Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 1385 | Country Singer Anne Wilson & the Robertsons Turn Heartbreak Into Hope for Others

Episode Date: July 27, 2026

‘My Jesus’ singer Anne Wilson connects with Jase, Al, and Zach over how personal loss transformed their faith and gave them a greater urgency to point others toward Jesus. Anne’s new book, “Rebel,” inspires a conversation about turning a rebellious streak toward the Lord and standing against a culture that wants Christians to stay quiet. The guys reflect on Phil’s unashamed legacy, worshiping through tragedy, and finding lasting purpose on the other side of grief. Anne gets real about her struggle to keep her identity grounded in God rather than fame or success.  In this episode: Romans 1:16; Exodus 3:11–14; Job 1:15, 20–21 “Unashamed” Episode 1385 is sponsored by: https://bravebooks.com/unashamed — Use code UNASHAMED for 20% off your order! https://vanman.shop/unashamed — Get 15% off your first order with code UNASHAMED https://fastgrowingtrees.com — Get 20% your first purchase when using the code UNASHAMED at checkout. http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ — Sign up now for free, and join the Unashamed hosts every Friday for Unashamed Academy Powered by Hillsdale College Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Chapters 00:00 Taking the Gospel Into Country Music 07:28 Finding Courage in an Unfriendly Crowd 14:32 The Death That Changed Anne’s Faith 18:06 Holding On to God Through Grief 24:47 A Spiritual Awakening in Country Music 28:50 The Lost Opportunities for Being Bold 34:25 Why Ann Starts Every Morning With Scripture 40:12 The Hidden Struggle Behind Fame & Success 45:33 Worshiping God in the Middle of Tragedy 48:01 Anne Gives Jase Hope for America — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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What about you? Welcome back to Unashame. We are excited today. I mean, we were texting last night about this. So, you know when we're texting at night about the guests coming home, that we're excited. And we have a very special guest today. Her name is Ann Wilson, which much of our audience will know. She's amazing.

Anne, welcome to Unashamed. Thank you. I'm so excited to be here. And we found out as we were, this is our first time to meet Ann. Have you ever met Ann before? I have not. But I was dying to say this when we were exchanging pleasantries when Ann entered the digital arena here.

My wife, when I said, hey, we have a guest. Her name is Ann Wilson. My wife said this, and y'all know my wife very well. So this was kind of a shocking statement. She was like, oh, she's coming on your podcast. You're going to love. her. I was shocked. She doesn't usually say that because she knew I didn't really know the world you're in, which is country music, which we need to talk about that because I found it fascinating

what you do because I, you know, how many people are going to say, oh, let's go to country music and sing about Jesus. Yeah. That's the story of Ann Wilson. So a couple of things I wanted to to tell you. So she had the, you who were on my radar with my Jesus, which was, was that, was that like three or four years ago, Ann? When did that? Yeah, it's been about five and a half years since that song came out. So a huge hit. It obviously was great. And we were doing it a lot at our church. And we have like a really large celebrate recovery. And these are people that are coming out of the world. A lot of them are coming off of addiction. And so these people love Jesus and they love to worst. And that song, watching a group of 400 people in that frame of mine,

seeing your song, was inspiring to me. It's the first time I'd ever heard it. And then my little granddaughter, who's eight years old, my youngest one, she was about five at the time. And somehow, I think she goes to a little gospel club at her school, which is a public school. And they introduced that your song to her. And she came home and sang it so animated. And me, it brought tears to my because yes, your grandkids, you know. So I just want to tell you've had your music, your writing, and I know you were very young when you first came out with that song, you were a teenager, has had a huge influence on people all around.

But it's had a big impact on our church and my family too. So thank you for that. Thank you for sharing that. That means a lot to me. So how did this happen? Well, it's been a long journey. You may give you some while you're thinking. I'll give you the context why I asked that question.

question because I've never been a fan of country music because me like you because I read your book, I came to Christ at an early age and there's only been one country music song that I liked, which was a country boy can survive because that basically depicted my life. We lived off the land, but then my dad, when he heard it, he was. He's like, well, it's got two, four little words in there, buddy. No. But anyway, that's kind of the only song I ever liked, because the rest of it was about, you know,

I'm pretty good at drinking beer. I don't know, that just popped in my head. There's a song, you know, out there. I'm like, really? This is what you're going with. Broken Dream. It kind of mirrored the names of the bars in our community, which, I mean, Al, you can help me remember.

One of them was broken, promises, dirty pillows. That's the name of a book. Why would I want to go there? It's just so depressing. One of my favorites, because I was a rebel, the wrong rebel, which was fascinating me about your book title, which, by the way, that's one of the things we'll be talking about today, Ann has a new book coming out called Rebel.

