I’ve Got Questions!, The Gospel Trut

Oct

2007

I’ve Got Questions!

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I left this year’s NQC with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship of lifelong friends, but I also left with sadness in my heart and a great many unanswered questions. I know the Lord will help me deal with the sadness, and maybe some of you can provide the answers to my questions. So this month, rather than providing answers…I’m going to ask the questions and count on you for the answers. Here goes.

1.Why don’t we just open a SGM checking account and make every group set up their checking accounts so all their money is deposited directly into the SGM account? Wouldn’t this save a great deal of time instead of going through the sham that many in our industry are foisting on our “newbies”?

2. Why don’t we just admit that the mindset of many in our industry is “What else can we think of to suck every drop of money out of our artists?”

3. Why do we have “talent” shows where artists pay for the opportunity to sing a song? Why call it a “talent” show if the only criterion is writing a check?

4. Can it be true that 30 “newbies” each paid $350.00 to sing for the Promoters Association?

5.What is the purpose of a showcase which has a room full of artists who paid to sing to each other? Is it too late to have a piano players showcase where all the piano players pay to sit and listen to each other play? Where do I send my check?

6. Is it possible that we now have 2 radio promoters for every group in SGM? How long do you think it will take for our artists to stop giving the Lord’s money to promoters who are promising to get them in the “Top 80”?

7. Is there some way we can send a heartfelt “thank you” to those periodicals that are continuing to give us worthless “Top 80” charts?

8. Can we gather together and send another heartfelt “thank you” to the custom record companies that make ridiculous promises to get groups to sign with them and never…never deliver on the promise?

9. Was someone lying to me when they told me there were booths at NQC selling pirated CDs?

10.Why should our precious “newbies” have to run this gauntlet of hucksters just to be in SGM?

11. Can we please educate our “leaders” and let them know that our marketplace should be the consumer and not our “newbies”?

12. Isn’t the Gaither Homecoming Tour proof that there is a vast audience out there for SGM? Don’t you feel that we could be reaching these people if we weren’t busy feeding on our young?

Am I the only one asking these questions?

That’s all I have to say this month. I’m sick of the whole mess!

As always, I welcome your comments.

God Bless You,

Nick Bruno
http://www.nickbruno.com

Reader Comments

Nick,
Not only do you ask the kind of questions that need to be asked, but you should REALLY consider being a professional writer. Your writing style is really amazing. Your article, filled with questions reminded me that Jesus asked questions all through the Gospels - "Why do you call me Lord and not do the things I say?"- is one that comes to mind.
Keep telling the truth and my compliments on your EXCELLENT WRITING ABILITIES !!!

Commented by On 10/11/2007

Nick, I couldn't have said it any better myself. People that have never attended NQC do not realize the politics involved in SGM. And even those that are die hard fans of SGM have no clue! As a struggling "newbie" in the world of SGM, I can say without a doubt, that dollar signs have slowly taken over the hearts and minds of our so-called "Promoters" and "Record Companies!" And I'm heart-broken and down-right disgusted that this is what the "business" has actually come down too! And yes, this is a business no-matter what anyone else tells you. Our group sings with many other local groups along with the occasional full-time well-known artists. And the one thing that is very noticable, is "who is in it for all the right reasons." First you have your local "newbie" artists that are out there week end and week out working full-time jobs Monday-Friday and then hitting the old gospel road Friday night - Sunday night only getting paid their gas money if that. And yet they get up on stage and sing from their hearts! You ask me why, good I'll tell ya. Their main goal is to see souls saved!!! Isn't that why SGM was first introduced many years ago? Secondly, you have full-time groups (Not ALL Full-time groups), that you just paid $5,000.00 to come and sing for 45 minutes. They come in and set up their equipment, find out what the order of service is (most of the time informing you of their order of service), get back on their bus only to step foot back in the church 2 minutes beofre they are to perform. And even after performing, they may go to the table for a mere five minutes only to sign their pictures that you have paid $3.00 for. Is it me or is something wrong with this picture?
Like I said, I too am a "newbie" in SGM. I know it takes money to travel the road and get from place to place, but isn't $4,000.00 a little steep especially for a solo artist?! Anyway, my point is, I think most of our full-time artists these days have lost their respect for the business, and have lost their focus on why we do what we do, and that's simply "WIN SOULS TO CHRIST!!!"

