blog No. 108
July 2nd.
From Joe
posted by: Joe Stillwell
To the NEEDTOBREATHE fans and family,
To begin, I want to offer my sincere thanks to all of you who have supported our band through the years. I’ve been bandmates and brothers with Bear, Bo and Seth for the last 13 years, and those years have provided some of the most special memories of my life.
I’ve always known that this band was my calling, but now I feel God calling me to make a change. I’m writing this to let all of you know that after much prayer and consideration, I’ve decided to leave the band. As you can imagine, this was the most difficult decision I’ve ever made, but I know 100% in my spirit that it is the right one. I will truly miss being a part of NEEDTOBREATHE, and am honored to have created great music with my friends for so long. I type these words with great appreciation for all that has come before this and great anticipation for what’s ahead.
Bear, Bo and Seth… I love you guys. You’re my brothers. I know that NEEDTOBREATHE will continue to make incredible music, and I will be eternally thankful for my part in this story.
With Love and Peace,
Joe Stillwell
65 Comments
Joe,
I am so sad to hear this news. You are the best and I know the guys must be devistated, as are your fans.
You will be truly missed!
Karen
Best of luck to you Joe. It won’t be the same without you. You’ll definitely be missed.
This breaks my heart!!! Joe, I pray for God’s peace and that His will be done in your life. You are truly one of the most talented musicians out there, and it has been more than an honor to buy your records, see you play live, and meet you at the Music Farn. Know that you will be missed SO MUCH.
You will be missed Joe! I’m glad I got to meet you last year! God bless.
Say it ain’t so Joe……Say it ain’t so.
#crushed.
THIS shocked me. Hope all is well-with you Joe….. Now that you quit the bandd….whats next?
Dear Joe,
I will miss you. It wont be the same without you. Success can be very hard especially on a marriage. Thank you for always being sincere, true and above all loyal to the fans and to the band. I will always cherish the memories and I know as we grow things have to change. I wish you the best ,always!
Denise
Joe,
You have been instrumental (literally) in the creation and development of the band NEEDTOBREATHE and the wonderful, soul-enriching, meaningful music that the band has created over the years. Fans of the band will miss you, but not nearly as much as Bear, Bo, and Seth, I am sure. We, your fans, love you… and so we salute you. We are in your debt for all that you have given us.
I pray God be with you on your journey, and that we may cross paths again. If not in this world, I look forward to jamming with you in heaven (no excuses bro… we’ll have eternity…)
Rock and roll,
Mike
PS- What on earth are we going to do now? “Bear, Bo, Seth, and Joe” had a RING to it, man. (o;
I agree with everything MikeyP posted above me…..You will be incredibly missed Joe! I’m glad I finally got to meet you and the other guys at the Birch Aquarium in San Diego a couple weeks ago! Can’t believe that will be the last show I see you at!!
Good luck and God Bless Joe! We will all miss you!!
Carrie
Joe, SO sad to hear that you’re leaving!! I know that all of NTB’s fans feel the same way! But, I admire you following your heart & your faith as to where you feel led to go next. I’m SO grateful for the time, music, inspiration, etc., etc., etc that you shared with all of us!!! You & your music have made this world a better place!! Much Love!
Oh, Joe! I already miss you, man! I’m so thankful God allowed me to meet you when and as many times as I did. You are such a wonderful assest to the band, and I know that it won’t be the same without you. I love you so much and wish you the best in the future.
Love,
-Hailee A.
This makes me sad, but I am glad you are following God’s lead. I will pray for you as you embark on this new journey. if there is anything specific I can pray for you please let me know. It was an honor to meet and speak with you on several occasions.
God Bless!
Holly
Oops, I meant *asset!
Keep on pressing on Joe!
Joe,
You will be missed by all and the band will never be the same again. However, that being said, I wish you all the best in life. I am honored to have met you a few times and I know you are an amazing person! No matter what your future holds I wish you all the happiness and love you deserve! Be blessed Joe!! We all love you!!!
