Add this entry to Your Favorites | [0] Favorites [14] Comments

Please wait...

I am addressing an issue that has bothered me and many other promoters in our organization, The Southern Gospel Promoters Association. I am referring to the recent National Quartet Convention. It was a great week and I commend the Board of Directors of NQC for a job well done. There were many honored, many recognized for their contribution to our industry and, many were honored for making the NQC possible.

Let’s see - song writers were honored, recording personnel, Gospel DJs, and trade magazines, as well as Group of the year, Female Vocalist, Male Vocalist, Bass, Tenor, Lead, and Baritone singers, and Pianist. And a prestigious award to the “Super Fan” of year, which I also thought was great. I could go on and on; and I am proud that all these people were honored as they were very deserving. But, who was totally left out of the picture and totally ignored, someone that does more for gospel music than anyone else? Yes, the Promoter. The promoters were not a part of the big event. To my knowledge, no promoter was honored. The word “promoter” was never mentioned from the main stage.

There were many meetings during the week - no promoters involved. There is an Advisory Board set up to discuss all facets of our industry - no promoters are invited to sit on any of these Boards and, up until two years ago, promoters were not given passes and had to purchase tickets to nightly concerts. Artists and recording companies were given passes, but not promoters. Again, thanks to Clarke Beasley that has changed.

Could it be that promoters are just not important enough to be a part of the “Big Event”? Read on and then decide if they contribute enough to be recognized.

NQC is a big week indeed. All the artists converge on Louisville for six big days. Everyone has a good time, makes money, and leaves happy. That’s for one week, but a year has 52 weeks. What do the artists do the other 51 weeks of the year? They go out and sing for all the promoters who received no recognition during the big week. But for 51 weeks of the year, the promoter books artists all over the country and, more times than not, the promoter loses money. In fact, statistics show that 62% of all concerts result in financial losses for promoters.

But Artists have to sing somewhere to make payroll and make payment on expensive modes of travel. So, they count on promoters 51 weeks of the year. So, I ask you what would artists do if promoters did not promote for those 51 weeks? Could they stay in business or would they be compelled to quit? And, if there were no artists, would there be a convention?

I have just stated the facts. I personally believe that promoters are responsible for keeping the buses rolling and the artists’ payrolls coming. Would an airline have a convention and ignore the pilots? I think not. So, why do we have a Gospel Convention and ignore the promoter?

Having held the title of President of the SGPA for the past three years, many members have asked that I address this issue. We have well over 100 members and they would also like to know why they are left out. My answer - I have no answer. No doubt some will read this and not agree, but many were upset before this was written.

I trust that most will agree that we ask for nothing more than a little respect. Promoters give so much and receive so little.

I invite you to visit our website at http://www.sgpromoters.com .

UNITED WE STAND!

Jim Heffner
Southern Gosepel Promoters Association
http://www.sgpromoters.com

Reader Comments

Keith is correct. The promoter does not do "more for gospel music than anyone else."

However, the few good promoters that we have in Southern Gospel do deserve to be commended for their efforts. The best way we can thank a good concert promoter is by buying tickets and attending their events and not being a pain in the rear to them about every little detail at the event...like the 2% of the audience who will ALWAYS complain that it's "too loud" regardless of the actual volume levels. What greater thanks could a concert promoter receive than dedicated fans who keep his business/ministry of concert promotion in the black?

At the same time, it's definitely not the place of NQC (an event put on BY promoters) to give competing concert promoters free publicity and a pat on the back, nor should any SG concert promoter feel slighted when NQC fails to recognize their efforts. It's not even the job of "the SG industry" in general to recognize the efforts of SG concert promoters. It is the job of fans and artists to thank promoters, and any artist worth his salt will thank the promoter from the stage at most events where time permits.

--Making hay while the sun shines--
sgnforum@musicscribe.com - BLOG - SGHistory.com

Add Comments

If you are seeing this form you are not a Member or have not logged in. Why not consider becoming a Member?

Membership allows you to have a prepared signature of your choice applied to every comment you make, as well as the ability to choose an avatar to display next to your name to help identify your posts. Members are also given opportunity to vote weekly in our Weekly Chart as well as special Members Only contests, polls and giveaways during the year. If you are already a member, login here, otherwise please register here.

**Note: Forums membership is a seperate membership.

By posting you agree to our Comments Policy

Name:
Email:
Location:
URL:
Comment:
	Remember my personal information
	Notify me of follow-up comments?
Please enter the word you see in the image below: