Southern Gospel Music vs. Bizarro Southern Gospel Music
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Written: 07/02/2008 
Author: Nick Bruno
Category:
The Gospel Truth
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Do you like Superman? Anyone who is a fan of Superman knows about Bizarro World. It’s a cube-shaped planet called “Htrae” – “earth” spelled backwards. Bizarro World has many of the same characters that Earth has – Bizarro Superman, Bizarro Lois Lane, and Bizarro Perry White. The main difference is that in Bizarro World, everything is the exact opposite of things on Earth. It’s good to be bad in Bizarro World. For example, Superman is good, Bizarro Superman is not. Bizarro “society” is ruled by the Bizarro Code which states, “Us do opposite of all Earthly things! Us hate beauty! Us love ugliness! It is a big crime to make anything perfect on Bizarro World!”
BIZARRO SGM
And so, I am happy to announce that I have the solution to SGM being dead last in every category…Bizarro Southern Gospel is taking over the industry.
We have Bizarro record companies that feel it is a crime to make a great recording.
We have Bizarro radio promoters who never really promote a thing.
We have Bizarro artists who refuse to admit they cannot sing,
And, we have Bizarro charts which don’t bear the slightest reflection of what is popular and what is not.
REAL Southern Gospel is the greatest music this side of heaven…yet we keep trying to change it. We are allowing the Bizarro World infiltrators to make it progressive, or country, or contemporary, or heaven knows what next.
I love listening to Southern Gospel Music when it is performed well. I love quartets, trios, duos, male groups, mixed groups, family groups, and soloists. Whoever is singing Southern Gospel Music is singing my song. I love it.
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC! LEAVE THE MUSIC ALONE!
The reason SGM is dead last in every category is not because of the music. The music has stood the test of time. When people hear SGM performed professionally, they love it too.
The real problem is that the Southern Gospel Music Industry is really two industries... PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR.
PROFESSIONAL SGM INDUSTRY
I suppose one could argue all day about the definition of a “PROFESSIONAL.” To me, a professional group is talented at every vocal position, is full time, draws people to their concerts, and has good sales at their table and also at retail. You all know exactly what I’m talking about so there is no reason to split hairs over this.
We’re talking about groups like The Booth Brothers, The Inspirations, Gold City, Greater Vision, The Talleys, The Perrys, The Hoppers, The Isaacs, Gaither Vocal Band, The Kingsmen, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, The Dove Brothers and others. NOTICE, I said. “And others”. These are not the ONLY professional groups – I’m naming a few who come to mind. These groups are all different in style but they are professional. They are making money, serious money.
I’ve compiled a list of professional groups and I find that there are about 30 groups, and I had to relax my definition of “professional” a little to get to 30.
These are the groups that draw people to concerts, to the bookstores, and to the National Quartet Convention. They are sought after by songwriters, promoters, talent agencies, and record labels.
If the President wanted to have a Southern Gospel concert at the White House, you can be sure the artists appearing would come from this list.
These artists record great songs written by talented and anointed songwriters
Concert promoters book these groups mostly through talent agencies that are also professional, like The Beckie Simmons Agency and The Harper Agency.
These groups are recorded by professional record companies, Crossroads, Canaan, Homeland and Daywind, to name a few, that make recordings to the highest industry standards. Then the companies market and promote the recordings through the print medium and radio, and also distribute the artists’ recordings to the retail market.
The important thing about this side of Southern Gospel Music is that everything, EVERYTHING, songwriting, promoting, booking, recording, EVERYTHING…is driven by the artists’ ability to appeal to the consumer, spiritually and materially. Songwriters, promoters, talent agencies, and record companies need artists that can help them make a profit.
The professional side of SGM is driven by the artists’ ability to MAKE money.
BIZARRO SGM INDUSTRY – NON PROFESSIONALS
The amateur side of SGM is driven by the artists’ ability to PAY money.
There is NOTHING WRONG with being new, with being an amateur. Every professional listed above started out as an amateur and worked hard to become a professional.
To me, the word “amateur” has two meanings:
1.Someone who chooses to do something for pleasure rather than for financial benefit or professional reasons.