Alison
Joe… I am VERRRRY sad to see you leave! ;((((( In fact I’m bawling!! But I am SOOOO happy that you are following God’s new calling!!
You are a GREAT inspiration to me!!! And you are and WILL be in my heart and prayers now and ALWAYS!!! I LOOOOOVE you soooooo much and you are one of the most amazing men I know!! ;( I will miss your amazing drum skills and your input and your amazing laugh and your beautiful smile!! 
;( You add SOOO much to the band but… You are following Him and that’s what counts!!!! I’m VERY proud of you and I looove you and am hugging you right now!!
God Bless you Mr. Joe Stillwell!
<3 Francecsa <3
Xoxoxoxoxoxo
You will always be an Outsider.
You will be missed but not forgotten Joe.
You will always be my daughter’s favorite. She enjoyed meeting you at the show here in Columbia so much, she talks about that more than Taylor swift!
She loves her picture you took with her.
And my son, learning drums, wants to be just like you!
God be with you in whatever it is that He has called you to next, but if it is music of any kind, please stay in touch with all of us Christian radio guys out there who love and are praying for you.
~jeff cruz
WMHK, Columbia, SC
when is your last show?
Joe,
I am incredibly sad that you have decided to leave the band, yet happy and excited for you on your new journey. I am empowered and inspired that you are following God’s will. I can’t imagine how much the guys will miss you. You know your fans will always support and miss you! You are one of the most humble guys I’ve met and I’m so incredibly thankful for getting the chance to meet you and see you play many times. You will always be part of NTB and will be missed. Good luck in wherever God takes you. With love,
Whitney
This serioulsy made me cry! No one will be able to replace you but you have to do what God is telling you to do! Love ya Joe!! And I’m praying for you as well as the rest of the band!
Very sad news, but I can only imagine the toll that life on the road takes on you and your family. Good luck, and the best of wishes for what is ahead of you!
Deanna
This is bittersweet news…bitter in that without you it is hard to imagine that NTB will/could be the same; only Joe Stillwell can play as Joe Stillwell. Your energy, passion and talent will be hard to replace, and for that you will be missed. The sweetness comes in knowing that in all of the busyness and success of the past few years, you have been still enough to seek, and obedient to follow, what God has for you ~ very commendable and inspiring!
Trusting in the caliber of musicians you all are, I am excited to see how the “new” band evolves. I pray continued success for all of you, as well as (hopefully) hearing where you land.
Blessings in your future endeavors,
Heather
Joe,
I wish you all the best in your next adventure!
I will miss you and your blog updates about the band. I had the honor to meet NEEDTOBREATHE in Seattle and Missoula, MT. You are a kind and gifted man and I will miss the joy that you brought to each concert.
The drums are where it’s at for me. The drumbeat is the heartbeat of a song, the lifeblood if you will, and you masterfully made each song come to life. I am NOT a musician and struggle to clap my hands in time, but I always say that I want to play drums in the worship band in heaven. After all, I’m sure I will be blessed with mad skills in the afterlife! Maybe we can play side by side.
My prayers are with you and your family. God Bless you!
Cindy Sandford
Monroe, WA
“Give me all the drums and show me how to play them loud”
You will be missed. Very much so. I pray God continues to bless you with success in your future endeavors. Much Joy, great peace, and strength for all your days. Love to you and all NTB band members from Tacoma, WA.
no, Joe, don’t go.
you’re killin’ me, Joe…you’re just killin’ me
I feel like I’m in a daze and this is not quite real to me yet!
I LOVE YOU JOE! I appreciate you and how greatly talented you are as a musician. I have always loved and supported NEEDTOBREATHE. I have also loved and supported Bear, Bo, Seth, and You, Joe. I respect, love and support your decision. You may not be a part of NTB after this year, but you’ll forever be Joe Stillwell, and I will forever be a loving fan, and supporter of you. No matter where you are! 
