Last week, I was fortunate enough to attend the Gospel Heritage Foundation’s Praise & Worship Conference in Jacksonville, FL, which is the vision of Gospel Today’s Dr. Teresa Hairston.

I was a featured speaker on two panels for the youth and college division along with Carla Williams (General Manager of Kirk Franklin’s Fo Yo Soul Entertainment), Monica Coates (author/speaker/industry vet), Asaph Ward (super producer), Grant Jenkins (artist manager/artist development consultant, the point5ive agency) and Myron Butler (artist/songwriter/producer).

On the first panel, we talked about the “new” music industry and how the current industry differs from what it used to be.  And we talked about what it means for people, in both the short-run and long-term.  After a quick break, the second panel featured us sharing more about our unconventional careers in this “new” music industry.  Of course, we had lots of time for Q&A, which is generally my favorite part of any panel discussion.

I can’t recap all the nuggets of wisdom that each of the panelists gave– you shoulda been there. In short, we really tried to equip and challenge people to be better, not just to do “business as usual.”  And the audience was of a perfect age to take it and run with it (cuz some of you “seasoned” saints get so set in your ways!).

I’ve been thinking about the panel discussion since then, and I wanted to share some concepts from it with the general readership of GospelPundit.com.  One thing I wanna stress is that it is not enough to look the part– you actually have to be competent.

The “do-it-yourself” theme of the industry is both a good thing and a bad thing.  It’s good because the playing field is being leveled– anyone can promote, market and further their careers from a home computer.  Trust me, I love it.  However, the unfortunate reality is that, of those who do it themselves, only a handful are actually artists or executives of substance.

Don’t be fooled by the current music industry’s resources, now replete with social networking and opportunities galore… you STILL have to do the work, lest you be found severely lacking when the spotlight is on you.  And don’t think that a bunch of views on your YouTube video automatically translates to album sales, ministry bookings, OR (most importantly) impacted lives.  Remember– your shortcut doesn’t speak for you.  You’ll still have to be a person of substance once your arrive at the destination.

That goes for everyone.  It’s not enough to just “look like one,” whatever the “one” is.  Songwriters need to dig deeper; artists, musicians and producers need to be more creative; executives need to actually be educated in what they’re doing.

This is an age of information– but anyone laboring in the gospel industry needs to be more than just informative, they must be transformative.

So, as you’re carving out your niche in this industry, do the gospel community a favor– be a person of substance and refined professionalism, not just someone who grabbed an opportunity and fooled people into buying your hype.  Do your work, beforehand and during, so that you’re actually contributing to, not just taking from, the Kingdom of God.

Cool?

In a couple of weeks, Dr. Teresa Hairston (Gospel Today) will be hosting her annual Gospel Heritage Praise & Worship Conference in Jacksonville, FL.  It’s gonna be a two-day event that you do NOT wanna miss, featuring worship services, musical offerings, workshops and panels that’ll inspire, encourage and equip you.

Check out the flyers below to see just a SAMPLE of some of the folks participating– from Donnie McClurkin, Hezekiah Walker and Kirk Franklin to Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Jonathan Nelson and Paul Morton… on and on and on.

During the conference, I’ll be speaking on two panels geared toward young adults (peep my lil’ photo on the second flyer, top right… LOL).  One panel discussion will focus on what the “new” music industry looks like, the other talks about careers opps in that new music industry.  My panel peers will include some of the best and brightest in the gospel game and I’m excited to be a part of it.

Anyone ever attended one of the annual conferences?  Anyone planning to attend THIS one?  Talk to me!

If you’re reading this blog entry, you probably know at least three other people who not only love gospel music, but want to have a career in the gospel industry– whether as an artist or industry exec.

You WILL NOT find a better Christmas gift for that person than The Beginner’s Guide To The Gospel Music Industry by Monica Coates.  This book is packed with essential information– both insightful and practical– that will assist in guiding the path and mindset of anyone desiring to labor in the gospel biz.

At under $20, it makes a Great Gospel Gift.  What’s more, it’s a great investment into someone’s future and calling.

I get soooo many emails and Twitter messages from people asking how to break into the industry.  My response is always “for starters, pick up a copy of The Beginner’s Guide To The Gospel Music Industry by Monica Coates.”

