Judah and the Lion: Rhymes with Judah, Nate and Brian

Judah and the Lion made their start where all great music originates — Nashville, Tennessee, and the phenomenal band rocked Paris-Yates Chapel Thursday night hosted by the Wesley Foundation, a campus ministry at Ole Miss.

The band has been recording, writing music and touring for the past two years, and they have captivated audiences with their incredible sound. They played their hearts out, and this effortlessly talented band will continue to create great music to entertain people across the country.
I got the opportunity to talk to Judah and the Lion after the show and I’m pretty sure they talked to every person who that filled the Paris-Yates Chapel. They are so dedicated to the fans and love what they do.
The interview began with laughs from band members Judah Akers, Nate Zuercher and Brain Macdonald, and the energy between them was like they had grown up together as brothers. Here is what the talented trio had to say:
HottyToddy.com: Why choose Christian Music?
Brian: We started writing Christian music when Judah came to us [Brain and Nate] with worship songs. But we want to have a wider audience where people who are not Christian will still listen to our music and enjoy our shows. We will always have Christian themes in our songs and it will be our underlying message, but it may not be as forward.
HottyToddy.com: How did you guys form the band?
Judah: My junior year of college I started writing music more and I felt like the Lord gave me a vision. I called Nate because I knew he played the banjo and he brought Brian along. The first time we met we connected emotionally and now we play songs together.
HottyToddy.com: Why pick the name Judah and the Lion?
Nate: We took a long time trying to figure out what the best option for a name would be. Judah is Jehovah’s praise and we wanted to keep that aspect as what it was. And we really like what the lion stands for which is being bold, courageous, and strong. We want to have those characteristics as how we live out our faith. Also his name is Judah and Brain and I have a lot of hair.
We ended our talk with the band saying “Hotty Toddy” like true Ole Miss Rebels, then we parted with smiles and laughs. Judah, Nate and Brain are an extraordinary group that won over the oxford community with the strums of their banjo, mandolin, and guitar, and of course Judah’s mesmerizing voice. Hopefully the group will visit Oxford again soon.
Molly Brosier is a HottyToddy.com staff writer and can be reached at mebrosie@go.olemiss.edu.