We have lots of artists in SGM who are “amateurs” by choice. They don’t have a competitive spirit; they just want to be a blessing. They love the music and want to get out there and get involved, but they don’t want to leave their jobs, so they go out and sing a couple of times a month and have a great time. Some of these groups are pretty good, and they desire to be the best they can be, but they have no illusions of grandeur. I work with many groups like this and I can tell you, I love it. It’s singing for the best of reasons…because you love it.
Now folks, I want you to hear me loud and clear. There is absolutely nothing wrong with weekend warriors, “newbies”, making custom recordings and getting out there and singing their hearts out week after week. Please understand me here. This is not the problem. Just like there is nothing wrong with me playing my heart out at softball two nights a week. But… if I try to get my softball team into the eastern division of the American League to compete with The Yankees and The Red Sox…now that’s a problem!
What troubles me is that you can understand how ridiculous it would be for my softball team of pot bellied aging men to try to play in the Major Leagues but you can’t (or maybe won’t) understand how ridiculous it is for an inexperienced group to try and do the things the pro groups do.
FAST RIDE ON A SLOW TRAIN TO BIZARRO WORLD
Which brings me to the second meaning for “amateur”.
2. Someone who is inexperienced or unskilled as in, “Hunting lions is not for amateurs.”
We have many, many artists who are inexperienced and unskilled in the craft of singing. The sad thing is that they don’t know it.
What they need is TLC and guidance but what they are getting is a fast ride on a slow train to SGM Bizarro World where you will find:
Too many “amateur” artists who are “legends in their own mind.”
Amateur record companies pretending to be big shot companies when they are nothing more than custom recording companies.
Amateur radio promoters who will never admit that they cannot possibly track all the songs.
Amateur periodicals with top 80 charts, knowing that probably 40 of the slots will be taken by amateur artists who will also buy ads.
Amateur talent agencies trying to book amateur artists.
Amateur radio stations playing anything that comes down the pike.
CONSUMERS ARE CONFUSED BY THIS SGM BIZARRO WORLD
They go to a concert and hear a professional group do a wonderful performance. The next week an amateur group comes to their church and stinks up the platform.
They hear a great song on the radio by a professional group followed by a group that sounds like a bunch of cats with their tails caught in the door.
They see photos of our professional groups, but they also see photos of amateur groups in ill-fitting suits with coat sleeves that hang 6 inches past their fingers.
To the world it’s all the same...it’s the same industry…Southern Gospel Music. The reason it’s all the same to them is because we have allowed it to be the same.
Every single person reading this knows that it is true. Yet, we turn our head the other way and allow it to continue, as though it’s not happening.
It’s all about the money. It’s the little groups with stars in their eyes that are funding SGM Bizarro World. As long as they are willing to keep paying, there will be a magazine, a promoter, and a record company that will gladly take their money.
ESCAPE FROM BIZARRO WORLD
So…how do we fix this mess?
My friends, the answer is so simple that it is profound.
ADMIT IT!!!!
Yes, that’s right…admit it. The first step in fixing a problem is to admit that there IS a problem.
Let’s stop “pussyfooting” around and start telling the truth about all this nonsense.
We all know what’s rotten in SGM. We know who is doing it, and why they are doing it…to make money.
Yet we all just stand around like fools and act like it’s not happening.
We allow representatives of these companies to join our various organizations, sit on boards, attend meetings, and vote on matters of great importance to our industry.
What we should be doing is identifying these folks and calling their hand. “Hey you, yes you… your company, your magazine, your station, your group, your organization is doing things that are damaging to our industry. You and those like you are not welcome here. Please leave!”
It is not right for companies and individuals who damage our industry to receive recognition from the professionals. By turning the other cheek to their unscrupulous business practices we are allowing them access to our side of the fence, when what we should be doing is throwing the bums out.
Listen friends, I’m not saying we should eliminate amateur SGM. We need amateur artists. It is from this pool of talent that the professionals of tomorrow will come. But the key word here is “tomorrow.”
When they earn, EARN, their way into the professional ranks, they will be welcomed with open arms. Until that time we need to do all we can to train and nurture them, and teach them how to become professional.
