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Here I am again - sitting here with so many things - important topics - vying for text space. So many friends and associates have called to make suggestions.  It boils down to this: of all the things I want to say (or other people want me to say), the thing that really has my attention today is what I consider the worst thing in our business.  Let's forget the radio promotions, bad projects, bad singing, fly-by-night labels, and number one songs.  There's a bigger problem. 

The lack of unity in the industry.  That's the worst thing in our business, friends.

 

I have watched jealousy and control cause both artists and industry people to lose thousands of dollars - not to mention respect - on which there is no price.  I have watched folks just about turn green at the sight of who was on the cover of a magazine, who had the best ad, who got the highest song, who got to sing first, and who has the nicest bus. And within the industry circles, I have seen labels fight to keep names off artwork, ads, billboards and other industry press items.  In recording circles I have seen them threatening an artist, erase their masters, drop them from labels, black list them and totally ruin their name and credibility.

 

Why? Just to try and control the pie. (We will talk more about pie in a bit.) But, some of the folks in our industry are breeding this kind of competitive and controlling spirit. They are all but encouraging people to be competitive to the point of nearly pitting them against each other.

 

Now, on to the pie. Picture Southern Gospel music as an All American apple pie. The table is set. We have a pie in the middle of the table, 12 chairs, 12 forks and 12 ideas. Within this circle are very greedy, controlling and vicious players. Their thoughts are, we only have 12 slices, we can only feed so many, very shortly - goes the thinking - we're gonna get powerful hungry. So in their greed, they slide their chairs closer, blocking anyone from entering this last supper of the polyester kings. Anyone steps in to even smell that pie, you may get a boot to the shin, a fork to the hand, or more likely, a whispered rumor to destroy your credibility.

 

Come eat some of this pie at my house.  Here's how we would set it. First we make the table a buffet. We look past this table, 12 chairs, 12 forks and pie being the only source of survival. We don't shut others out because our pie is too small. No. We invite them to come join us, and bring another pie, or - hey, stop at KFC on your way over, would you? More thoughts, music, ideas, abilities - a whole new menu, in fact.  That table?  Shoot, let's sit on the ground. One thing about the ground. There's plenty of it. Now, we are on open land. We have many hands willing to increase the food, increase the base, and expand Southern Gospel music. 

Our sales, radio and circulation are all dying for a reason. You can only sell so many times to the same customer. Any business can stay afloat as long as they keep expenses down and maintain their client list. The problem is the expenses are not coming down in Southern Gospel music. Fuel is higher, artists are begging for dates, labels are starving for capital, and radio needs advertisers and listeners. Again, the problem is back to the pie. Once something is eaten, it's gone. FOREVER. The only solution is to bake another. But, when doing so you need to plan outside the box. Embrace the new labels, artists and fans. If this is handled properly, you bring in new churches, new fans and new talent.

The major labels need to look past the recoupment stage of a project. They need to advertise in other areas, solicit airplay in new markets, and push booking agents to drive their artists into new territory. We have killed the South. If Southern Gospel music were an apple tree, not only is the fruit gone, the leaves, branches and the roots are history. Everyone is playing ball in the same fields, the same stations, same churches, the same ads, same budgets, same writers and producers. If you have played the game for more than a few years, and you're still begging for dates, selling a few thousand CDs, and trying to break a hit record - change now.

I know of only a handful of Southern Gospel artists financially surviving. Why? They are playing a system that plays them. Don't be afraid to cross the boundaries and step outside in the rain. We are made up of mostly water. No one ever accomplished great things without creating new things, new thoughts, new ground. You have to decide if you are trying to win a popularity contest or win results. Are you trying to make it on what you have or what people say you can have? So with that said - move outside your circles.

Listen to your own convictions, not the industry's.

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