Artist description Jud Kossum is a worship leader and singer/songwriter from the Houston, Texas area.

Music Style Guitar-based rock, alternative, pop, and folk rock

Musical Influences Caedmon's Call, U2, Derek Webb, Shane Barnard, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Pearl Jam, Better Than Ezra, Ani DiFranco, Michael Card, Steven Curtis Chapman

Artist History Jud Kossum has been leading worship in the Houston, Texas area for seven years -- first as a volunteer with the youth ministry at Heritage Park Baptist Church in Webster, and then as lead singer of the band Standing Still. He has ministered to groups around the Houston area, including youth groups at Copperfield Baptist Church in Houston, First Baptist Church of Dayton, First Baptist Church of Pearland, and Living Stones Church in Alvin, and singles at St. Cyril of Alexandria Catholic Church in Houston. Jud believes his role as a worship leader is one of teaching. With the worship movement that has spread across America in recent years, Christians are learning to worship anew, and those who lead them must understand and express that worship is more than just singing songs. Romans 12:1 reads, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship," and the best way to teach this is to live it. In addition, Jud sees himself as a fellow worshipper. "A lot of groups are just learning how to worship, and it's such a blessing to watch them grow," Jud says, "but it's just as cool to lead a group that already knows how to worship. It's encouraging and really incredibly fulfilling." As a songwriter and singer, Jud is eclectic, with songs ranging from energetic pop to acoustic rock and thoughtful ballads. He loves the intimacy of performing the stripped-down solo/acoustic set. "I've always written very personal lyrics," he says, "and that created an interesting dynamic with Standing Still because we were going for kind of a big, rock sound." But his downsized musical environment has allowed his lyrics to come to the fore and brought new facets to his songwriting. "I love the challenge of translating my musical style into this simplicity. I have the freedom to do a lot of the more mellow stuff that I couldn't do with Standing Still, but it's great to sit down and try to write a really rocking song with just an acoustic guitar." With Standing Still, Jud performed around Texas, including the Houston, Dallas, and Corpus Christi areas.

Instruments Guitar, vocals

Location Clearwater, FL - USA

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