God Bless You Joe,
With all my Love,
Lola
P.s. Seriously, Joe you have to choose the new drummer. He Has To Be Joe Stillwell Certified and Approved!!!!
Joe,
This is very sad news. I have always been (and will continue to be) a great fan of the musical and drumming awesomeness of Joe Stillwell. I do comend you in your desicion, sometimes it’s not very easy to accept the calling of God. I thank you for that, for listening the voice of the lord and his direction. All the best to you Joe! Hope that your new adventure is filled with blessings and happiness. It was a pleasure meeting you in Pismo Beach, CA and if you need to dispose of any of your gear for whatever reason I will be more than happy to store it for you!!!
Much love, God blees you!!!!
I completely agree with everything that been said! This is SO sad!! You’ll be greatly missed by all of us, but I know God has some truly incredible plans for you in the future. I admire how you follow him so faithfully. Wherever God takes you in life just know that you’ll still be loved by all of us, and you have our full support. I would love to say more but I’m almost in tears! Good luck on the rest of your journey I’ll be praying for you.
With all my love,
Victoria
“And I know the plans I have for you” says the Lord, “plans for your welfare and not for harm; to give you a future with hope” – Jeremiah 29:11
P.S. I completely agree with Lola. You gotta pick the new drummer, because he has some seriously big shoes to fill!!
Joe,
As sad and hard as it must be for you to leave your brothers and start a new journey, I honor you for your courage to follow God’s path. NeedToBreathe would not be where it is today without your dedication to the band. Thank you for giving us fans your time and your heart. I will miss seeing you the next time I see NeedToBreathe live, but I know that you will be truly happy wherever you are. Thanks again for your hard work.
Much love and prayers,
Maggie
“Cause if you never leave home, never let go
You’ll never make it to the great unknown till you
Keep your eyes open, my love
So tell me you’re strong, tell me you see
I need to hear it, can you promise me to
Keep your eyes open, my love.”
You’ll truly be missed!! You kept your eyes open and you’re following your purpose. God bless you in your new calling. We love you Joe!!
Joe, I was SO SAD to learn of your news. I wish you luck in whatever you pursue. When are you leaving the band? Will you finish out the tour?
You will be missed, but I’m sure you know what is best for you and your family. Always follow your dreams and let the Holy Spirit guide you through this journey. May God bless you in all your endeavors.
Much love,
Annette, Jason, and Noah
Thank you for sharing your amazing talent, for all of your countless hours of hard work and for remaining so humble and sincere through it all. As a fan, I am so proud of you and the boys of Needtobreathe and the positive impact I don’t even think you realize you’re making sometimes
On a side note, it was a true joy to serve alongside you and your wife in Uganda last December. You will be so greatly missed. I wish you and your family nothing but the richest blessings in all that God has planned for you!! Take Care!
Awww Joe we will miss you incredibly, but I am happy for whatever is the next phase that God has for your life! I love that you’ve been consistent with following his leading for as long as you have, and I pray you always continue to do that! Wishing you the best in everything… Krystal G, Florida
I was so sad to here this. Mostly because I recently just found u guys through my cousin and by the time I was determined to see you live you were on the opposite side of the country and preparing to leave for Europe, so I just lived through videos and interviews of u guys and really found a connection. I was so excited to see you on ur next tour. But this news crushed me because unlike the lucky people above me I will not have the wonderful chance to meet you or see you play. It was so hard for me to take and I must have been in denial for hours and cried for more than that. I hope that you will play with them again in the near future (Hopefully near New Jersey
) so that I can come see you. I understand ur decision and I respect it. Its just hard to see one of you guys leave. I watched that longitech interview where Bear said “there was never that idea that that guy might quit” and that gave me piece of mind knowing that after 13 years you guys would stay together. But I know that you have a life and have had some of ur best memories here, and I really do appreciate your dedication and amazing talent. Im still in grieving mode and hitting myself in the head for not finding you sooner. So that I could have seen you guys, But you have a life to live and I understand 
God bless you and I hope to have the chance to meet you sometime
You will be truly miss by all your fans!