It’s the only book I know of that articulately addresses both the practical AND spiritual issues surrounding one’s involvement in the gospel industry– either as an creative person (i.e., artist, songwriter, producer, etc.) or as an industry executive.

I STRONGLY urge you to check it out, especially if you feel in any way called to labor in the gospel industry.  I credit THIS book as one of the things God used to lead me to start GospelPundit.com almost a year ago.  It’s a great read with tons of info and it’s already making big waves, with rave reviews, in the gospel marketplace.

I’ll be interviewing the author, industry vet Monica Coates, reeaally soon for you guys.  In the meantime, check out the promo video below and visit her website, http://www.monicacoates.com, for more info.

Does anybody here already HAVE the book?  Anyone planning to purchase it?

On Monday, my wife and I accompanied a friend on a roadtrip to Memphis for the Verizon Wireless How Sweet The Sound choir competition.  The event was at the FedEx Forum and it was pretty packed.

The evening began with a performance of “Let The Word Do The Work” by Donald Lawrence, who co-hosted the evening with Lisa Kimmey-Winans.  I never get tired of that song, nor any others on The Law Of Confession: Part 1… I’m like a junkie. But whatever!

After his performance, Donald introduced the judges– Kurt Carr, Michael Davis (Memphis’ Hallelujah 97.5FM) and Marvin Sapp– before moving swiftly into the small choir competition.  The Good Hope Sanctuary Choir, of Memphis’ Good Hope Church, won in that category for their awesome performance of “When The Saints Go To Worship.”  They really looked and sounded great!

Before intermission, Kurt Carr and a few of his singers sang “Peace And Favor Rest Upon Us” and dazzled the crowd.  The second segment of the show began with Marvin Sapp ministering with “Never Would Have Made It,” a song that is proving to NEVER grow old.  Those saints were jumping up and down, screaming for him like a teenage girl at a Michael Jackson concert.  It was incredible!

The second segment featured the large choirs and the Greater Community Temple Voices, of Greater Community Temple COGIC, won that set with their jaw-dropping performance of the O’landa Draper CLASSIC “My Soul Doth Magnify The Lord.”  That church was O’landa’s home church before his sudden passing in 1998… they did him PROUD and were just on another LEVEL.

They were also the big winner of the ENTIRE night and will represent Memphis at the national HSTS competition.  I am kinda predicting that they’ll actually win the whole competition this year– just a phenomenal job.

The night ended with a grand finale of “The Blessing Of Abraham,” led by Donald Lawrence featuring the choirs and a BUNCH of singing fans in the audience.  To be honest, I didn’t expect to enjoy the event as much as I did.  I dunno how good other cities are, but good singin’ is in the water in Memphis.  And choirs are just… not a game.  Plus, the production of it was superb (kudos Verizon Wireless!).  I had a really great time.

Special shout-out to Monica Coates, Sheri Jones-Moffett & Dion Moffett, Donna Creer, and Donald Lawrence.  It was great to see you guys!

I hadn’t planned on pulling out my camera, but… I didn’t wanna leave y’all hanging.

Did not I have a TIME on Saturday?!

My wife and I went to the Beyond Potential Summer Showcase, sponsored by Artistic Soul Entertainment (led by Brandon Egerton & Antonio Neal), at The Foundry in Nashville, TN.  The event was like an educational Thanksgiving feast for aspiring artists, consisting of a panel discussion in the morning (I didn’t make it to that), followed by a showcase at which aspiring artists performed and industry vets offered constructive criticism.

First, lemme say that some of those artists are INCREDIBLY gifted.  A few I wanna point out (and I’ll try to feature REALLY soon): Kenny Springs, Kevin Gray, Crystal Cooper, Harmony and the Eternal Life crew.  There were other talented artists there, but these five really stuck out to me.

