Grammy-winning artist, author, and professor Jonathan McReynolds joins Nina Westbrook for a deeply honest conversation about faith, ambition, creativity, depression, and the pressure to keep climbing even when life at the top feels lonely. Jonathan reflects on his childhood in church, the moment he realized music was less about talent and more about having something meaningful to say, and why his book Before You Climb Any Higher is a cautionary message for high achievers.

He also opens up about the difference between naming your struggles and identifying with them, the importance of coming back down to "the valley," and why the next generation is demanding more authenticity from artists, teachers, and faith leaders. Plus, Jonathan shares the creative freedom behind his album Closer and plays Nina's Do Tell Card Game. 

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