I’m glad I was able to see you all in VA. So talented!!
Enjoy your last performances with the band
Best of luck to you in the future!!!
i love you guys so much. you are my favorite band. i love the outsiders and have named myself an outsider as long as i can remember.
my point is that while i do not know many band members, i know music. and Casting Crowns, Newsboys, Third Day, what they lack is a relativity to their fanbase. THATS what i love about you all.
Joe, i feel bad for you. if this isnt gods calling for you, i understand, but if Needtobreathe falls apart because of this, i wont be able to take it. i have little in this world to begin with and Needtobreathe is one of my most treasured things in this world.
I always have, and always will regard Needtobreathe as the best.
“And through everything we learned, we finally come to terms!
WE ARE THE OUTSIDERS!!!!!”
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Do_l9-zeapjs%26feature%3Dyoutu.be&h=SAQFJmWHEAQHAYkFH6V20SU98HuiyJBPzOe9Q3wJmwmst5w
You will be greatly missed!
your band is amazing wish yall were comming to lubbock, TX
NEEDTOBREATHE will never be the same without you. You know as I talk about this band with my friends we always wondered how it would be if some one left or if the band would become like Skillet or Newsboys in the way that thier band members have changed so much. I never thought it would really happen, though. This band will never be like any other band, because your music is so unique in how it sounds and makes all of us feel, (I think I can speak for all NEEDTOBREATHE fans here.) and that is what music is supposed to do. I really hope this decision is what is really good for your life as well as the band. But once a part of NEEDTOBREATHE, always a part of NEEDTOBREATHE.
Will miss you Joe! My best wishes go with you. I’ve looked at y’all’s tour schedule and thought, How do they do it? and stopped to say a prayer for each of you. God bless you all.
Well, you’ve been apart of making some incredible music, your unique drumming sound will be missed. Bless you on this new path your embarking down. Remember you can do all things through Christ Jesus who streagthens you!!
Joe,
You are a great drummer, and even greater person. I’m glad that God allowed our paths to cross a few times. You have brought a lot to joy to me and my family. God bless you in this new direction! Rock on!
Fred Bueto, California
I had the privilege of meeting you in Nov 2010 at the 930 club in DC. I liked that you were approachable and real. You will definitely be missed, and not just because of the talent you bring. Following God’s prodding leads to blessing and I admire the courage you show in taking this step in obedience to Him. May your life be blessed beyond imagination.
Joe, thank you SO MUCH for all you’ve done! And thanks for being so kind all the times I met you after shows. I’ll miss seeing you but I’m sure you’ve made the right decision. God bless…and I agree with what someone else said, you need to approve the new drummer!!
Emilee Robbins
Joe I am so sorry but fully support your decision. You are the best and certainly brought the “class” to the act! I booked The Rock Boat just to see you guys. Can you please let us know when your last show will be?
Joe, I’m sad for us, the fans, and for your brothers in the band, but I am proud of you. You are taking a stand and following your heart and following God. Very hard to do with so many people “watching.”
I couldn’t help but wonder if the Taylor Swift Tour would change the band’s direction. It’s hard to stay prayerful in that kind of mayham. And that’s not the kind of life every musician aspires to.
But do Tweet us updates (even though that’s not usually your way), you know we’ll be wondering how you are doing. I have a feeling you won’t be still for long.
Sending up prayers for all of you!
Leslie
Joe, you’re stinkin’ awesome. You know you’ll be missed! Following God’s path is always worth it, keep on chasing after Him. Love and peace*
PS. the guy coming after you will have some pretty big shoes to fill, you are one talented musician!
Joe,
It is inspiring to hear that you are continuing on in Faith. Be encouraged and coninue on in the spirit, which will forever leave you blessed and far from regret. It matters little if you bang drums or not, your life will always be an instrument of praise. God bless you Joe. Someday we’ll all walk along the Streets of Gold!
