• 2011-

  Judah AkersVocals, guitar2011-

  Brian MacdonaldMandolin2011-

  Spencer CrossDrums2012-2017

  Nate ZuercherBanjo2011-2021
• Judah & the Lion are a Nashville duo whose banjo-and-mandolin-rooted sound has stretched over the years to absorb hip-hop beats, arena-sized rock choruses, and deeply personal lyrics about grief, divorce, and recovery. Fronted by singer and guitarist Judah Akers alongside mandolinist Brian Macdonald, they built their name by turning personal struggles into communal singalongs, treating the stage almost like group therapy set to a folk-hop beat.
• The group formed at Belmont University in Nashville in 2011 as a folk band with bluegrass undertones. The origin was almost accidental: Akers had been quietly writing songs and was introduced to banjo player Nate Zuercher and mandolin player Brian Macdonald over the school's Christmas break. Akers called his mother right after that first jam session to tell her he had "met the guys that I'm supposed to make music with."
• Before discovering their signature genre-bending sound, Judah & the Lion started out with a 2012 Christian worship EP called First Fruits, rooted in their time in Belmont University's Christian music program. The band's name isn't strictly biblical in intent, even though "Judah" is the Hebrew word for "praise" and the lion has long symbolized the Old Testament tribe of Judah.
• Akers played shortstop for Belmont's baseball team before pivoting fully to music. "I loved baseball and it was a big part of my life at the time," he told Riff magazine, "but I think music has kind of always been more of a heart-wrenching emotional passion for me."
  
  It was his father who gave Akers the gentle push toward music, telling him after a game, "I want to see the passion that I see on stage from you on the baseball field."
• The band adopted a rockier edge, while keeping their signature banjo and mandolin, for their second album, Folk Hop n' Roll, released in 2016. One of the tracks, "Take It All Back," became their breakthrough hit, topping Billboard's Alternative Songs chart for three consecutive weeks and later going platinum. It landed them national TV appearances on Good Morning America and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, cementing their crossover from local folk clubs to mainstream rock television.
• Founding banjo player Nate Zuercher left the band in November 2021 after nearly a decade, citing burnout following a tough pandemic year and a need for a fresh start. Zuercher's exit forced a creative reinvention, with Macdonald picking up the banjo to help fill the instrumental gap on the band's fourth album, Revival (2022).
• The band's fifth album, The Process (2024), chronicles Akers' divorce from Lindsey Riley and his mental health struggles through the lens of the five stages of grief. Akers later found love again with Sina George, marrying her in June 2024, a personal turning point that sets a much lighter, more hopeful tone for the band's sixth album, I Am a Prism.

Comments

More Songfacts:

LullabyThe Cure

The Cure's "Lullaby" is based on a recurring nightmare frontman Robert Smith had as a child where he was eaten by a giant spider.

How Big, How Blue, How BeautifulFlorence + the Machine

The title of Florence + the Machine's "How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful" was inspired by the Los Angeles skyline.

Think As You DrunkRiley Green

"Think As You Drunk" by Riley Green is based on a scene in the show Reno 911! where a guy gets pulled over and starts dancing (quite well) during his sobriety test. When the cop asks if he's a dancer, he says, "No, I'm just drunk." Green found it hilarious.

The RoofMariah Carey

Mariah Carey's song "The Roof" is about her first kiss with Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.

BadMichael Jackson

Wesley Snipes played the rival gang leader in Michael Jackson's "Bad" video.

With Arms Wide OpenCreed

Scott Stapp of Creed wrote "With Arms Wide Open" when he found out he was going to be a dad. He named his son Jagger.

Editor's Picks

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple PilotsSongwriter Interviews

Stone Temple Pilots bass player Robert DeLeo names the songs that have most connected with fans and tells the stories behind tracks from their Tiny Music album.

Trucking Songs That Were #1 HitsSong Writing

The stories behind the biggest hit songs about trucking.

Producer Ron NevisonSong Writing

Ron Nevison explains in very clear terms the Quadrophenia concept and how Heart staged their resurgence after being dropped by their record company.

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Ian Anderson of Jethro TullSongwriter Interviews

The flautist frontman talks about touring with Led Zeppelin, his contribution to "Hotel California", and how he may have done the first MTV Unplugged.

Hawksley WorkmanSongwriter Interviews

One of Canada's most popular and eclectic performers, Hawksley tells stories about his oldest songs, his plentiful side projects, and the ways that he keeps his songwriting fresh.