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Josh Harmony Bio

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The typical Southern California skateboarder comes with a host of preconceived notions to most folks... rule breaker, adrenaline junkie, anti-authority and suspicious of any religious constriction...and skaters seem to be fueled by the requisite sex, drugs, and thrashing rock n roll. Some of those traits may have applied in the past to professional skateboarder turned soulful singer-songwriter, Josh Harmony, but 26 year old Harmony is not a stereotypical skater...

Josh grew up moving around the country as his father transferred jobs and eventually the family settled in sunny, skate-haven Southern California. He developed an interest and passion for playing guitar (eventually picking up the banjo as well) at a young age and became an ardent fan of The Beatles and gospel/bluesman Rev. Gary Davis while also developing a love for skateboarding. When skating entered his life, so did marijuana and he began to use the drug at the age of 11. Eventually, his skating prowess proved worthy of entry into the professional world of skatboarding and at 17, he joined the Toy Machine skate team and moved out of his parents house to live with some friends. Although raised in a solid Christian home, Harmony fell prey to the drug scene prevalent in the skate world and began to use drugs heavily even though he would continually feel convicted about it. "I really began to walk the line at this point because I would read the Bible and pray in the morning and then smoke weed all day, skate and party at night. I would hold mushrooms in my hand and ask God to protect me before I took them."

One night (at the age of 19), he was smoking weed that had been laced with cocaine and the concoction fueled an especially bad drug trip. "I went out to the street to go to my friend's car to lay down but it was locked so I just found a spot on the ground and began to shake. A friend got me back to my room and I sat in my bed going in and out of it. I was convinced that I was going to die and go to hell for resisting the conviction of the Holy Spirit." Harmony survived the night and vowed to surrender his life fully to Christ. "I drove immediately to my parents house and for some reason was convinced that getting baptized in the pool in the back yard was one of the things that I needed to do to get right with God. After that, I really gave my life to Jesus for the first time...since then He has truly been my Master."

From that point on, he began to speak out about his faith earning some derision for being so outspoken about Christ, but at the same time earning respect for his ability on a skateboard. "About three years ago, when I started to be more evangelical with my faith, I started to really get crap from the skaters I was on tour with. On one tour it was pretty much just me and Jesus against the world! My only comfort was the Johnny Cash "God" album. We would be on long drives and in frustration, I would retreat to my headphones as those songs would minister to me." Eventually, he began to feel that God was calling him to make music. "I started waking up with ideas for songs and I realized that in making music, I could comfort people with my music the way that the Johnny Cash album comforted me when I was on the road." He eventually teamed up with co-producers Erick Cole (guitarist and co-writer for Kevin Max (dc talk) and Brenton Brown) and worship leader Travis Taylor in 2009 to start recording.

Over the last year, he has self-released two very delicately crafted, worshipful EPs, "There is a Rhythm" (released in Nov 2009) and "Taller Than Trees" (released in June 2010). Both records are driven by an acoustic guitar and accented with instruments such as the banjo and lap steel. He borrows vocally from influences like Elliott Smith and musically from the lilting finger-picking style of Simon and Garfunkel. Lyrically, the songs are very vertically focused on longing for heaven and to be at home with Christ. "I wanna be ready, I wanna be sure, I'm not found knocking on your heavenly door" reads a line from "Come Take Me Home." Harmony also draws from his past prodigal experiences and themes of gratitude for God's mercy weave throughout much of the material. Another source of inspiration comes from wrestling with physical impairment and a battle with rheumatoid arthritis in his hips: "My body is in pain and my soul it feels the weight," he sings in "Providence," the lead track to the "Taller Than Trees" EP. Simplicity and purity are the key notes in the lyrics and arrangements which are soothing to the spirit as a lullaby and subtlely poetic as the Psalms. The records have been well received by fans and even some local skate shops have decided to carry it in their stores.

In addition to his skating career and music projects, Josh is also very involved in his home church, The Sanctuary, in Huntington Beach, CA which is comprised of a pastoral staff that includes many professional skateboarders and regularly hosts outreaches to the skating and surf communities in the Southern California region. His music was recently featured in the film "Foolishness" a skate video which is being used as an evangelical tool for youth. His hope is to be able to take his music into both the church and secular venues. "I would love to do both - bars, churches, art shows...whatever... I want to minister to the flock, but I would also like to take my music into the secular world without having to compromise." He is currently on hiatus from skating as he heals from hip surgery and recently finished a two week tour that included a show at the Cornerstone Music Festival. Future plans for the music include touring more and continuing to write and record new material. "I would love to tour more and with other artists who have the same mindset and heart for music." His twin passions have a link in that "skateboarding and music have freedom and art in common. Music is a more direct form of expression." Josh currently resides in Long Beach, CA with his wife, Jenna, and their two sons.