Before they were lighting up arenas with their joy-filled music, siblings Taylor, Madison and Logan were just pastor’s kids from Alabama who won a singing contest in college. From those modest beginnings, CAIN, the music group, was born. At first, this trio tried breaking into the industry as a country band. But Taylor Cain Matz, Madison Cain Johnson and Logan Cain ultimately found success in Contemporary Christian Music, releasing their debut single “Rise Up (Lazarus)” in 2020.
Known for their signature harmonies, quirky outfits and sibling synergy, CAIN has released uplifting songs such as “I’m So Blessed,” “Yes He Can” and “The Commission.” These days, when the CAIN siblings leave their Nashville, Tennessee, homes to tour, it’s a family affair. I sat down with Taylor, Madison and Logan to ask them about their unique sibling relationship, how they keep their marriages strong and their approaches to parenting away from home.
It’s rare for siblings to work so closely together in their careers. How does that work for you?
TAYLOR: Few people get to do life with their siblings into their 30s. While it’s my dream—and I love it—living this way can be a challenge, particularly for our spouses and families. I don’t believe they planned on living with extended family in a tour bus all the time.
MADISON: [laughs] Yes, when every adult and kid in our tour family is crammed into the front lounge of our bus, it’s hard not to feel claustrophobic. My husband, sons and I try to get off the bus shortly after waking each morning. We go outside, take a family walk and get some space to ourselves. I’m grateful for the bond I share with my siblings. They are my best friends. And now I get to watch them love my kids like their own.
MADISON: The benefits of our situation far outweigh the challenges. We’re quite literally helping raise each other’s kids, which is a blessing because of our shared values. We’ve grown to deeply trust one another, work through conflict and forgive.
How do you build connection with your spouse?
MADISON: My husband and I find little ways to connect when we’re out on the road. Days can feel like a blur when you’re trying to take care of the kids, handle band-related situations, perform onstage and rush back to the bus to put the kids to bed. You can get in the habit of “getting through” the day and totally miss your spouse. Jared and I focus on our connection by joking around, laughing, holding hands walking into the venue together. It’s the little things that can mean the most on hectic days.
TAYLOR: Intentionality is key. My husband, Steven, and I recently decided the small window of time between the kids’ bedtime and our bedtime can’t just be filled with us falling asleep watching TV. We’ve started using this time to play a game together, ask each other questions or look back through childhood photos we’ve never shown each other. The shared smiles and laughs unite us and help us get through hard moments.
LOGAN: Emily and I have made it a point to join in on each other’s interests. We work out together every day, even when we’re on tour. I’m also an avid golfer. Emily has loaded up her clubs—and our young daughters—and has joined me on the course. It means the world to me for her to jump in on something I’m passionate about.
What is it like to all be on the road together with young children?
LOGAN: Have you ever tried potty training a 2-and-a-half-year-old? Well, try potty training her on a moving bus [laughs]. That has been one of the tougher things about touring with young children. Trying to work through the challenging milestone activities that require consistency in the most inconsistent, ever-changing environment imaginable.
MADISON: That has been challenging. But it’s gotten better as the kids have gained some experience with touring. At home, my son Calloway will ask when we can get back on the “too bus.” He loves going into catering each morning for breakfast and running around with his cousins. And he absolutely loves our concerts. Even at 2, he’s memorized our entire music set, and he sings and dances along to the music from side stage.
TAYLOR: Many challenges arise simply from not having your own things—your own bathtub, your usual toys and the confined spaces of home. Most music venues aren’t designed for small children, so we watch our kids like hawks to make sure they’re safely navigating backstage areas that might have moving forklifts and heavy rolling cases. There’s also so much good in exploring new places with our kids. We’ve seen some of the coolest playgrounds and children’s museums across the country. And, she’ll never remember it, but yesterday my daughter got to give a fist bump to “Mr. TobyMac”—I mean, what a life.
LOGAN: Adding to that, my daughter River got a boo-boo on her chin the other day and immediately asked if she could send a video about it to our friend and touring partner, Crowder. I filmed it and sent him the text. She has no idea how wild it is for her to be able to send a video about her boo-boo to Crowder.
How have you been intentional to set boundaries and balance your careers, marriages and family relationships?
MADISON: It’s a work in progress, which became even more difficult when my husband, Jared, recently joined our artist management team. Now the things I’m working on, he’s working on too. When we’re together, we have to be careful not to just talk about work. It could easily become all CAIN all the time. We both love what we do, but we intentionally set work aside sometimes and just enjoy being together.
TAYLOR: My husband is a professional baseball player, so we both travel for work. We protect our time together as much as possible. Typically, CAIN tours run with four shows per week—Thursday through Sunday—and we’re home by Monday morning to recharge and do laundry. Instead of going home, I sometimes hop on a plane to fly wherever Steven is. It’s tough, but I try to do my music-related work while I’m on the road, so that when I’m with Steven, I’m truly present with him.
You grew up with an awesome example of family togetherness. How does your parents’ example inspire and influence you today?
LOGAN: Mom and Dad, who had a part in training us musically, were pastors when we were growing up. They poured themselves out daily, counseling and helping others, but we never got the “poured out” version of them. They always had enough energy to gather us around the table and make us feel like the most important people in the world.
MADISON: Yes, I felt that our parents preferred us. I struggled with sleep as a kid, and many nights I would be up late talking with Mom and Dad. I’m sure they were tired and wanted time to themselves, but I never got that feeling from them. I want my boys to feel the same way—that I never grow tired of spending time with them.
TAYLOR: I have so many memories of eating dinner together at the dining room table. We would debrief the day and talk about the “deep stuff” that came with being preteens and teenagers. I walked in the security of knowing I was wanted, loved and protected.
MADISON: Very rarely have all three of us broken down at the same time. There’s always somebody there to pick up the others. That’s something we learned from our parents.
