It is an ordained moment; a place and a time where we were meant to be and could not have been arranged by anyone other than the Almighty God. The atmosphere is perfect, the setting impeccable for a miracle to unfold. These occurrences happen to many people who never understand fully the magnitude of the moment or the fact that it was God who had placed them there in that moment. Others understand that it was the Lord and they begin to grasp fully the concept of God being in control of everything. Such a moment was experienced by this issue’s men of God spotlight and continues to have an impact on him today.

So often, we feel like we must be within the Christian realm in order to make an impact; however there are times where we are able to make an impact in the secular realm, which is exactly what Billy Mason is doing. His ordained moment came at a Russ Taft concert and God would begin using Billy more by the day. He is the drummer for Tim McGraw, but more importantly, he is being using by God, striving to glorify God with his life, as well as his profession. I spoke with him on a few occasions recently and found a man who wants to reach a lost world with the message of Jesus; a message that has changed his life.

His Life

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and would go through a few near-death experiences along the journey of his life to where he is now. One incident happened as he was cut and missed a major artery by only a hair at the age of five. He would find another near death experience that he could not have seen coming. He was supposed to play a gig one night with a group that he was in, but he decided not to, choosing to spend time with a girl, who would one day become his wife, rather than going to the gig. One the trip home, the lead singer and the drummer were in a car accident and killed. Had Billy gone to the gig, he would not be here now to tell his story.
Billy was married with children when he would answer the call of the Lord in his life. His talents had been given to him early in life and he had honed his talents, but had not found the peace that he needed.

Q – Can I get your testimony?

“I gave my life to Christ about twenty to twenty five years ago. I was worried at the time and had kids and we were struggling. I and my wife at the time, both gave our lives to Christ. We just knew that it was time to get things right. We were in Dayton, Ohio and gave our lives over to Christ.”

He told me another story about Russ Taft and how he went to a Russ Taft concert one night, in the midst of an argument with his wife. At the concert that night, Russ said that there was someone on the upper deck that needed prayer and he wanted that person to stand up. Billy hesitated, waiting to see if there was someone else who would stand up, knowing the whole time that Russ was talking about him. He finally stood and Russ told him to come down after the concert. They would spend an hour together that night and Russ prayed for Billy. It was the place that Billy was called to be that night and God used Russ to reach out to Billy at a time when Billy needed the Lord the most.

His Career

Billy would move to Nashville, Tennessee, in the hopes of securing a job with a Christian band. God had a little different plan for Billy, though He did open the door for Billy to play with a few Southern Gospel groups along the way to his big break. He had loved the drums since he was a child and knew that it was his life’s calling.

Q – When did you start playing drums?

“I’ve been playing drums since I was about five years old. I started drumming for a living at the age of 18. I’ve been playing pretty much six nights a week in a band since I’ve been out of high school. I played in bands while I was in high school, but for a living, this is pretty much all I’ve done. Music was always my main desire.”

His move to Nashville would open the door for him to find his true desire in God and a door that was opened for him to honor God with his talents. When times were tough, he would work odd jobs to secure enough money to make it by, sometimes driving a school bus and even working in the sewage for the city. There was nothing that would stand in the way of following his dream.

Q – So, how did you get connected with Tim McGraw?

“I was playing in clubs around town and I met Tim’s guitar player at the time. We went and worked at a job together and played for someone a couple of weeks. He said, “Hey, I’m playing for a new guy, Tim McGraw, and the drummer may be leaving.” He said that Tim was the next big thing, but you hear that about every artist. I wasn’t sure about it but he called me a couple of weeks later and said he had talked to Tim after the other drummer left and that Tim said he could hire me if he thought I was good enough. I’ve been with Tim for fifteen years now. Talk about a blessing!”

Q – How did your faith help you through the tough times before you got connected with Tim McGraw?

