BRIEF INTRO
CCM artist Shawn Starbuck from Murfreesboro, TN knew early in life that he had a gift for music and songwriting. When he surrendered his life to Christ at age 18, he knew he was called to use his gifting for the glory of God. In 2004 he moved from California to Florida to help a close friend, Renaut Van der Riet, plant Mosaic Church. Shortly afterward his life was threatened by a brain tumor, which drove him into a deep intimacy with Christ and sparked an urgency to share the Gospel through music. God allowed him to recover from the tumor, and in 2007 he became an ordained pastor and began training and developing worship leaders. During this time he was inspired to write several worship songs in hope of releasing them into the global arena. He had the privilege of introducing these songs as he shared the stage with influential bands such as Sanctus Real, Leeland, Tree63, Group 1 Crew, and Josh Wilson. In April of 2009 Shawn attended GMA week and was selected to perform his song ‘Not Ashamed’ at the Tom Jackson stage performance workshop. He received excellent feedback and cheers from fans and industry leaders alike, stating the performance and song gave them ‘chills’. Shawn felt this to be confirmation from God that he was to share his music with the world.
He returned home to Florida and with his friend Conrad Johnson (Chris and Conrad), he recorded his first full length album ‘Not Ashamed’, which was released in spring of 2010. During this time he and Johnson also penned the Billboard charting Christmas single ‘You are the Reason’.
In the summer of 2014, Shawn was called to focus on a new phase of ministry and moved His family to Middle Tennessee to pursue deeper relationships with family, seek out healing for his wife Marlena, and develop as a stronger songwriter. They were not certain if the call was short term or long term, so Shawn stayed on staff as the worship pastor at Mosaic and traveled back and forth between Tennessee and Florida for the next year.
By the time 2015 rolled around, there was good progression of connecting with family, better health for Marlena, and Shawn released his first Christmas EP “Christmas Vol. 1” with long time friend and producer Daniel Ornellas. Though there was a great move forward, Shawn and the leadership of Mosaic knew that the call to be in Tennessee was much more of a long term call. They also knew that it would not be healthy for Shawn to continue traveling back and forth away from his family long term, so the decision was made for Shawn to be released from the responsibility of Worship Pastor at Mosaic so he could focus on his calling in Tennessee.
Shawn is now in full transition to be in Tennessee full time by the summer of 2015, and is very excited! Though he does not know the exact steps that he and his family will face, they still strongly believe in the calling to be closer to family, see Marlena’s health restored, and see Shawn write songs that will be given to the church.
Shawn Starbuck 