Anyone who rips off one of these “newbies” should be “tarred and feathered” and hung from the giant screen TV at the National Quartet Convention.
OUR AMATEUR ARTISTS DESERVE BETTER.
I like this famous quote: “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
Folks, let’s stop doing “NOTHING.” Let’s start taking names and kicking tails. It’s time we reclaimed our industry. If you agree with me I ask you to help me. You can forward this article to anyone you think can help, pro group owners, professional record label heads, industry leaders, and your friends.
Remember… “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.”
As always, I welcome your comments,
God Bless You,
Nick Bruno
http://www.nickbruno.com
Reader Comments
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We have three "homemade" cd's. The first one we felt was good for a first project on our budget but we were not satisfied. On the second project there was a marked improvement over the first, both in the vocals and the mix, partly because I pulled my self out of the mixing process. The third project was better than the second because we were doing what we were supposed to do...improve.
Lacy, is it possible your group just simply improved that much? Did the group consist of the same people on both projects? Can you not hire a webmaster where we can get a taste of this "wonderful" project that perhaps we may want to go with that producer instead?
Professionalism is not just how your project sounds. It infiltrates the whole system from the first contact, your arrival and performance, how you treat those you are ministering to, follow up, the way your project looks and sounds, and how you handle yourself in a public forum such as this. Notice I said nothing about a $50,000 project (yes they do exist, i.e. Hoppers and Booth Brothers for starters) or anything resembling money. Professionalism is an attitude not a dollar figure. I am hoping that you mantioned this to Nick directly before bringing it here. I am not nearly disappointed in what you said as with the tone in which it was stated.
I have asked Nick directly about promotional and producing groups and he has been very frank with me yet kind. I would not expect him to throw these same people under the bus publicly due to his professionalism. However, if you have a question about a producer and ask him directly he will be honest with you. -
I am amazed that Mr Pittman has submitted a retorical. Once again! Mr Pittman, read Nick's article once more! You sir are speaking out for "The Bizarros".
I would not be suprised if everyone who read your reply, did not feel the same way i feel.
Remember, Nick has been in the business for many years too. Keep in mind that most all who read such articles and view this periodical, knows the difference of three and four part harmony. Nick was not speaking about sharps and flats in the manner of vocalizing. But in the quality itself.
As i mentioned, i lisened to your recording. And found it to be very rough. But the tracks, the mixing, the compression were all simular to a top notch album.
Mr Pittman, most of the replies toward you is, don't be a part of what Nick refers to as "The Bizarros".
I own and manage a quartet made up of mambers that clearly understands what Nick is sharing. Its not about one individual. No doubt, if you were so unhappy with Nick's work, how many prior to his, brought you satisfaction. Be honest! And by the way..may i ask, what is the cost difference betwen six hours and four days?
To the many other readers who perhaps agree with Nick, let me state that we need to speak out concerning such issues that hinder our ministry and the SG industry. There is a large gap between the Professional, visionary and the "Bizzarro" -
As to Nick's article, Yes and No.
While he made many valid points, he left out the biggest one. In other genre's of music, there comes a point where the amateur crosses over the line and becomes a professional. What is this line?
The line is known as being signed, being signed by a label. Why is this important? A label only signs artists who the label believes can be a success and make money. A label sinks a lot of money into developing and promoting that artist. While it is true that the artist pays that money back (primarily through CD sales) it takes a load off the artist and allows them to concentrate on the music and performance.
Name one label in SG that does the same thing for SG artists that is done in secular or even CCM music. Until this happens on a regular basis, we will have amateurs spending their own money to compete with the top groups in this confused mess of an industry. -
What an interesting article. I suppose based on this article I am what Nick reffered to as an amatuer. I am one of the oweners and operators of Chapel Valley Studio and very proud to be a part of many artists lives and ministries. With that out of the way I will say this....
I agree with some of Nicks points however just a few. I agree that pointing out the amatuers from the pros would be healthy for the industry. In phsycology that is called "self awareness". I believe in that strongly, I believe that until you can admit what you cannot do you can never fully recognize what you can do. However, a couple of things bother me here about this article.