But I was a rebellious teenager, Ann, and I was just opposite of Jace. And so that was the only time of my life I listened to country music because I loved it because it talked about drinking. Getting drunk. I was drunk. The day my mom got out of prison. You know, I loved singing along to that stuff for all the wrong reasons. And so then when I came to Christ, I was kind of like Jace, I was like, I didn't

live in the country anymore because now I was like, well, I don't want to do that anymore. Not that there's not bad stuff. So they listen to Iraq. Well, I won't say, rock and roll is pretty much. Hey, Jesus take the will, go rest high on that mountain. I mean, I can name a bunch of belief. No, you're not going to name a bunch. You're going to name a few.

Well, there's a lot of them. There's a lot of them. But anyways, she's here because we want to hear about your blog, hear what's going on to your world. You're in Franklin, right? Franklin, Tennessee. Is that where you're out of? Yeah, Franklin, yeah.

So that's the context by which I wanted to ask you the question. Because I just mean you wouldn't think most of the people, I've done events like you have, where I've been the only sober person there, which I wasn't singing, but still, you know, they got, that's, they got uncomfortable when I brought up the Lord. So that's kind of where I was going with that question.

Yeah. So, I mean, I started music when I was 19 years old when I put out my Jesus. I had just graduated high school in 2020. I mean, I was just fresh out of high school, excited for getting to put out a song. I mean, that was like my dream was getting to write songs that would impact people and getting to spread the gospel. And so I started out in Christian music. I was signed to a Christian label.

And when my Jesus came out, me and my team noticed that it was kind of like naturally trickling into the country music space. And a lot of the people in the country space were reaching out to my team, my label, my management. And basically just being like, hey, like I love this song. I love what this girl is doing. I love her style. And it's actually doing pretty well in the country charts right now. So we kind of had this moment as a team where we realized like that God was starting. to really show us, okay, this is the direction you're supposed to go. And the doors were just

flying open in the country's base. So that ended up turning into my second record I put out called Rebel was my debut country album. And it was all about bringing the message of the gospel to country music and staying in Christian music and continuing to pour into my fan base there, but taking the message of the gospel to country music. And it was just this piece. I felt from God, like this is what I was supposed to do. And I just knew that that's what I was made to do and called to do. And so we've been playing country festivals and putting out songs to country radio for the last, I guess it's been three years now. And it's crazy. There's moments that are really hard, you know, when I'm having to get up on a stage and share the gospel and I don't feel equipped or I don't feel like, like, courageous enough to do it. And I have to kind of talk to myself and be like, no, like, this is what you're called to do. And you're going to go. And you're going to go. up and do it. So it's been awesome. It's been a really cool journey. Tell, and tell the story, because

it's in the book about Coleman, Alabama. I was fascinated by that, which was the first time you had done one of these things you mentioned and just how you were backstage and how scared you were. Yeah. Well, I mean, I had opened for Morgan Wallen, which was my dream.

He's my favorite artist. And before, so it was me, and then it was Co-Wetzel, and if you all don't know country music, you don't know who Co-Wetzel is. but let's just say he is the opposite of my kind of music in every way. Like wild, like the things that he says on stage. I mean, it's just crazy. So I'm getting up there.

I'm five feet tall. I think I was 20 or 21 years old. I'm this little blonde girl, you know, walking up on this stage, terrified, so nervous to get to open for Morgan Wallen. But also like to go preach the gospel. And we do the same set at a Christian show that we would do at a country show. It's the exact same. So I'm getting ready to go up on stage and share the gospel. And I'm 20, 21 years old.

And I mean, it's terrifying. It was like, I was so scared. And I had this moment, though, before I went on stage where I was talking to my manager, Matthew S, which I'm sure you all know Matthew. Yeah. I do know much. Yeah. And so we were talking backstage and I just had this moment of just feeling so afraid. And this Bible verse popped up in the back of my mind right before I went on stage.

And it was for I'm not ashamed to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. And it really convicted me in that moment. And I remember feeling like, okay, I want to do this. I want to go up on this stage and be brave and share the gospel. And I have to choose in this moment that I'm not ashamed to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. I get the opportunity and the honor of getting to share Jesus with all these people today. no matter how they receive it, no matter if they're drunk out of their mind and they're not listening to it or receiving it at all, this is what I've been called to do by God.

So, Jason, it's not always easy to keep kids engaged. You have to find ways, you know, that fit at their level to keep them excited about it. I've never seen a little kid who did not love to read a book. That's exactly right. They love it. And that's why we love what Brave Books is doing. Brave Books makes children's books that teach real Christian values like courage, standing firm in your faith, loving others,

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And so this book, her book, is about unconditional love. Jeff and Jessica also wrote a book called Dear Valor, which is about adoption and God's love for us. So obviously the Robertson family loves Brave Books, and we want you to love them too. When you subscribe to the Brave Book Club, you'll get a new book every month and a free starter kit. And right now, both of the Robertson books are completely free with your first order. Use the code Unashamed for 20% off. It's an amazing deal. Head to Bravebooks.com slash Unashame.

Use the code Unashamed. That's Bravebooks. So I just got up the strength and walks up on a stage and did it. And it ended up being the most incredible day because I had holy stories afterwards of people telling me they gave their lives to Christ in the audience and people crying their eyes out, holding up a beer, singing my Jesus. And it was so cool. It was awesome.

