Shane Roark

Nov

2008

What’s the point?

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It is, with a wee dram of reservation, that I write to you my first article for this website. I am not without subject to write, I am simply leery of anyone getting the point. I have been following this site, and few others, for some time now with curiosity about the opinions that are out there about our industry. I have been quite shocked at the intellectually bankrupt people who seem to be proclaimed as “Guardians of the Gate of Truth”. Most of the articles I have read have been more like advertisements from politicians running for office. The one resounding subject seems to be that the SGM industry is in trouble and how do we fix it. Well let’s delve into that a bit. First of all I want to let you know that my opinions on this matter are just that “opinions”. Much has been said about NQC, Singing News, Charts, Pros V Amateurs, and the direction of our industry in general. I attend the NQC board meetings and work directly with Singing news and their charts. I can say, FOR SURE, it is a mess! So many people look at these simple 1-2 fixes like separating pros and amateurs or changing the overall quality of our recordings. Or perhaps booting out the entertainers and going all out for ministry only. I can assure you, NO ONE in the box seats of the game CARE even a little bit about any of that. The people in this industry who hold the reigns simply don’t care! The Government that is SGM has become a Communist Regime.

OH MY! HOW CAN HE SAY THAT!?! Because it is true! There are a few in number who own all we try to become a part of and if you disagree with the way things are ran You Are Shown the Door! This industry is No Longer about quality or Christian ideology, it is about MONEY! If you can bring Money to the table you can get in any door you want to get in! As far as I am concerned more than half of the artists holding top charting positions and Time on the NQC stage, simply don’t deserve it. There are groups out there that aren’t much better than a decent church group and have been on the cover of magazines. This is the true decline of our Empire. We are over here arguing the finer points of pitch and stage presence, and NOBODY CARES! So what if the McKameys aren’t sonically pure? They sold 500,000 copies of “God on the Mountain” in less time than it took Ernie Hasse and the gang to sell “Get Away Jordan” the same amount! I am not a McKamey fan but they have something called Anointing! They no doubt also have a real relationship with GOD! Ernie isn’t anything more than any other Pitchy tenor, if you were to strip away the lights and dance moves! And let’s not forget the NOD of approval from the mighty GAITHER!

Let’s face it, nobody cares either way! Do we need entertainment (EHSS)? Sure we do. Do we need anointed sincere singing ( Mkmy )? You bet we do. Does any of that have anything to do with the decline of SGM? NO WAY! The arrogance of those of you out there who think you have a quick fix idea is staggering. I am so sick of the after concert, Waffle House, SGM repair sessions! Everybody has “A PLAN”. Some say, let’s educate the people coming up and keep them from getting ripped off. Noble gesture, as long as you’re not suggesting that the umbrella of protection only opens in your studio or record company. Those same people suggest that you need a REAL RECORD DEAL! WHAT? Does everyone honestly suggest that Daywind, Crossroads, Springhill etc.. Won’t RIP YOU OFF! HAHA! Of course they will. They will take your money, stick you on some farm label, and you get to go out and brag about your record deal. (That’s another article) the point is, NOBODY CARES! It doesn’t make any difference either way. Fact: nobody ever bought a CD because of the label. Fact: nobody ever bought a CD because of who the producer is. Fact: nobody cares who played guitar on the CD or what city it was recorded in! This stuff is irrelevant! What is relevant is, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? That’ right, I said YOU! You are the POWER and the INDUSTRY. Without all the YOUS out there we would have NO NQC, NO SINGING NEWS, NO CHARTS, No industry at all! We the people have the power to change the course of SGM! We have the power to choose if we are going to continue to accept things the way they are or change them. Some of you like it the way it is. Great, do nothing. Some of you want change for our industry, well CHANGE IT THEN! HOW? Well, that is to come (IN MY OPINION) in future articles. I look forward to addressing these, and many other issues. I look forward to your comments and opinions that will follow. This will be my platform in future articles and I am looking forward to it. I eagerly await to see if anyone will get “ The Point”.

God Bless,

Shane Roark
http://www.chapelvalleystudio.com

Reader Comments

Shane,

What a great statement! You almost summed up my NEXT article, BALANCE! We cannot have one without the other. Without entertainment nobody is gonna listen anyway, and without the anointing whats the point of siniging the Gospel? If you desire to reach the masses for Christ, you better be able to give them at least as much as the world can. We are not competing with each other here, but we are competing with the World and the entertainment that they can offer. The idea here is to get people to listen just long enough to be moved by the Holy Spirit and convicted or to begin a thought process. If we ( as singers ) go out there and just cram it down their throats nobody but Church folks are gonna pay attention.
What about everyone else?

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/12/2008

My daughter and have attended NQC for the last 8 years and each year has been wonderful, we have stayed the entire week and yes there is a lot of politics and other things, but all in all isn't it that way in everything. yes we feel it should not be that way, but it is what it is and everyone and every group is not that way. I have met so many great people of God there, one group in particular called The Gabbards they are there to help spread the gospel and get the message out, they have been going there for years and have never sang on center stage, it's not all about that it's about getting to know the fans of SGM and letting the fans get to know the groups and to have a great time of fellowship. We go there because we love SGM, and it's great to talk to other people who love SGM. For my daughter who is going to be 20 and was around 12 when we started going it's great, she has made a lot of friends there and continues to love it no matter what the politics of the whole thing is. It does not matter if you are going for the right reasons. It's your choice, you don't have to go if you don't agree with it. Why does it seem to bother everyone so much. These singers are people like you and me and we can never put someone up on a pedestal they will always fall off of it eventually because no one will ever live up to what we think they should be. It's sad but true. All of us are nothing but sinners saved by God's Amazing Grace. If people are not doing what they are suppose to do then they have to answer to God. We just need to pray for them and help lead them in the right direction by living the life in front of them. enough said.