– A fellow outsider caught in reckless grace
Joe, Right now it’s hard to imagine the band without you but you’ll always be part of NeedToBreathe – the best part, the beginning and the rise to success. And, by success I mean sticking to the message, Brother. We a Christian family, a Furman family, and a NTB family – you are OUR band. You guys cross the generations to inspire us all. We got to meet you personally in SLO last time you were here. It was a thrill and you were so sweet to us. I just know God has great things in store for you. Look what he’s already done!! You’re taking a step of faith and that’s what faith is – trusting God for the future in light of His faithfulness in the past.
Haven’t commented on this yet, but I have to say that you’ll be missed. There’s a song that my parents always play for our friends when we have to part ways. They wrote it based on the old Irish saying, “May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be ever at your back. May the rain fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.”
Well their song based on that is fitting of this situation, I think. You already know we appreciate you, but I don’t know if you know how much. Sounds crazy, maybe, but you guys have been the one band to successfully pull me from my “hide in my room and sing” mentality and give me the guts to actually stand up in front of people. You’re a huge part of it. Let’s face it, NEED has a great groove to their songs. Rhythm is everything. You are da groovemasta. haha
So, Joe, I’m glad to have met you (once. haha), helped set up your kit (once), but mostly, I’m glad you were a part of NEEDTOBREATHE and as such a part of my life.
May the road rise to meet you.
(I know you won’t see this but all the same.)
Joe,
I am so sad to hear the news that you are leaving the band. I absolutely adore NEEDTOBREATHE, and will miss you as part of it. I have to tell you, I never really appreciated drums until YOU…..your drumming is mezmerizing and speaks to me and I love it in a way I have never before. I will miss your amazing rhythm and style that is very unique to you and the band. I wish you well and thank you so much for making such beautiful music for us.
love,
Shelagh
Sorry to see you leave Joe! You will greatly be missed by myself and everyone else! I wish you the best in everything that you will do. You will always be in my thoughts and prayers, and I’m glad that I have had the chance to get to see you play with these guys throughout the years. I hope you find joy in all that you do!
Joe, we love you and you will be greatly missed!!! If needed, I am available as a drummer and for background vocals, and I know all NEEDTOBREATHE’s songs!
This is a video that my sisters and I made. It’s dedicated to Joe. Sorry it’s a little late, but it’s the best we could do. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNVlz5X4md8
Joe ,
you are so awesome.. you bring your passion to the live shows , its so fun to go to the shows and see you rockin out , for Jesus and the energy from the fans.. Night after night. , You will be truely missed i have had the honor of seeing you guys 5 times , this nov. will make 6.. sadly you wont be there… , But God is calling you to a bigger and brighter future . Just look toward him in all you and he will direct your path.. , – “Ps. 27:14- wait on the Lord , be of Good courage , and he shall streghten your heart ; wait i say , on the Lord”– ( i was with you upon that hill, ill take one more step in fron you.) , SHINE ON!!! , SHINE ON!
Todd – Decatur al.
Thank you for all the love and passion you poured into NTB man. Fans appreciate it your art.
Needtobreathe’s music won’t be the same without you, Joe! You were a stellar drummer and one that inspired me in my drumming.
Didn’t see the news about your depature before we went to the show last night in Columbus – was shocked to see some other guy walkout. It just wasn’t the same. You will be missed very, very much!
God bless you Joe
you will be missed!
Man! i just saw this!
well Joe you were one of the band members i wanted to meet the most 
but if the lord calls you then you gotta be obedient, gonna miss you man.
God bless you bro
I have been wondering where Joe went, but glad to hear that he is following God’s calling. I’ll never forget when he gave me a signed drum head to give to my son (whom, by the way, displays it proudly on his wall in his bedroom!). I thought that it was so sweet that he did that and my son was so appreciative.
You will be missed Joe and I wish you the best! God bless!!