I love that. I love the courage of that. It kind of reminds me of Phil's story. And the name of this podcast, by the way, is unashamed. We actually built the podcast around exactly the verse you're talking about in Romans 1. But Phil's story was he was taking the gospel into a secular environment. And that really was kind of the birth of everything we're doing now. When he went, he was inducted into the Louisiana Sportsman's Hall of Fame.

And he got up there to do the duck call demonstration. But then he looks down in his bag and he sees the Bible and he's like kind of had that same conviction that you had. Yeah, I've got to tell them about Christ. And so he picked that Bible up and he said, something to the effect of I stand beneath the sign, King of Beers, but I'm here to tell you about the King of Kings. And that was kind of a moment. A lot of people came to Christ in that room. And now here we are. How many years ago was that guy?

I was probably 40 years ago. I was just, I was like Anne's age. I was very young. We just started the business. And, you know, it was frightening because, like you said, you're in a space that isn't expecting it. And so, therefore, you're now advancing that out. And you're so unsure about the reaction, you know, how that's going to be. And like you said, it's at a setting this.

Well, I was going to share, I had the same similar experience, you know, a few times. But for me, and this is what I wanted to ask you about, you know, the most nervous I was ever. and sharing Jesus was the first time I shared Jesus, and it wasn't at a crowd, and it wasn't on a stage. It was to my best friend in high school, who was living horribly wrong, which we had him on the podcast a couple years ago. I mean, this happened 35 years ago, I guess.

But what I was shocked at is, you know, because it started with him, and then I started going around to all my friends. but it really laid the foundation of me getting past that nervousness because I was so shocked because I thought, you know, what's my best friend going to say? Because he obviously is living a life contrary to what I've decided to do. But I was so shocked at their responses, which kind of got me over my fears a little bit. Because it scared.

It scared them. I realized in that moment, this guy's scared to die. he knows what he's doing is not right. And of course, you know, the persecution came later. But I was wondering if you had similar experiences, because it does seem fascinating to me, a girl at your age. You had to have some moments during high school and in your, you know, your journey of faith

where that line was drawn, where you decided, okay, I'm representing God here. So any comments about that? Yeah. Yeah. Well, when I became a Christian, when I was 12, the pastor at the Bible teacher at my school and ended up becoming the pastor of the church I went to because I changed churches. He was like on fire for God. And it was the first time I had seen

someone walk with Jesus that way. And so when we were in middle school, early high school, we would actually, me and my classmates would actually go and pray for people. And so like, we would take the hour of our school day in the Bible class. And instead of reading the Bible, we'd go out and we'd pray for people and lay hands on people and see healings happen and crazy things. So I actually remember having moments of, I mean, those were moments where I had to be bold and walk up to a stranger on the street and be like, hey, can I pray for you? Or, hey, I feel like God told me this and I need to tell you this. So we watched crazy things happen, middle school, high school, crazy healings took place.

And I remember that growing my faith a lot. And me having this really just this realization of the importance. and power of sharing the gospel with people. And then my brother passed away in 2017 when I was 15 years old. And so that was kind of the second big moment in my life of really realizing the importance of sharing the gospel and making an impact on this earth while I'm here while I'm still here. And Jacob's loss really changed my whole family and our whole perspective on life. And so that was the second moment where I remember realizing at 15 years old,

like I have a choice to make and I can either follow Jesus or I can follow the ways of the world and I can fill myself up with God and his presence to get me through this loss or I can seek the things of the world and that was another moment where I chose Jesus and chose to trust him

so I think those were the two pivotal moments in my life that really set me up to be able to do this and to have the courage to do it but honestly like there were definitely a lot of moments in the beginning that I just didn't know if I could there were moments where I would want to back out on things so badly and not do something that I was supposed to do like a show. I'd try to get out of a show or try to get out of an interview or like I didn't want to have to do it.

And then I realized that conviction of no, like this is what I have been called to do by God, which we all are called to do as Christians to a certain degree. We're all called to be a light and the hands and feet of Jesus and to go spread the gospel wherever we go. Did y'all hear that? Yeah. Oh, yeah. shoot, how do I do that? How do I get rid of that sound? Oh, no.

Oh, you didn't hear that? No, we thought you were like, ask us. Oh, thank God. No, we were going to be a shout back. We're like, we hear it. We hear it, we hear me, girl. Yeah, I thought you were like, let me hear from me. Come on.

That was the Ann Wilson alter call. Did you all hear this? I'm all in. You got me. I got a text, and it was so loud. And I'm like, I have my phone on, on do not a stir. But anyway. We didn't hear that.

We do hear you. Keep preaching. We do hear you. But you said that. I mean, it was profound. You know, because when I read your book, which I want to talk about, just. By the way, the book is called Rebel and it's out. So you can find it wherever you buy your books.

