God Had a Different Policy
From Insurance Agent to Wedding Performer
Mason Crongeyer
By: Chase Muro
"Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others." — Colossians 3:23 (NABRE)
For Mason Crongeyer, music did not begin with a grand plan.
It began with a dare.
Back in high school, one of Mason's close friends challenged him to join the men's choir.
"You won't do it," his friend said.
Mason smiled.
"Yes, I will."
It was a simple decision, one made almost on a whim. Yet that one moment changed the trajectory of his life. What began as a challenge quickly uncovered something that had been quietly waiting beneath the surface all along. The voice he had casually used while singing in the shower or driving alone suddenly became something much bigger.
It became purpose.
Today, Mason, who also performs under the stage name Cruz, is pursuing music full-time. He performs at private events, open mics, karaoke nights, funerals, community venues, and is beginning to establish himself in the wedding industry. It's a journey that has required courage, humility, and an unwavering belief that sometimes the gifts God gives us are worth chasing.
Knowing When Something Isn't Your Calling
Not long ago, Mason's life looked very different.
He worked in insurance.
The job taught him valuable lessons. He met incredible people, learned how to communicate with clients, and most importantly, had opportunities to help others.
That was always his motivation.
"I wanted to be a good insurance agent," Mason said. "Not one that takes advantage of elderly people."
But as time passed, something never quite clicked.
There were stretches where no matter how hard he worked, momentum seemed difficult to find.
Around the office, he often heard people say the same thing.
"You've got to have a personality for it."
Eventually, Mason realized that maybe he did have the personality.
It just wasn't for insurance.
"I have a personality for other things," he laughed.
Leaving wasn't easy, but it was honest. Rather than forcing himself into a career that didn't fit, he chose to pursue something that had been pulling at his heart for years.
"I'm selling myself," he said. "That's what I believe in."
This time, he wasn't selling a policy.
He was offering something uniquely his.
His voice.
A Gift Hidden in Plain Sight
Looking back, Mason realizes music had always been there.
Joining choir simply gave it a place to grow.
One of the first people to recognize that potential was Margaret Green, his high school choir teacher. She helped Mason discover what his voice was capable of and encouraged him to develop it.
College continued that growth under Julianne R. Johnson, his music director, who challenged him as both a musician and performer.
Today, Mason continues refining his craft with vocal coach Stephanie Bruce, whom he credits as one of the biggest influences on his recent development.
"She's been a great source of support and encouragement," he said.
For Mason, those mentors weren't simply teachers.
They were people who believed in him before he fully believed in himself.
Every artist needs someone willing to give honest feedback, encouragement, and direction. Mason has been fortunate to have several.
And perhaps no one has believed in him more than his mother.
"She's been my biggest fan since day one."
Long before he considered turning music into a career, she encouraged him to stop hiding the gift God had given him.
She believed it was meant to be shared.
Eventually, Mason began believing that too.
Taking the Leap
There comes a point where passion has to become action.
For Mason, that meant saying yes.
Yes to karaoke.
Yes to busking.
Yes to open mic nights.
Yes to funerals.
Yes to unpaid opportunities.
Yes to paid opportunities.
Every performance became another opportunity to grow.
"Any paid gig, any unpaid gig right now is good for exposure and experience," Mason said. "The goal right now is just getting as many reps in as possible."
It's an attitude rooted in humility.
Rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity, Mason understands that excellence is built one performance at a time.
Each audience teaches him something.
Each stage makes him a little more comfortable.
Each song builds confidence.
Turning Nerves Into Joy
People often assume performers eventually stop getting nervous.
Mason smiled when asked about that.
"Oh, all the time."
The nerves haven't disappeared.
If anything, bigger stages bring bigger butterflies.
But instead of fighting those feelings, Mason has learned to redirect them.
"I turn that nervous energy into excited energy."
When he steps in front of an audience, he isn't focused on perfection.
He's focused on connection.
His goal isn't simply to sing the correct notes.
His goal is to make people feel something.
