The Red Steps

JBU's Traveling Chapel Band

Music > Performance Opportunities > Red Steps

JBU students gather in the Cathedral of the Ozarks for chapel services several times a week. During those services, chapel bands lead the JBU body in musical worship from a stage at the top of six red steps. The Red Steps is a band committed to taking the musical worship of JBU down those red steps and out to people, coffee shops, schools, and churches around the country. This band communicates the mission and ministry of JBU through testimony, music, and informal conversation, and, in doing so, recruits more students to find their place in the JBU story.

The Red Steps is a band of four to six students chosen through highly competitive auditions. The band is led by the director of admissions, Hannah Bradford, and travels through the academic school year.

Listen to the Red Steps

The Red Steps recorded an album in 2011 which is available on iTunes. They also released a new single in November 2014 "Blind to Darkness."

Meet the band

Joanna Belraj

Hey friends! My name is Joanna Balraj, and I’m the least interesting person in this band! I’m a vocalist and I play keys for The Red Steps. I’m a freshman at JBU this year, and I’m majoring in Music Education with a minor in Worship Arts. When I’m not making music, you can find me watching “The Office” for the sixth time, hanging out a coffee shop, or just doing something outdoors. Brought to you by the mountains, funky socks, and a whole lotta Jesus.

Ben Bishop

My name is Ben Bishop and I am a guitar player and singer in Red Steps. I’m a freshman psychology major from Joplin, Missouri. I love music, fishing, and eating good food. Some of my favorite artists to listen to are Relient K, John Mayer, and Vertical Horizon.

Elliot Jones

I am a graphic design major who hopes to never have to use my degree and support myself through music. I was born in Slovakia to a missionary family. I lived there until I was 8 years old upon which we moved to Little Rock, Arkansas. My parents required my siblings and me to take at least 9 years of classical piano lessons. This really established my musical ear as well as a solid foundation in theory. Around the age of six, I began to play drums. It balanced out the technicality of piano playing and opened me up to the feel and groove of music. My older brothers pushed and encouraged me throughout my self taught years both with the music I listened to and the technique I played with. I know compose and produce hip hop, electronic and experimental music. I also enjoy camping, film, photography and design.

Olivia Myers

Hey!! My name is Olivia Myers. I am a Sophomore Music Education major and a vocalist for Red Steps. I am absolutely in love with Musical Theatre and it’s very common to find me breaking out in show tunes while walking across campus. However, my truest passion is watching videos of baby goats in pajamas. Thanks for reading and have a beautiful day!

Russel Patterson

My name is Russell Patterson and I play the electric guitar in Red Steps. I was born in Ft. Worth, Texas but spent most of my time growing up in Woodland Park, Colorado and Alberta, Canada. I am now completing my senior year here at JBU as a Digital Cinema major. My interests/passions include guitar pedals, Parks & Recreation bloopers, documentaries, non-fiction reading, and art of various kinds.

Jonathan Radloff

Hey-o! My name’s Jonathan Radloff, bassist for the Red Steps, and I’m a freshman this year in the Outdoor Leadership Ministries program. I spent the past two-ish years living in eastern Texas at a Christian youth camp named Cho-Yeh (chō-yay) but grew up in southeast Wisconsin––a cheesehead at heart––at another Christian youth camp called Timber-lee. Although predominantly known for being a huge outdoorsman, walking everywhere barefoot, and being able to climb just about anything (a lot of people call me Tarzan, for good reason), I have a strong zeal for camping ministry, play a myriad of musical instruments, and enjoy spending my free time learning new and somewhat random, but always useful, skills: I’m loving all the opportunities for my passions here at JBU!