And when I read that, I wasn't aware that your brother, you know, had been killed. And you shared that. And you wrote another book. And I think you went into more detail about it because you referenced it. You also did, I watched your, I am second. Jason and I have both, several of our family members have done, I am second. And so I watched yours. It was so good.

We love Angie Claussen. She's amazing. Oh, I love her. I love her so much. Dear friend. But what I was going to say is I had a similar moment that you did. The only person really that was following Jesus in my, because I went to a public high school, And at that point, I really hadn't, I didn't have enough boldness to share with my friends,

but I met this girl who, it wasn't a romantic relationship, but she loved the Lord. And that's kind of what brought us together. And at that time, I was a late bloomer. I was the shortest kid in our class, and she was the tallest girl. She got a scholarship playing basketball. Her name was Angel. But later, she got tragically killed in a car wreck. And, boy, that moment, which it took me a lot.

longer, I think, to process that for whatever reason. But because I thought, well, this is, I mean, of all the people that could be killed, you know, I was kind of wrestling with God in that. But when you share that about your brother, there's something about that wilderness moment for us that, you know, paves the way for great things to happen. Because in reality, the longer I've walked with the Lord, death is just a glitch. you're going to see your brother. We're going to live forever.

And God uses death, even in his own son, to save the world. And we know he's still alive and well today post-resurrection. But I just found that interesting because if most people say, and I think you're so close to the trees, you wouldn't think that singing about Jesus in the country music world would be successful from a business venture. Kind of like Doug Dynasty, kind of like we did an album, you know,

the Christmas, we did the Christmas album. I was like, I looked at my wife and said, this is the dumbest idea. Because even though she could sing. You know what the world said? Platinum, baby. Well, that's what I'm saying. It became like single-handedly

the most successful business venture, because me and Willie decided just to put up all the money and do it ourselves, you know, and just take the risk. And, oh, it was, you know, it was fantastic. If you really want to get kind of freaked out, look at the ingredient labels on the things that you buy and use every day. And I can almost guarantee you you're not going to know what half of it is. That's why I started paying closer attention to the ingredients in everyday products, especially things like toothpaste.

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in their life and in their faith and in their journey to kind of get you ready to launch this. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I wanted to know if you've had those kind of thoughts during that process. Yeah, I mean, when Jacob first passed away, my parents and me and my sister really had all those moments of just like believing that God was going to use it for good. And, I mean, it was, it's blown our mind what God has done through this loss. But there definitely have been those moments of wrestling with. God of, you know, well, you use this tragedy and brought good from it. But I wish I could have

my brother back. I wish I could trade it all to have him back. But it is so special because I get to share the gospel and I get to write songs that talk about loss. And a lot of my fan base are people that have walked through similar loss and can relate with my story and find comfort in it. So there's a lot of moments that have just been so beautiful and so life-giving. And it's just been a gift to be able to have that perspective. Like I'm so thankful I'll get to spend eternity with my brother. And so in the meantime, I can spend my time, you know, making impact on this world and trying to share Jesus with as many people as I can.

I wrote a lot of your quotes down from the book, but one that was, seemed to me far beyond your years, you being so young, but your spiritual maturity shown through these words. you said faith isn't about never questioning. It's about holding on in the middle of the storm. And it's such a beautiful thought because, you know, we think, you know, because when we go through difficult times, it's like, and we're crying out to God that we should never do that. But the Bible is full of these ideas of being challenged,

but the storms do come. And so the question is, what are you going to do about that and how are you going to live your life? Did I hear, was it in the IAM second video that you said that at your brother's funeral was the first time you'd ever sung publicly? Is that right? Yeah, first time ever. In that moment. And it was such a beautiful thing, me imagining that.

And it kind of took me back to, you know, our dad just crossed over a little over a year ago. And when we got together at the funeral, for all of us to, in our case, we're talkers, so we got to speak. But all of the brothers getting to honor him and getting to do that together. And then all our kids did the worship, you know, and a lot of them, you know, And it was just, it was an amazing time. And of course, it's a sadness. And it's totally different from your circumstance.

But the mindset is the same. You know, when you understand this greater thing, that we understand life and see it in a whole different way. And it does motivate it. And I feel like, I'm like you, except I'm an old man. But it got my clock running because I was like, I don't have, I'm not going to be here very long. I mean, it goes by so fast.

And so I got to impact as many people. was I possibly can while I'm here. Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, that's what you're doing with none of your music, but also the book. So I love the idea of the, you inverted the idea of a rebel because Jason and I, our high school, there's a big water tank. Westmanor, right. If I walks outside, I can actually see it.

It says the West Monroe rebels. Home of the rebels. Yeah. And so, and it's funny because that's beamed out all over the world now because of of our show. But, you know, we were called the rebels. And, of course, this goes back, and there was always controversy years ago because it's like, oh, you can't be called rebels. But we're like, but it really defines us now more as Christians. And you bring this out in such a beautiful way, because when you look it up in Webster, everything about a rebel or rebelling is a negative connotation.

