| Birth Name: | William Jacob Luhrs | ||||||||||
| Birth Date: | 2 February 1985 | ||||||||||
| Birth Place: | Montclair, New Jersey[1] | ||||||||||
| Occupation: | Founder and President, HeartSupport | ||||||||||
| Module: |
| ||||||||||
William Jacob "Jake" Luhrs is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist of American metalcore band August Burns Red. He is also the founder and president of HeartSupport, a non-profit mental health organization.
Luhrs first entered the music scene in Columbia, South Carolina where he was the frontman for a band known as She Walks In Beauty.[2] The band released two EPs on which Luhrs was featured but eventually disbanded. After vocalist Josh McManness left, Luhrs got in touch with August Burns Red through Myspace which started his career with the band. Luhrs has performed on all the ABR albums except 2005's Thrill Seeker and 2003's Looks Fragile After All.
Luhrs has performed both studio and live guest vocal spots for bands such as Pierce the Veil,[3] [4] Blessthefall,[5] and For Today.[6] Luhrs, along with Matt Greiner and JB Brubaker and members of We Came as Romans and Blessthefall, appear in parody metal band, Amidst the Grave's Demons video for "Save My Life".
In 2011, Luhrs founded HeartSupport, a mental health-based non-profit organization that offers resources and peer support to individuals within the music community dealing with addiction, anxiety, depression, and self-harm.[7] [8] [9] HeartSupport would later partner with Beneath the Skin (founded by Brittany Mullins, wife of Memphis May Fire's vocalist Matty Mullins), an organization that provides mentorship to individuals seeking to improve their mental health.[10]
HeartSupport is active on their YouTube channel, where a licensed therapist (Taylor Palmby) analyzes the emotional elements behind the lyrics of songs and the visual aspects of their music videos.[11] The channel also hosts interviews with musicians in the metal scene, where the primary topic of discussion revolves around their struggles with their mental health. Past interviewees include Jesse Leach, Andy Biersack, and Ryan Kirby of Fit for a King.[12] [13] [14] In 2019, the organization released a mini-documentary about As I Lay Dying and the band's vocalist Tim Lambesis, titled Misery Evolving. The documentary focuses on the personal side of the band, detailing Lambesis' prison sentence, his rehabilitation, and how those actions affected the band.[15]
HeartSupport organized a Twitch live stream in support of World Suicide Prevention Day in 2021, titled Choose Life. The stream featured performances and interviews from musical artists such as Brian Welch, Lacey Sturm, We Came as Romans, and more.[16]
In 2023, the organization hosted HeartSupport Fest in Orlando, Florida. The event was a mission-based metal music festival focusing on "diversity, acceptance, inclusion, self-love and self-care, and mental health as priority."[17]
Luhrs is a devout Christian.[18] [19] He is a member of a non-denominational church, and was in seminary at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.[20]
In 2016, Luhrs won the Artist Philanthropic Award at the APMA Awards for his work with HeartSupport.[21]
In 2021, Luhrs opened the YourLife Gym in August Burns Red's hometown, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The gym was opened in response to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasizes the importance of both mental and physical health.[22]
See main article: August Burns Red discography.
| Year | Song | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | "Ruler of the Air" (featuring Jake Luhrs) | Kingdoms | Life in Your Way |
| 2012 | "Set Apart" (featuring Jake Luhrs) | Immortal | For Today |
| 2013 | "Carry On" (featuring Jake Luhrs) | Hollow Bodies | blessthefall |
| 2016 | "Dead Memory" (featuring Jake Luhrs) | Deathgrip | Fit for a King |
| 2017 | "Delusion" (featuring Jake Luhrs) | Aqua Vitae | The Voynich Code |
| 2019 | "Redefined" (featuring Jake Luhrs) | Shaped by Fire | As I Lay Dying |
| 2021 | "God of Fire" (featuring Jake Luhrs) | Guardians of the Path | Fit for a King |
| "When Everything Means Nothing" (featuring Jake Luhrs) |