About
My name is Joshua R. Scarberry, and this is my testimony of redemption.
My story begins when I was just four years old. At that age, I was placed on medication for ADHD, and as I grew older, I continued to struggle with different challenges. I grew up in the church, but there’s a difference between growing up around church and having a real relationship with Jesus Christ. I knew about God, but I didn’t truly understand what it meant to walk with Christ.
As a teenager, I began making choices that pulled me away. From age 16 to 28, I struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol. During those years, I also battled depression and experienced multiple suicide attempts.
At the age of 28, I was arrested and found myself in the Bristol, Virginia City Jail, facing the consequences of my actions. But God wasn’t finished with me. While I was there, Bart Fowler came to visit through Come As You Are Ministries. It was there that I gave my life to Christ. That moment became the turning point of my life.
I would go on to serve 12 years and 4 months incarcerated. But even during those years, God was working on me, changing me, and preparing me for the purpose He had for my life.
When I was released on May 10, 2024, I walked out of incarceration with a completely different direction for my life. Since my release, the Lord has opened doors I never thought possible. He allowed me to attend and graduate from Northeast State Community College. He helped me get my driver’s license back and purchase my first home. He opened the door for me to earn my Justice-Involved CPRS endorsement, allowing me to use my own experiences to help others walking through difficult circumstances. I’ve had the opportunity to serve as a board member with the Brothers for Christ Response Team and be involved in outreach ministry at Highlands Juvenile Detention Center. I have also graduated from Mark117 Discipleship.
Today, my music is an extension of that testimony. As an independent country gospel artist, I write and sing about the things God has brought me through — the pain, the brokenness, the restoration, and the hope I have found in Jesus Christ.
My past is part of my story, but it doesn’t define who I am today. I am a testimony that God can redeem a life that seems beyond repair. He can take someone who was lost and give him purpose. If God can change my life, I believe He can change yours too.
I’m Joshua R. Scarberry, a singer-songwriter from Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia — the Birthplace of Country Music.
My music is country with a gospel heart. I write about where I’m from (“My Hometown Bristol”), the simple things (“Piddlin’”), and the fight to keep going (“Keep Fighting”) — because I believe every song should point somebody toward hope. More than anything, I’m pursuing the presence of King Jesus, and I want my music to carry that.
Offstage, I’m a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist with a Justice Involved Endorsement. That work is close to my heart, and it’s why this site has a Community Resources page — if you or someone you love is fighting addiction or rebuilding after incarceration, there are people ready to help, and I’ve listed them there.
Whether you found me through a song, a show, or a friend, I’m glad you’re here. Take a listen, come to a show, and say hello — I’d love to hear your story.
— Joshua