It's all negative in there. But you have totally flipped that by saying, you know, if we're in, if we're living counterculture, we are the rebels. Yeah, for sure. Which I love the idea. I mean, my high school had a thousand people, and I just told you, I knew one that was following Jesus. We were rebels. I mean, I think that's where the potency comes from, though, when you're, because if you're acting as a rebel and you're going into, quote, unquote, secular spaces with the sacred message of the gospel, it just seems to have a little more potency than when we're behind our wall. I was going to ask you this, though, because my kids live in Nashville. My daughter actually lives in Franklin,

and so I'm there and they're doing music. And I went there, I think, to K-Love about maybe a month ago, two months ago, and Connor Smith was there and a bunch of country music people. And it seems like there's, like, just recently, like there seems like there's this movement in country music of just the kingdom of God. I mean, am I like, I mean, are you seeing this as well? I want to hear about what's going on. It's crazy because I'm 24, so I'm like right at the heart of Gen Z.

And there's been like this huge moment. I mean, I'm sure you all have heard about this. But the movement in Gen Z of people coming to know Jesus in my generation is like crazy. Like so many people, thousands of this generation are actually hungry and thirsty for Jesus and like want a relationship with him. And it's been awesome to see. And in the midst of all of that, there's been this new wave of like country artists finally being born. enough to share their faith, or I guess feeling like they finally can come out and share what they believe in. It's been really cool because I've been doing that now for a few years. And at first,

I was kind of like the only one. And now there's all these other artists that are speaking up about their fate. And so it's been cool because I've gotten to collab with some artists like Drew Baldridge and Cole Swindell on my most recent album and even like Lainty Wilson and a couple others on my last record. And it's now it's like, okay, now these clubs are happening and all these artists are feeling like they can share their faith. And so it's been really cool. I think it's, I definitely feel like it's having a huge impact, you know, even just the country artists that you wouldn't expect to share their faith are getting up on stage and now they're sharing their faith. And so it's having a huge impact. That's so encouraging. Yeah, the, uh, Larry Fleet, we had Larry Fleet

on the podcast and to hear his story. Oh, cool of him. Super powerful. And Max and Leila, they've been on tour with him the last, I guess the last six months or so. And they do a, at the end of the night, they do a kind of a worship song. And, like, I've been to a couple of their shows. And I think the shock is how receptive the audience is and how receptive people are to want to sing to Jesus. You know, I was just reading your lyrics to my Jesus. I mean, that's like an explicit gospel. I mean, there's no like pulling punches there. So to be able to pull that off, Has there ever been a moment where that hasn't been received well? Have you ever had like any of those moments?

I'm just curious about or is it always received well. Yeah. I mean, there's definitely been moments where the crowd will look at me like I'm crazy. You know, they'll just like stare or like not receive it. And then I would say the biggest part of all of it is the lost opportunities that I've had because of me being bold. We've missed out on a lot of opportunities and opportunities have been pulled from us that we, if I had, have been so bold I would have done. And so that's probably been like, they pour from you.

Yeah, like I've missed opportunities and lost opportunities because I'm so bold in my fate. But that's where my rebel side comes out and just like I love, a part of me loves that. Like I love that I'm being so bold for Jesus that, you know, I'm not going to be accepted by the world. And that's where the book came about too is like, I know that if I follow Jesus in today's world and I truly follow him, the world is going to hate me and not accept me. And so I've kind of had to choose to make my own path and be okay with these opportunities, you know, being me missing out

on them and being like, okay, well, God, I know you have a plan and I'm going to do what you're calling me to do. And if that means that I don't get this opportunity to do this, that's okay. Because my goal is in all of this is just to spread the gospel and to serve the Lord. And so sometimes people on my team and people around me probably think I'm crazy because I'll say no to something that I should have said yes to or I'll be way too bold on social media about something.

But for me, it's like, I'm not here for any other reason than to just share Jesus. So I always tend to go a little more bold than maybe most people think I should. What's the most ambitious landscaping project you guys have ever done? Mine's very small. I'm not much of a landscaper.

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You told us before we came on that you grew up watching our show. Yeah. And so obviously, and then we went through obviously a massive public. sort of dividing line moment about what we believe and what we believe the Bible says. And it was mainly dab, but it was all of us because we were all together. But did that, did that impact you even, you think, in terms of what God did through our family to then shape you some into the person you are? Because obviously, I mean, that makes us very proud that you are that person, you know, and you're so young in that. Absolutely. I mean, I think that definitely had a huge impact.

and even just watching how Sadie navigated all that and then how she's been, she's such an inspiration to me in my life. And I think there's been a lot of moments that really impacted that for me. And then I would say more than anyone was my parents. Y'all would love my mom. She's hilarious.

And she's a huge fan of y'all. And my mom has always been so bold in her faith and especially like politics too. Like I remember being an eighth grade and telling my classmate two to vote for, and we couldn't even vote. We're years away from voting. I love it.