“That (faith) is what got me through those dark times. From the time that I was baptized and gave my life to Christ, I knew that I always wanted to live the Christian lifestyle no matter where I was at. I’ve always had a good walk with Christ. As long as I live right and put Him first, He’s always going to take care of me. Even when we were struggling, eating macaroni and cheese and frozen fish sticks all the time, I just knew that if I kept doing the right thing, then He would always take care of me. It’s hard anywhere, but it’s really hard in the music business as you wonder where your next gig is going to come from.”

Billy talked in depth about the struggles that he has encountered in his career. His marriage failed and there is an honest sense of remorse in his voice as he talks about that portion of his life. He said that it was the career that led to the ending of his marriage, as he was on the road for extended periods of time. He also told me that, if he could go back to being an eighteen year old again, he would choose something in the medical field for a career.

“Your priorities have to be God, your family, and then your career. What I did wrong was that I put my career first. Not intentionally, but you think you’re doing the right thing by working all the time because you have to take care of your family but in the long run, you actually lose your family.”

Billy is engaged now and watching closely to ensure that his career does not overtake his family again. It is a lesson that we can all learn as we often exhaust ourselves with our work and have very little left when we get home.

Q – What is the toughest part of the touring life for you?

“I was married for twenty-three and a half years and lost my family because of my career, so I have a really hard time being out on the road and being away from my kids and my grandkids.”

Q – What is the best part of touring for you?

“I enjoy the shows, playing in huge stadiums, and I love traveling and seeing the world. When I play at night, I say a prayer before I go to the drums. I tell God, “I’m playing for you. I’m going to glorify you.”

Billy also talked about the way that God is using him in this career. He said that he always looks for the people in the crowd who may seem troubled or those with special needs so that he can go over and speak to them, hoping that they will see the light and the love of Christ in him. On one occasion, he saw a young man with a physical problem and he felt led by God to go over to the man and give him a cymbal and talk to him. That man and Billy are friends to this day as that one act of kindness really helped the man to feel special. Billy seeks no glory except to give God the glory and each night, when others are shuffling towards the exits, God sends Billy on a mission to spread His love to someone who needs it the most.

His Advice

Within the realm of the celebrity world, there are some that you talk to who get it and others who do not. I have met many great men, due to the doors that God has opened to me. For the most part, they have all understood what life is really about, but there have been others I have met that didn’t really understand that all of this is about God. Billy is one of those guys who get it, who gives you a smile and pours out himself into everyone he meets. He doesn’t even see himself as a celebrity. In fact, he told me, “Success is not money; it’s about being where God wants you to be. For me, I am not successful if God is not the center of my life.”

Q – What is your advice to young musicians?

“Priorities. God has to come first in your life then your family and your career’s got to come last. I believe that, if you’re in God’s will, God’s got a plan for your life and He’ll show you what He wants you to do. When you put your career first, it always ends up bad. I don’t care how much money you have in the bank or how big your house is, if you’re not walking in the will of God and your family is not a priority, it’s going to be lonely.”

Billy talked about the great relationship that he has with Tim. He said that Tim looks his way quite a bit on stage and that he always tries to smile, hoping that it will encourage Tim. He also said, “Each time we play, I’m not just Tim’s drummer. I want to help change someone else’s life.”

Q – What keeps you grounded now?

“What keeps me grounded, honestly, is that all I listen to is Christian music. I listen to Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, MercyMe, and pretty much anything that is Contemporary Christian. I read every day. I keep godly things on my mind and in my mind every day.”

Q – What have you noticed that has changed the most about you since you started saturating your life with the things of God?“I think I’ve grown up spiritually. It’s making me more aware of what I need to do with my life for Christ. I have a lot better outlook on life now. If Christ is always on your mind, it makes you a better witness and makes you a better example. I’m growing spiritually everyday because I am working on it.”

His life has seen many twists and turns, but through it all, he has had the hand of God upon his shoulders. Billy Mason seeks to help anyone who has a need and hopes to show them that there is a Savior who can change their life just as the Savior changed his life. He understands the concept of being friends and never seeks to just speak to someone and walk away; he wants to know you and to be able to call you a friend. His heart burns for Christ and he seeks new ways each day to let others hear that his life song is about Jesus Christ.

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