Dante Bowe. As we look back over the history of what this label has produced, we're excited to recruit, retain, and equip the next wave of Christian artists and begin to see what this next season looks like. This generation coming up has its own sound and its own language, and we want to give space for that in gospel and Christian music.
Tell us about the inspiration behind your new single, “The Reason I'm Free.”
Towards the end of last year, I was doing a devotional with some friends. It was a “Bible in a year” plan, and we were on day 300 or so. As we were in the Psalms, David was having one of those days he typically has when he's feeling down and out, but he still chooses to give God praise. So, in that moment, I thought, “Man, when I feel low, I'll still lift him high.” And that thought, that phrase, was the catalyst to this song.
I went over to my piano, and I wrote what I thought was the chorus. It ended up being the first verse of the song. I took it to some friends, Joshua David, who's a great writer in Nashville, and Greg Williams, who is a friend of mine here in Atlanta, and within an hour, we finished the song. It was just one of those special moments when we knew we had something truly meaningful. So we're excited for the world to hear, and we're excited to hear what their “reason” is and why they are free.
Can you share more about the collaboration processes with the writers? Gregatron and Joshua David, how that shaped the final sound.
Yeah, so we took the song into a writing room with Gregatron and Joshua David. I've heard that the best songs take the least time to write. And I hope that's true because this one was written quickly with these incredible guys. Hopefully, this is the first of many cowrites together.
The theme of freedom in Christ is central to the song. What does that freedom personally mean to you in this season of your life?
I think for me, when you've been following the Lord a while, what keeps me from falling into routine and from maintaining a relationship is remembering why I'm free. The reason I'm here. Where I'm at today doesn't make sense apart from the goodness and the grace of God. It's important to have a song like this to bring us back to the reasons.
You’ve built a large audience through faith-based content and your Worship Nugs Podcast. How has that platform influenced your approach to music and ministry?
Being in church and in ministry for the last two decades, there are just things that happen in church that are just, if we're honest, funny. And so, through social media, we've been able to share content that highlights some of the funnier aspects of church and Christian culture. And it's really helped us connect people not just to our content but to our worship, and we've been able to create a community of almost 15,000 people on Instagram and almost 40,000 on Facebook.
With new music and projects on the horizon, how would you describe the sound and message you feel called to carry right now?
I believe I'm called to carry the sound that connects people to God's presence. More than anything, I'm passionate about giving people language to connect with God. I really believe people want to worship and connect with God. They just need to know how. That’s what we're passionate about this season: the music we make, the rooms we lead, giving people language to connect with God.
As you prepare to head out on tour with fresh wine worship nights, what are you most excited for?
I think I'm just excited to be in rooms with people, sing the songs the Lord has given us, watch them come to life, and hear stories about why they're free. And again, give people language to connect with God.
As people read this and connect with your story, how can we be praying for you and your family in this season?
I love that you guys always ask this question. Pray that we wouldn't just do the work of the Lord, but that we would do the work with the Lord. There's no pressure in his presence, only an invitation to partner with heaven.
Watch NRT contributor Bradden Ford also speak with Johnny B.
Paul Phillips is a Canadian journalist with 20 years of experience writing and editing digital and print content. He specializes in health, fitness, nutrition, and travel. He loves music, movies, and, of course, living for Jesus. ChatGPT provided some assistance with this article.
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