This is it, folks… PART FOUR (the final segment) of the Gospel A&R Series of And Now You Know. As a reminder, this series is all about getting some of the top industry professionals to give us an EXCLUSIVE peek into the inner workings of the gospel music biz. Be sure to POST COMMENTS — we can create a great dialogue!
We welcome back Monica Coates, our A&R expert, who has worked at the top Gospel labels (EMI Gospel, Verity) and with a variety of artists, including Fred Hammond, Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker and Joann Rosario.
As a reminder, her first book, The Beginner’s Guide To The Gospel Music Industry, is available NOW at http://www.monicacoates.com, as well as at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Folks are already raving about the book– it is a must-have.
If you need a refresher from Parts 1, 2 and 3, click here now. Otherwise, here’s the wrap-up of the Gospel A&R Series, entitled “A&R And The Future Of Gospel Music”…
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PART FOUR: A&R AND THE FUTURE OF GOSPEL MUSIC
In our previous discussion, we took a look at the short-term implications of the shift in the A&R process in the Gospel music industry over the past two decades. We discovered that, largely as a result of the music technology boom of the early 1990s, producers gained financial and creative power throughout the music industry, while A&R reps began to fade from the creative process. So what does all of that mean for Gospel music in the long term?
To develop a more accurate forecast for all of you GospelPundit devotees, I dropped in for coffee with one of my mentors, EMI Gospel President, Ken Pennell. For those of you who don’t know, Ken has been a consistent creative and executive presence in the Gospel music marketplace for nearly 30 years, contributing to the development of such legendary artists as Fred Hammond, Hezekiah Walker, Smokie Norful, Kierra “KiKi” Sheard and Donald Lawrence’s Tri-City Singers. His vision for artistry and firm grasp of the business of Gospel has produced some of the most creatively exciting and profitable music ventures in Gospel music history.
I began our chat by asking Ken to expound upon a profound statement I heard him make several weeks ago at a conference for aspiring and independent artists. He opened his comments that evening with this declaration: “We’ve officially entered the age of the independent artist.”
Although you might have expected a room full of aspiring and independent artists to rejoice at that announcement, I watched instead as confusion and, I think, a bit of fear began to seep into the hearts of those in the room. The hopes of anyone expecting to gain insider hints on how to get a record deal with a major label, instantly evaporated. I, on the other hand, took notes.
Here’s what I heard: As a result of all of the elements we’ve been discussing over my past three columns on this site—-the influence of big corporations on Gospel labels, the lack of A&R development at the major labels, the rise of the Gospel producer—along with the huge decline in music sales worldwide over the past 10 years, the music industry as we know it has experienced a sharp, forceful restructuring.
But what may seem like a death toll for anyone trying to break into Gospel right now is, in fact, the sound of opportunity.
Although the historic structures of the music industry have begun to shatter, new doors have opened allowing aspiring artists, songwriters and producers to take their work directly to consumers. Through home studios, digital recording technology and the Internet, there have never been more chances for people to create and share their gift around the world…instantly.
“There are more opportunities for artists to make music and be heard then ever before,” Ken explained to me. And that’s when I caught a mental picture of the future.
When we can no longer rely on record labels to discover and develop our next generation of artists, when recording contracts are in fact NOT the key to big music sales and broad touring opportunities, where does that leave us? For the first time in the modern music age, the responsibility for creative development rests undeniably in the hands of the artists themselves.
“People have to take the responsibility to build their own careers,” Ken told me, and I agree.
Toward the end of my new book, The Beginner’s Guide To The Gospel Music Industry, I made a prediction regarding the future of Gospel:
“…Gospel artists will have to rethink CD sales as a source of revenue and put more time and attention into discovering and developing a relationship with their audiences through live concerts, direct marketing and internet promotions.
Now more than ever, the artist has to know who he is, who his audience is and what his albums should sound like in light of that audience. The majority of the work to answer those questions is going to be done by the artist and management, not the record labels.”
For years we’ve let the industry become too much a part of our goal. For those of you who are artists, songwriters and producers, this is the perfect moment to hone your craft. Rather than to look toward a marketplace to affirm and define you, take responsibility for your gifts and talents and use them to pursue your God-given calling.
The news throughout the music industry may sound a bit scary, but for those of us committed to the music of the Gospel, this is a wonderful moment. In this new age, more and more, the bend of technology is to find new ways to connect people. Consider the reality: The marketplace is wide open and we’ve got all the resources we need to connect with people.
With great opportunity comes great responsibility. So let’s seize this moment. Let’s be wise. Let’s be excellent.
Copyright © 2009 Monica A. Coates.
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I love that! It’s incredibly inspiring, I think, because it seems as if some tremendous opportunities are at hand for those who are IN POSITION and PREPARED to capitalize on them.
SPECIAL thanks to Monica Coates for her four-part series educating the GospelPundit readers about Gospel A&R. I’m also thrilled that we were able to gain insight from someone like Ken Pennell, who has so much experience in, and wisdom about, the industry! Thanks!
What do you guys think? If you’re an aspiring artist, are you inspired or dismayed? If you’re a consumer, how do you think the changing industry might affect you?
Talk to me!!!