Kenny Springs is a gifted songwriter with a smooth voice reminiscent of John P. Kee (and so humble!).  Kevin Gray… well, I just talked about him on the site recently– click here.  Crystal Cooper is a young lady who writes well and plays the acoustic guitar during her set– really enjoyed her.  Harmony is comprised of six dudes who did NOT look like they’re about to sing (maybe rap), but when they opened their mouths, they were quite impressive, especially their lead vocalist.  And the Eternal Life crew is a holy hip-hop crew out of Louisiana.  They were good, but their draw for me was that they had a female in their crew by the name of L.O.V. (Lady Of Virtue) who flows VERY well– and the holy hip-hop game doesn’t really have a ”Holy Ghost Girl” (it’s the name of her single) in the game right now.

The judges– industry vets Brandon Egerton, Monica Coates and Eboni Funderburk-Grimes– thoroughly critiqued each artist, addressing songwriting, image, stage presence, vocal ability and more.  Three winners were selected from the showcase– each receiving a good deal of free advertising dollars from GospelCity.com, a very nice prize if you’re trying to get started.

Lemme quickly address the virtues of an event like this.  I know that I’ve got a lot of folks who desire to be artists reading this blog and I need you to understand the value of DEVELOPING YOUR ARTISTRY.  Events like this, and books like the one that Monica Coates has written (The Beginner’s Guide To The Gospel Music Industry), are not merely “options you might consider pursuing.”  They are necessary because they CHALLENGE your artistry and give you tools with which to build yourself.

At the showcase, it was simple to distinguish the artists who have really worked on developing themselves from the person who just saw an ad, got off their couch and made their way to the venue.  I don’t care how great your calling, YOU must prepare for the place it will take you. 

Okay, enough preachin’.  Check out http://www.gobeyondpotential.com for more info on this showcase series– it may be coming to your area SOON.

Anyone heard of these artists I mentioned?  Anyone planning to go to one of the regional events?  Whatd’ya think???

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!!!

SO sorry for makin’ you wait for this… we’ve been busy busy busy at the site (as you’ve seen), but we’re back with PART THREE of the Gospel A&R Series of And Now You Know.  As a reminder, this series features top industry professionals giving us the EXCLUSIVE deal on how things work in the gospel music biz.  Be sure to POST COMMENTS and lemme know what you think!

Monica Coates is updating us on the current state of “artist and repertoire” (A&R) in the gospel industry.  Over the course of her diverse career, she 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.

Her first book, The Beginner’s Guide To The Gospel Music Industry, is available NOW at http://www.monicacoates.com.  Do not sleep… it’s an incredible, must-have book.

If you need a refresher from Parts 1 and 2, click here now.  Otherwise, here’s PART THREE of the Gospel A&R Series, entitled “A&R And The Current State Of Gospel Music”… 

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PART THREE: A&R AND THE CURRENT STATE OF GOSPEL MUSIC

In our last conversation we discussed how and why true A&R methods are dying in today’s Gospel music marketplace.  We cited the corporate demands of mainstream record labels along with the broad accessibility of high-quality recording technology as the main contributors to this phenomenon. 

So what does all of that mean for the future of Gospel music?  To fully answer that question, we need to look at the short-term impact as well as the long-term implications.  In this article, we’ll focus on the short-term impact.

In recent years the lack of a true A&R presence at our major labels led to two major trends: (1) the rise in power of the Gospel producer and (2) a lack of artist development at Gospel labels.

Perhaps the greatest beneficiaries of the music technology boom of the 1990s were producers.  It is the role of the producer to shepherd a song from idea to full production.  The producer oversees the creative direction of a song, hires the performers (musicians and background singers) and engineers, directs the recording sessions and, although funded by the record label, is often responsible for ensuring the bills are actually paid.

Where once a producer had to rely upon hefty financial support from record companies to create a song, the introduction of MPCs and Protools gave virtually anyone with a dream access to high-quality, digital audio in the comfort of their own home.  That shift in venue also marked a shift in financial and creative power.

Historically a producer had to allot a sizeable amount of each recording budget to an expensive studio along with an array of recording costs. However, in the wake of the technology boom, the same producer could now spend that money in his own studio.  And because the new technology made recording more affordable, producers could now complete a song with a bit more money to spare.

As the creation of music moved into home studios across the nation, A&R representatives became less involved with the daily process of production.  And for the first time producers found themselves in a position of greater control not only financially but creatively as well.

That’s when things began to get really interesting. 