1. I know the groups you listed, I grew up with some of them, sang with all of them. I can tell you that in my opinion several of these artists have been in the lead to CHANGE SGM. I know that for a fact.
2. I noticed that you did not list the McKameys in your line up. Perhaps you are among those who feel they do not deserve the fame they have achieved despite their obvious inability to dance around and do vocal lines from Broadway. Never mind the fact that "God On The Mountain" sold over 500,000 copies.
3. When I was younger I can remember going around with my dad who had a very PRO group in the 70s.
After each concert we would go out with the other groups and the conversation was always about what God was doing in their lives, how many people were getting saved etc..
Now I can barely stomach sitting at the same table with many Pros or Amatuers for the talk that goes on. Its all about product sales, charts and who is singing with who and where and how many people attended. There seems to be more BRAGGING than testimony.
4. I do not know Nick but I do produce One particular former client of his. They were told by him not to bother trying to make it in SGM that they did not have the talent. That group now does better than 200 dates a year and sells Thousands of CDs for my AMATUER company.
5. If we are going to segragate, Lets do it Right.
Lets start at the NQC. There are many people singing on that main stage who do NOT belong. They are terrible without question. Lets move to the SInging News and question their charting system. As soon as a few radio stations began to think for the publis insted of politics they were kicked out of the Singing News chart list.
6. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It is up to the public " or should be " who is Pro or not.
But the industry feeds them what they want them to believe and many artists are suppressed because they have a different point of view or are simply so good the Pros fear them. I have seen this myself and it is Disgusting.
I will finish by saying that I believe that Nicks intent is real. I agree that SGM is a mess. I will be the first in line to call someone a bad singer or to point my finger in the face of injustice and call it out into the open. But what we all seem to forget is that we are not in Country or Rock Or Pop music, We sing Gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And I learned a long time ago that the annointing of the Holy Spirit has no card to read off who is Pro or Amatuer. The annointing cannot be contained or argued with,
There is a change coming to SGM but our ideas and opinions will have NOTHING to do with it. God will deal with this industry and divide not the Pros and Amatuers, But the just and the unjust.
P.S. Please note that I used my full and complete name, I do not intend to hide myself for my opinion. And Lacy, I like what you had to say and found it honest and fearless. God bless you! -
Mr. Roark,
A well thought out response. However..
I believe his point is ALWAYS that he feels bad when people are LIED to by companies who KNOW WHEN THEY ARE TAKING THE PEOPLE'S MONEY that they don't have a chance of having a successful music career. There ARE dishonest people out there as we all know. If you read ALL his articles, it is really surprising to me how many times people completely MISS HIS POINT. He keeps trying to keep people from signing their music and their money away to people who have NO INTENTION of helping them or their singing ministry. -
I will admit that I have not read all of his articles. In fact I rarely read anything in SGM music I find it to be redundant. Please allow me to point out that I was NOT offended my Nicks article. I do Get his point. I am just not sure that we are all clear in the matter of who is cheating and lying to whom. He mentioned Crossroads as a reputible company that would do a REAL recording. Unfourtunatly they are among those who will record anyone who will pay the right amount of money. I am not saying that they are wrong or right in doing so they are not on this post to deffend themselves. I do believe that there are cheaters and liars taking peoples money when they have no chance at a real career but I do not think it is limited to the Amatuer market. There are many so called Pro record companies that are cheating and lying as well.
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By the way Nick, I get the Superman analogy.
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Well then I think we basically agree. I think he supports and applauds and encourages groups who want to make a record. He says he does custom albums all the time. I think his problem is when a new group makes a custom album and the record company LIES to them and tells them all kinds of pie in the sky kind of things - and their ONLY intent to is to take the group's money because the group believes that soon they will be the NEXT BIG THING. And SO I think he just tries to WARN newcomers.
It's a shame that anything that holds the name "Gospel" in it's title should have so many unscrupulous liars amongst them. OK. Gotta go. Blessings to you sir. -
I believe there could be some record companies out there that sign the small groups to a $18,000 project to help fund their top groups $60,000 project.
On the subject of not being able to sing, Country Music has it bizarros too. Just watch the CMA awards sometime! Sad thing is the general public buys the stuff anyway.
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