JASON CHAMPION
Life for Jason Champion is no coincidence. The Cleveland, Ohio native, both a husband and father of two sons, has spent over a decade honoring his faith and following a path to his destiny. As with all journeys, Champion's was not always a smooth one, preserving through the ups and downs of life, Champ, as he is ironically called stayed faithful to a course that he knew already had a victorious ending. Preparing for the first of many victories, Champ releases his inspirational solo debut on Brooks Entertainment Group/ EMI Gospel entitled Reflections. "My motivation now is to be a blessing to people and to bring some joy and hope beyond what we are seeing in the body of Christ. [I embrace] the thought and potential of giving people hope in what seems to be a time when it seems like hope is a lost commodity."
Music was present in the Champion household, primarily from Jason's father, an elder in the church. Although he spent weekends with his father involved with church, it was a New Edition concert that sparked Champion's desire to perform. He aspired to share in the experience of being on stage. Soon after, accompanied to the show by his friend David Tolliver (nephew of then famed Cleveland radio programmer Lynn Tolliver) the duo moved forward singing and performing together as teenagers. The connections with Tolliver allowed the young men to find themselves in the right places and at the right time including a chance meeting with then developing crooner Gerald Levert.
By the 11th grade Jason and David became the R&B group Men At Large. Their self-titled debut album and their follow up recording, One Size Fits All catapulted the young duo to the stratosphere singing, traveling the world and enjoying all the perks that being young recording stars afforded them. In 1996, a voice spoke to Champion. "God informed me gently through his Holy Spirit that I needed to do other things and break away from Men At Large." Needing and finding confirmation through a series of events that included David's desire to go solo and the label's intent to sever ties, Champion knew God's voice and obeyed his call to leave the R&B world.
Eventually connecting with Gospel trailblazer Kirk Franklin, with whom he had been acquainted during his Men At Large days, Champion contributed to Franklin's Hero album and tour in March 2005. After two years on the road, touring and singing with Franklin, Champion found himself again dismayed by the business.