But she just raised me to always speak my mind and to be bold in the things I believed in. And so there's definitely been a lot of people that have, y'all have played a role in that, and so many people have played just a part in me really realizing just the importance of it. And I think I've also just never been scared to kind of go my own way and go against the grain.

And especially like in high school too, when all this peer pressure and temptation to go the ways of the world and the ways that my friends were going. There were just moments where I remember just having this boldness like, no, I want to choose Jesus and choose the right way. And my parents had, you know, a lot to do with that and the way they raised me. And I'm so grateful for that. What about the team like that like when you put these people around you? I'm just curious like how, I mean, the math's obviously solid. I mean, do you have a pretty good support system like that enables you to go out? Absolutely. My team has been amazing and especially Matthew um you know he's obviously a Christian artist and he's been around for a while

and so he has that perspective of just the importance of sharing the gospel but there's been people that have come and go gone a lot you know especially over the last couple years as we've made these decisions but my core team has been amazing and has continued to really just trust that i'm following jesus and if i feel like we're supposed to go this direction then they're going to push me in that direction because they know that I'm seeking Jesus first. So I have an incredible team. And honestly, I don't think I could do it without them. If I had a team that was constantly giving me pushback for these decisions, you know, it would be so much harder. So I'm grateful. What I was going to ask about one of the things I loved about your book is you immediately

went into the story of Jesus and there's multiple Bible verses that, I mean, it's not what I thought it was going to be in a good way. And which is why I'm like, my wife was right. I I love this girl. But I know you can't make that up or it can't be fake. There's just too much. So I was wondering how you, you know, what your daily Bible study is or where did this come from? Because you had a lot of ammo in the book. I mean, it's a book, and it's real simple-minded, which I love.

Sorry, Zach. Where I just thought anybody can understand this. It's done in a real simple way. and I'm going to recommend it for new Christians to read it, especially ones that like country music. But I was wondering how that process came about because you definitely have armed yourself with the Word of God. So where does that come from?

I mean, I think growing up, my parents always would read the Bible to us when we were kids. And I don't know if you all heard of this thing called Bible Study Fellowship. Have you all heard of that? Yeah, my wife. Okay, yeah. So we grew up doing that. I mean, I remember being there at like five years old.

And even though I didn't believe in Jesus, I didn't have a relationship with him, I was being surrounded by the Word of God. And then when I was 12, when I became a Christian, that was kind of my first rebellious move. I actually left, which I'm not recommending this, but I actually left the church that my parents went to to go be a part of the church that the pastor that led me to Christ was preaching at, which my parents ended up coming as well.

But it was like I wanted to go be a person. a part of a church that was on fire for God and truly seeking Jesus. So I went to that church and then I think those few years of going there and then really pouring into my life and just really showing me and modeling for me what it looks like to read the Word of God every day and to get in the Word. And then when my brother passed away, that was kind of that that final moment of, oh my gosh, okay, this is real. I've got to, like this is how I'm going to survive this loss. I've got to give my everything to Jesus. And then in years kind of following that,

there was this ministry I used to be a part of called Iron Bowl worship in Louisville, Kentucky. And they would do prayer every single morning from like 4 a.m. until like 12 p.m. noon time. And people would just go and they'd play worship music and you just sit and read your Bible and just worship. And so I remember those being really formative moments for me in the importance of just getting in the Word of God and and having that foundation. So then when I graduated high school,

I moved out, moved to Nashville, and myself put out my Jesus, and my whole world kind of exploded. I remember there was a couple of the first year or two, I'd say I did not get in the word of God. And I really struggled with just anxiety. And I mean, y'all know, just that feeling of you go from a normal person

to then everyone knows who you are. And you have all this attention and this unhealthy attention. And then I remember, remember realizing like, okay, I've got to get back in the Word of God. Like, I will not get through this. I will not survive this if I don't. So that started really the last four years now. Every single morning, the first thing I do is getting the Word before I look at my phone, before I get on social media, before I text people back. Like, the first thing I do is just open my

Bible, read the Word of God. And even when I'm on tour, I make that like my number one priority. And that has helped me so much just to be able to have what I need, the strength to get through a day and also just my focus being put back on Jesus and reminding myself, okay, this is why I'm doing this. And especially on the road when I'm tired and exhausted, having that first thing, just being time with Jesus has been awesome for me. Yeah. So good. Yeah, that's awesome. And I think people miss the point that even of all the projects we've done with TV shows and podcasts, we have the greatest book. It's like the greatest source for wisdom and life and practical things. So anything you do, I mean, especially when you're singing songs and coming up with rhymes and

different things. I mean, my favorite song, which I do this with every guess, especially if I like what, you know, the content, I listen to those two songs. The one about Jesus. My Jesus. But I really love the one. I really love the one. one that's just titled Strong. And so when I listen to them, though, whenever I get my truck, I just, I have it, it plays over and over and over again.

So I listen to those two songs for the last two days. But I thought, you can't get this. That's why I think you're being successful because the words, the lyrics of that word strong, this is everybody. We're really good at falling down.