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/12/2008

I love FANS. Vicky here is a FAN. I hope everyone gets what Vicky is saying here. See how simple she sees things. Vicky represents the majority, a simple innocent view from the outside, a TRUE lover of our music. We could all take a lesson from VICKY. Its about folks coming together and enjoying one anothers company and singing the songs we love to sing. TRUE, SO TRUE.
However, Vicky doesn't have to rake the leaves on the other side of the fence. She doesn't have to deal with the retoric of politics. She and her daughter get to show up and hang out and have fun. We don't get to do that anymore. I wish it were as simple as people like Vicky see it. Her statement is "it is what it is" so just let it be.
One writer said, " one sure way to allow evil to prevail is for GOOD men to do NOTHING ". I sorry VICKY, I know things you don't know, I see things you don't see, I hear things you don't hear. I am afraid I cannot sit by and allow it to be what it is. I pray for reform in our industry and maybe, ONE DAY we can all enjoy your view. GOD BLESS you and I appreciate your love for our music. Thanks for putting up with us.

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/12/2008

BY THE WAY, I understand that Vicky was merely pointing out NQC. Thats 6 days out of the WHOLE year. My statement was not about NQC. But rather the rest of the year we ALL work and deal with. Thought I better clear that up before we atrt BASHING one week. NQC does not make or break careers. Sorry for those of you who hope it will. Thats not what it is there for.

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/12/2008

"There are a few in number who own all we try to become a part of and if you disagree with the way things are ran You Are Shown the Door!"
The correct verb usage is: the way things are run. I stopped reading at that line.

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/18/2008

WOW! Jean missed the point!!
My apologies Jean, I did not realize I was writing an article for magazine editors and english majors. Perhaps you would like to edit my next one. That way you would have a reason to read it and actually get THE POINT!

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/18/2008

Actually, I am not a magazine editor or an English major. My point is that anyone who is writing an article, but doesn't take the time to check his grammar is sloppy.

I WAS interested in your opinion, but when I saw that you didn't bother to do a spelling and grammar check, I decided to not bother reading any further.
I'm saying, your lack of caring about HOW you write is an example of what is actually wrong in SGM. Sloppiness and lack of professionalism. Below par product being sold.
It is evident that anger is the engine of your machine. That's not the same as wisdom.
It seems from the blurb announcing your article that you are annoyed at the control a few people hold on it.

It's true that SGM is a business run by businessmen. So what? Do they owe you an apology for having a monopoly on something? I think not.

Finally , it's highly unusual for someone to write the article and then spend time rebutting every one who takes the time to make a point or state their own observations. You had your chance to spout. Give the readers a chance to answer. You must have a great deal of spare time.

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/18/2008

Jean,
Did I mention in my article anywhere that I was NOT sloppy. Did I say that I payed any attention to writer protocol. I never even said that I had any answers. OPINION is the word I used. GEEEZZ!!
I AM NOT A WRITER!! I was asked to put an article on this site! THATS IT!! And I did. I was simply curious to see if any one could stay on point! Obviously some CAN'T!

I never said I cared what anyone thought of me or this article. I simply stated ( If you had read on ) that I was interested in your comments. I am INDEED interested in yours, I find your opinion interesting to say the least.

Does any one owe me an apology? NOOO!! But I am a STOCKHOLDER and a BIG one at that.So I am going to voice my opinion!

Its not about anger, but it is frustration! If I dropped of the map entirely I would be JUST fine, I am in need of NOTHING. I am concerned about others being shafted and cleaned out by the system. And if you want to defend the people who do that you are entitled to do so.I WILL NOT!!

I am NOT politically correct! DONT WANT TO BE!
I never said I was. As far as my bantering back and forth with the readers, I LIKE IT. If you don't, write your own article.

If you will notice, I use my FULL name in my responses, I do not fear retribution. I actually like it. This is what we need. NO PROTOCOL, NO POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, just debate about OUR industry. Expressing what we ALL think. WE do not have to agree, but at least we are talking about the issues.

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/18/2008

In response to Mr. Prater's comment:

This is the problem with SGM and many churches today. They don't understand the weight of music as a tool for winning souls. Many, including Mr. Prater, are oblivious as to how music is a tool for winning souls. Just as the gospel is a tool, and preaching is a tool, music too is a tool for winning souls. To not believe that it is, is beyond me to understand. You mention that music was "given to us by God as beauty." Yes I do believe it is beautiful, but you're dead wrong. Music was given to us for worship. When you show me in the Bible where music was given as beauty then I'll agree. Just as this beautiful world created for us, it wasn't created solely for our enjoyment or entertainment. Read Ps. 19. It was made so that it would be undeniably God's handiwork. So that any person could look up into the Heavens and see God's power and therefore worship Him.

I agree with your last statement about the problem with today's music being with us not appreciating music God's way, however your logic as to why God created it is off.

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/19/2008

I apologize that my hyperbole has diverted us from the point of this article and discussion. While I do stand by those extraneous statements, they weren't the point I was trying to make. What I was trying to say was that if any of us has received from God a gift or talent for music, that gift or talent exists independently of the powers that be in the music industry, whether we're talking about Southern Gospel or the music industry at large. Those talents and gifts also exist independently of whatever label we try to put on them, whether they be labels of style (Southern Gospel, Praise and Worship, Country, classical, etc.) or labels of purpose (ministry, entertainment, business, etc.). If the gift is from God, it transcends all these things. And if we are fretting over how the powers that be have hinder us, we have removed our focus from the one who gave the gift and have become carnal in our thinking (see 1 Corinthians 3).

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit

- Galatians 5:25.

Visit My Website

Commented by Keith Prater On 11/20/2008

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