When you combine the pressure of corporate timelines and responsibilities with a decreased need for A&R reps to be hands-on in the production process, the role of true A&R is relinquished by the record label and picked up by the producer.   The result was our second trend—a lack of artist development at Gospel labels. 

Rather than the A&R rep discovering an artist and working to develop that artist’s material and style, labels began signing artists based upon their potential and sending them out to develop their sound with a producer.  Over time the process shifted even further to the point that producers were discovering and signing talent and then bringing that talent to the labels to cut a deal.

From a business perspective the arrangement worked well for large record companies.  As with other kinds of businesses, the ability to outsource certain tasks can increase efficiency and allow the company to become more profitable.  But when the main product is creative, that business model has a way of stunting artistic growth.

The strength of the old-school A&R model was the broad access that the A&R rep had to various producers, songwriters and musicians.  An A&R person could draw from a large pool of talent to best explore the potential of an artist and further develop that artist’s sound.  Conversely, with producers at the helm of the process, too often an artist would conform to the style of that producer, rather than growing into a sound of their own.

In the new scheme of things, the producer is often more famous than the artist.  Audiences can recognize the producer shout-out at the top of a track even though they’ve never heard of the artist featured in the song.  In fact frequently it’s the producer’s name and sound that lends immediate credibility to a new artist.

In the short term everyone wins:  The label gets the power of an established name to attach to an unknown artist, the artist gains an immediate audience through his connection to a well-known producer and the producer finally gets to reap real financial benefits.

But what happens to our marketplace in the long-term?

More about that next time…

Copyright © 2009 Monica A. Coates.

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Wow.  I love that entry because it talks about the stuff that we’re SEEING in the industry, but haven’t really articulated.

For example, we’ve definitely seen the pro’s and con’s of everyone being able to record without big label dollars behind them– some amazing indie projects, and some reaaaallly bad ones.

Soooo… whatd’ya think of the article?!

Hey folks, a coupla updates:

1.  Sorry for the delay– I’m posting the latest column from Monica Coates, our resident expert on Gospel A&R tomorrow.  It’s been a minute since I posted the last two segments, so click here to catch up on what she’s had to say about A&R in gospel music… You don’t wanna miss what’s coming next!  AND, make sure you check out her new website, http://www.monicacoates.com for more info about her and to order her INCREDIBLE book, The Beginner’s Guide To The Gospel Music Industry.

2.  I chatted with Stellar Award winner JESSICA GREENE (Best New Artist) and I’m posting our interview this week, so make sure you check for it.  It was a great convo and I think you’ll enjoy hearing about her recent experiences and what’s next.

3.  Don’t forget to email me at ej@gospelpundit.com if you’re gonna be in the Norfolk, VA area on Saturday, May 16th.  I’m giving away FREE TICKETS to the Tim Reid Celebrity All-Star Basketball Game and Pre-Game Concert featuring Ton3x.  Click here for details.

Okay, that’s it for now.  Y’all good???  See you laterrrrrrrr.

The urban gospel scene is growing by leaps and bounds and, even if you ain’t necessarily feeling it, it is undeniable that the people involved in it are gifted and are having an impact on the audiences for which God intended ‘em.  So, I’m supporting.  And I’m enjoying!

Right now, I’m enjoying Terrell King…

This German-born, now Atlanta-based new artist is getting a lot of attention from consumers and industry execs.  He’s even tapped to be featured with Marvin Sapp at a GMA Week mixer in Nashville, TN in a coupla weeks. [Editor’s Note: Marvin Sapp won’t be at the mixer anymore– on board, though, are several artists, including Tonex, Rizen and Karima Kibble, and industry execs like Roger Holmes and Monica Coates.)

He’s a songwriter, vocal producer and vocalist… even more, he’s got a passion to serve God and to share the message of Jesus Christ with his generation.

His digital EP, Almost Clear, was released on December 2nd and, in just a few short months, he’s already gotten 30,000 single streams from it.  Expect a full album from him THIS summer, but expect to hear about him A LOT sooner. He’s got a good voice, a good look, a good fanbase already… I think he’ll do well.

Listen to the audio on this clip and lemme know what y’all think:

And make sure you visit his MySpace page for more streaming audio from his EP: www.myspace.com/officialterrellkingmusic

Thoughts???