And if there's a way for someone to pick you up, you know, all of the creative of the universe. And so I think there's, you know, there's always a perspective there because to deal with the attention, because I'm embarrassed when people, even to this day, come up and they want a picture. We talk about this. And I'm like, let me explain this to you. You're drawn to the spirit inside of me, but it's not me. It's coming from the Lord. I think having that perspective keeps you humble, number one, And it makes sense on why you're coming up with all this good material. I was going to ask you about that.

And how have you dealt with the fame part that comes with that? Because you're right. Your story, so many similarities that I saw because we didn't really plan on. But you have talents and can sing and all this. But we were just a bunch of people that were making duck calls. And we were all spiritually minded and worked at our church. But we had no idea that God was going to just throw us out to the whole world. And so we were grounded by each other.

And we early on, so we've got to stick together here because we don't want to be Kardashians with Beards, you know. And so we just didn't want this thing to get away from us. And so we tethered that to each other. And I know your parents probably have had a big part. But what's help keep you, because fame is fame. And people are constantly trying to tell you that you're better than you really are because we all know ourselves. Yeah. How have you dealt with that side of just being a famous person now?

People screaming when you walk out and yelling your name and wanting to take your picture and all that stuff. Yeah, I'll tell you, it's the hardest part of what I do for sure because I'm not everyone that liked a lot of attention anyway growing up. I didn't like the spotlight to be on me. And so it's always so weird for me, especially as an artist because a lot of people in the industry will talk about like you have like you as your person and who you are every day and then the person that gets on stage. and it's like having to kind of divide them in one way to protect your personal life. And then also being able to go on stage though and be yourself because that's what you've been called to do. So it's been hard for me to kind of find the balance of it all. But I still, I'm the same way.

Like if someone recognizes me in public, I still feel so weird. I'm like, why like you want a picture with me? I don't understand. Like this is crazy. There's been a lot of pressure in that for me too. I mean, my career started when I was 19. So the most, what they say, your most formative years, your early 20s, your 20s in general, have been shaped by fame and in the public eye. So it's been hard for me to figure out, okay, who am I aside from this?

Because I haven't really been anything other than Ann Wilson music for the last five years. And the last six months have probably been the hardest for me. And I've actually been really struggling. I struggled a lot this spring with all of it. And I'm actually writing an album right now about. identity that will come out next year and it's going to be all about just finding my identity in God again. But there have been moments that have been really hard for me, moments of just feeling like a failure, you know, or not good enough. Because when you put your worth in the fame side of it

and a song doesn't do as well as you wanted it to, then you lost your worth immediately. And that happened to me this spring. And so I had to really reshaped the way that I viewed success and really reshaped like, okay, my identity is not in my music. It is not what I do for my work. It is in that I'm a daughter of Jesus. So I haven't done it perfectly, and I haven't, you know, dealt with it perfectly by any means. But I feel like these last six months have been really, really informative for me. And I think this will really change the trajectory of how I view it in the future.

Thank you so much for sharing that. That's such a vulnerable, you know, sharing. And I know because people, they wonder about that. And they don't know, you know, a lot of times, but they still struggle themselves. All right. Let's have a songwriting session. I'm going off the no script we already had. I did this in an earlier podcast a couple years ago,

and I got, I would say, a dozen songs from listeners who tried this, but to be honest, they lacked the talent, and I just had to give them the thumbs down. But since you're writing a song about identity, now I've got to bring this up. So, okay, in Exodus 3, here's Moses. And he's having a conversation with our creator. And he says, in verse 11, he says, who am I that I should go?

Which is how we all feel. I mean, even what you're doing and what I'm doing, I'm like, who am I? And then God responds to Moses in verse 14. I am who. And if you just stop right there, he just took what Moses said in the English translation. I'm using the NIV and turn that backwards. Yeah. Because he said, who am I.

I've always thought that would make such a clever song. Somehow I know this. You go through all the things on who am I. You give your reasons. And then you have a God saying, I am who I am. So there's your thought. That's so good. I love that.

Do with it what you will. But if there comes a song one day about who am I, I am who, something I just thought. There's something there. Guess what my title is for the song that comes out in August. I'm getting excited. Tell me. Who I am to you.

Well, look at you. That's crazy. She's tracking with the... That's crazy. I'm giving you the weaponry here. Exodus 3. You know how the singers, they get up right before they sing and they give a little speech? Well, here you go.