"You're channeling your emotions and then displaying that so that other people will feel what you feel," Mason explained. "That's what makes a powerful and meaningful performance."
And if he makes a mistake?
Most people never notice.
"No one really knows when you slip up as long as you keep rolling with the punches."
It's advice that applies far beyond music.
The Sound That Fits Him
Ask Mason about his favorite artists and you'll quickly notice a theme.
Frank Sinatra.
Dean Martin.
Sammy Davis Jr.
Michael Bublé.
The great crooners.
He loves their timeless sound, their effortless confidence, and the freedom their music provides.
Many of those classic songs can be interpreted differently every single time they're performed.
That creative freedom keeps Mason inspired.
One of his favorite songs to perform right now is I've Got the World on a String.
He also enjoys Johnny Cash classics like Folsom Prison Blues and Ring of Fire, always looking to expand his repertoire based on what audiences enjoy.
For Mason, every song is another opportunity to tell a story.
More Than Background Music
One area where Mason hopes to continue growing is weddings.
So far, he's performed at two funerals and is currently building relationships that he hopes will lead to more wedding opportunities.
When asked what advice he'd give couples choosing live music, his answer came quickly.
"Go with the classics."
It's fitting.
Classic songs often become lifelong memories.
Years after a wedding ends, one familiar melody can instantly transport a couple back to the first dance, the ceremony, or a quiet moment shared together.
Mason understands the responsibility that comes with providing that soundtrack.
He's currently offering wedding performances for approximately $300 to $500 for a two-hour set and is happy to learn special requests to make each event personal.
"I want to make a performance to remember," he said. "Because that's what everyone wants... a wedding they'll remember forever."
Faith Behind the Microphone
There is another part of Mason's story that audiences may never fully see.
His faith.
Mason grew up in the Catholic Church before spending several years away. Eventually, he found community at Glenwood Community Church, where he served in multiple ministries, including youth leadership.
Although he later felt called to leave Glenwood and begin searching for a new church home, his relationship with Christ remained steady.
When Mason talks about music, he doesn't speak as though his talent belongs solely to him.
He sees it as a gift entrusted to him by God.
"I've got to use this gift that God's given me," he said. "He's put it right in front of me, and I've just got to reach out and take it."
That perspective changes everything.
Mason doesn't only measure success by bookings or applause.
He measures it by faithfulness.
He doesn't perform exclusively Christian music.
Most audiences hear Sinatra long before they hear a hymn.
Yet Mason believes faith can still be present.
Not necessarily through explicit lyrics.
But through joy.
Love.
Kindness.
Hope.
Beauty.
Those qualities, he believes, point back to their Creator.
"What people may not always see," Mason reflected, "is that I'm a Christian. I try to convey that through the music. Through the passion. Through the positive nature of these songs."
Rather than preaching between songs, Mason hopes people simply experience something genuine.
Sometimes the strongest testimony is excellence paired with humility.
Everyone Has a Story
At the heart of Everyone Has a Story is one simple question:
What story is God writing that people in the audience may never see?
For Mason, it's a story of trust.
A story of leaving comfort for calling.
A story of discovering that sometimes the thing you've been searching for has been with you all along.
It's the story of a young man who walked away from a stable career because he believed God had placed something else in front of him.
It is the story of a choir class entered on a dare.
Of teachers who became mentors.
Of a mother who never stopped believing.
Of nervous nights that slowly became confident performances.
Of funerals, karaoke bars, open mics, and wedding dreams.
Most of all, it's the story of someone choosing to steward a gift rather than hide it.
Mason doesn't know exactly where music will lead.
There will be bigger stages.
There will be quiet nights.
There will be auditions, disappointments, victories, and songs still waiting to be sung.
But he knows one thing.
If God places a gift in your hands, the safest place for it isn't on a shelf.
It's in service of others.
Sometimes, all it takes to discover your calling is the courage to answer a dare.
And the faith to keep saying yes long after the dare is over.
"God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control." — 2 Timothy 1:7 (NABRE)
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See you at Mass in a couple weeks, bro. Thanks again. And start spreading the news... ;)