Singer believes it’s never too late to make your Mom proud

DEL MAR, Calif. — Josh Havens, the 24-year-old lead singer of Christian rock group The Afters, has learned to value the important things in life, thanks to the wise teachings of his mother and father.

“I was very lucky to have parents that were 100 percent devoted to being parents, which is not as common as it should be these days,” he shared during an East Coast tour stop. “My mom has always been the kind of parent who encouraged me to do my best. She made sure that the focus of her life was being our mom. And she was very good at that. We always felt so loved. She always made sure that we knew we were the most important thing to her.”

Before his father passed away from cancer, he shared a simple, but impactful, message with Josh.

“Live every single day of your life with meaning and purpose, because you never know how long you have,” he father told him.

Havens said that advice made him reflect inward.

“Am I living for the important reasons? Am I living my life for things that are to going last beyond my time here, things that are eternal?” he reasoned.

Ironically, it was right after his father’s death that Sony/Epic picked up the band’s latest album I Wish We All Could Win (INO Records) for distribution and the first single, “Beautiful Love,” hit mainstream airwaves.

Havens said he wrote the song while his wife, Cara, was in Mexico on a mission trip. Back home in Dallas he said he got to thinking about the clichés people have about love, and how his wife was actually living love by building houses for underprivileged families.

“That’s the kind of love that can truly change the world,” he said.

It’s a theme that seems to resonate with listeners.

“Beautiful Love” was the No. 1 Christian CHR single for 2005 and was used in promotions for American Airlines and American Eagle clothing stores. It’s the theme song for MTV’s new series, “8th and Ocean” and will be featured in the upcoming film, “Just My Luck,” starring Lindsey Lohan. And let’s not forget the exposure on MTV, Fuse Network and Rollingstone.com.

But none of that is as important to Havens as what he’s doing for God.

“What’s really important is where your heart is, the things that you’re doing that are going to actually make an eternal impact on the lives of others,” Havens said.

While he’s glad the Lord has allowed the band to enter the mainstream market, Havens said it’s not the group’s primary focus.

“We’re just going to play whereever He wants us to play and try to make a difference wherever he has us,” he said.

The group hopes to make a difference May 28 in San Diego for their Day 3 Grandstand performance during the May 26 to 28 Spirit West Coast — Del Mar.

Thinking back on his childhood, he adds, “The thing I remember is not how much money we had, because although we were pretty poor, I never felt like we were because I was so loved. It wasn’t what kind of cars we drove or anything like that, but it was the fact that my parents were always there when I needed them.”

And echoing “I wish we all could make our mothers proud,” a line from the album’s title track, Havens adds: “I always wanted to go on the road and call it the ‘Make Your Mom Proud Tour.’”

If you go
What: Spirit West Coast—Del Mar

Where: Del Mar Fair grounds

When: May 26 to 28

Music: Concerts will be held at various stages and times throughout the day. The main headliners include Newboys, Mercyme, Jeremy Camp, Todd Agnew, Audio Adrenaline, Barlow Girl, Kutless and Seventh-day Slumber.

Speakers: Brennan Manning, Erwin McManus, Francis Chan and comedian Kerri Pomarolli.

Tickets: Prices vary depending on purchase time, full-event access, single-day access or evening access. Discounts for juniors, military and groups.

Other features: Opening banquet, Independent music showcase, mini-marriage conference, worship conference, Vendor booths, speakers, children’s area and extreme sports.

Box office: (831) 443-5399.

Info: spiritwestcoast.com

Published by Keener Communications Group, April 2006

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