Exodus 3. I love that. I'm going to write that down. It's good. I think we should. I was watching the I am second one

and reading the book too and I thought it immediately took me back here's another passage into Job 115 that when Job got the worst news of his life you know to lose

everything he had to everything he loved and there were still more to come but in that moment in Job 115 of the initial attack of Satan his response was to fall down

and worship and that's why what the Bible says. He worshipped, you know, out of tragedy. And so I couldn't help but think about your story. And you sang, you know, that first song you sang was in a moment of tragedy and difficulty, but your response was to worship and to know who God was. And so, and you didn't know at that moment that that was just the beginning to what you were going to be doing. And so it's such a familiar thing. It makes me rethink the idea that, you know, worship is always just about happy to It's about any time, you know, that we, and you got several times in the Psalms and lamentation

and other places where you get the idea that even out of tragedy and difficulty, worship is still the thing to turn to. And so your writing and your songs help make that happen. No doubt. Thank you. Which is very powerful. We're almost out of time, but I want to remind folks, again, Rebel is the book. And Ann, I'm looking forward to, I travel all across the fruited plains.

speaking on behalf of the Almighty with my wife. And I'm hoping I'm going to have to check your, your concert schedule, because I'm hoping I can cross past. I want to hear now your whole gamut. Yeah, which would be fantastic. I would love that. I would love to get to see you.

So how do you connect with people and fans? Is social media kind of you're a big thing now? Because you're young. I mean, other than your music, how do you kind of interact with people, you and your team? Yeah.

So lots on social media. And then we also have a ministry that is, we just started a couple years ago called Hey Girl Nation. And it's becoming, it's going to eventually become a bigger thing in nonprofit and we're going to partner with organizations. But it's really just a platform for girls to come and be reminded of their identity in Christ. We pray for each other. We have a booth at all of our shows where girls can come up and get prayer. And the volunteers will pray over them and encourage these young girls and their identity. And it's also.

A lot of my fan base are these young girls. And so when they come to shows, giving them the opportunity to be prayed over and everything, it's been really special. So that's kind of where all of our fans, it's kind of like a fan page and just a big ministry platform called Hey Girl Nation. All right. Well, I got the last question for you. So what do you do for fun? That's what I want to know. Because, look, I know anything you do, even for the Lord, if you, I don't know how many concerts you do a year.

I'm assuming it's a lot in your young and energetic. But anything can become a grind. So I just, yeah, I thought maybe you could share, you know, your top three fun things you get to do. Okay, top one would be my family owns a farm in Kentucky. We've got 700 acres. It's a dream. And I love going to shoot guns at the farm. That's probably my favorite thing out of everything.

More reasons to love Anne. She likes weapons. I do. You are totally fitting into our sphere. And I feel my dad's voice, who we're passing the legacy on, if he met you, I know exactly what he would say, and Al knows what I'm fixing to say. I know it's going to. After meeting you, a 20-something-year-old young woman singing in the country music world for the

Lord, I know what my dad would say. He would say, it's official. There is hope for America. That is exactly what is. The good thing, put it over the top. We now have hope. We've turned the corner, boys. Jay's, did you ever think you would run into a young woman like this hand we've met that would love Jesus, sing about him, and shoot weapons for crying out loud?

No, I'll actually, look, the reason I'm saying this is because I read, I'm going to confess my, I've tried to explain this many times on the podcast, and it brings out every legalist. the Christian world, but who cares? I'm playing poker with my buddies the other night. They're not, you wouldn't think these are Christian guys, just in kind of some of their conversations or whatever. But I was reading your book to prep for this. And they were like, what are you reading? Because when I first got the book, they said,

oh, no, he's bringing out his Bible. Because usually when I bring up my Bible at the poker game, for some reason, I cannot lose. and they think it's a supernatural. I love that. I read that book. When I said Ann Wilson, well, they're all country music fans. And they're like, oh, yeah.

I was like, well, you're acting surprised that she's going to be on our podcast. So I had a little sermon there. But no, but it shows me why this resonates with your audience because at face value, these guys do not seem like they're following Jesus, but they liked your music. And they were, oh, oh, well, we believe in God. Oh, yeah, you got to have, you know, got to have the Lord. You know, five minutes are going off into something that I'm pretty sure the Lord wouldn't improve up. But it just, that little moment there, I thought, was a seed that helped me show them Jesus.

And we have something in common here. We love her. All right, so shoot guns on the farm. We interrupt you. What's number two fun? Anything else? I mean, honestly, at the farm, we'll go hunting and fishing. Those are some of my favorite things to do.

I love, I think because I'm always so busy, going to the farm is like such a just, it's such a peaceful, just like breath and brush air for me. I can just go chill and be a family and just rest. Me and my family love going to the beach. We'll go down to 30A a lot. That's one of our favorite things. And then I love a good shopping day. I love to shop.

And that's the nice thing about success. says. You can shop a little harder and a little longer. And it's been such a blessing. Everybody, get her book, Rebel. It's outstanding. Jason, I read it too very quickly because it's a great read. And I love it. It's just, it's immersed in Jesus, which is our kind of thing. Check out her music. And what was the, my girl? Tell me that again. Hey Girl Nation. Hey Girl Nation. Hey Girl Nation. And if you ever need anybody to play an instrument,

The only one I play is a duck call. So if that ever comes up, where you need me, give me a call and I'm there. Okay, I will. Thank you guys for having me. It's awesome. You're a blessing. You've been great. Thank you.

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