Commented by On 10/15/2007

I agree with Nick's articles. There are lots of crooks in SGM.

But let's be honest. The reason these people get away with the scams on the Newbies is because deep in the hearts of many of these Newbies is the desire to be "stars". Only God knows which groups HE has called and which groups have "called" themselves...It's not for us to decide. It's just amazing how many people feel called to be in the spotlight sharing about Jesus -The Only Son of God Himself who willingly made himself nothing.

If the Newbies didn't have stars in their eyes - then they wouldn't be so blind to the obvious lies they were being told. And maybe they would listen if they were blessed enough to have someone tell them the truth about their "talent" when they don't really have any.

Sharks always swim where there's easy prey. The NQC seems to be an ocean of
chum.

Commented by On 10/16/2007

I agree with nearly everything Nick wrote. Most of these showcases are nothing but a money-making scam. I talked to one poor group that paid over 650.00 to sing at these things and they couldn't sing to begin with. One showcase that I happened across had only 11 people in attendance. And these radio promotion people are coming out of the woodwork promising the world to anyone with or without talent. I, as an artist myself, have faced much of this. My, oh my, how much this bears further looking into. But all in all, I truly love NQC and will continue to support and pray for it. The only way that this can be changed is if we let NQC know our thoughts and feelings.

Commented by Rick Alan King On 10/16/2007

Re: Benefit Concerts.
As part-time gospel music ministry, how often should one accept invitations to sing at 'benefit' concerts, where the organizer [promoter] never pays expenses or honorariums? The story is that all offerings/income from these non-ticketed, free-will offering concerts goes to a 'good cause' or some other ministry, but the local promoter never ever pays any talent expenses. At what point does someone who supplies their own sound system, travel, etc., - and who is genuinely hoping to use their talent for the Lord, and is told that their music is a blessing to many folks - begin to decline to participate in this particular church's 'free' concerts? I know God blesses gifts of time and talent when given in His name, but what is the proper attitude and response in these circumstances?
Thank you and God bless your ministry and efforts.

Commented by On 10/16/2007

Nick, As always it's a pleasure to read your words of commentary, especially because so much of what you say is consistently truth based, full of inspiration, and could only reveal your true inner depth of love for Gospel Music. I believe you've hit the nail "smack-dab" on the head with this one! You've just about covered it all with your "sheer" rationale about the NQC antics. One thought that quickly races into my mind while reading and your article is that Gospel Music is not "Show Business"! How in the world did so many Gospel groups (singers) transform their ministries into such a "Broadway Stage" oriented theme? In my opinion that's where everything has gone terribly wrong down thru the years! I certainly wish that I was the one who originally coined that phrase, about how Gospel Music is NOT Show-Business, but I did not. An "outstanding" highly respected Gospel Music pioneer and living legend (whom you know well)spoke those very words to me a few years back. I shall never forget them!

Timothy Bell
Toronto, Canada

Commented by On 10/16/2007

Hey Nick, have you noticed that these very people who put on these showcases and the promotional people are not responding with any type of explanation or comment? One thing I will say on behalf of the NQC board itself is that most of these "money making" things are not at all endorsed or sanctioned by the NQC. Thanks for writing such a great article keep 'em coming!

Commented by Rick Alan King On 10/17/2007

Thank you Nick Bruno:

I did noy sttend the NQC this year due to my cancer and chemo treatments. I am
afraid the Newbies will become disheartened by the rules and regulations. They are youong groups and yet they are penalized by the cost.

I noticed the Nelons did not attend and Kelly was frank with her reason for not attending. Visit the website of the
Nelons and her statment runs very much like yours.

Commented by On 10/18/2007

We have been on the "Regional Artist" showcase @ NQC for the past 2 years. We paid 400.00 to have a booth and sing 2 songs. BUT.... That all changes when you get to NQC. What is supposed to be a "Regional Artist" showcase, what is advertised as a "Regional Artist" showcase is now changed... You now get to sing 1 song.. They have decided to bring in some "Main" stage groups to sing on the "Regional Artist" showcase. Although the room will be full of SGM fans expecting the "Regional Artist" showcase, someone with NQC thinks that they must have "Main Stage" artist sing too. This is not what we were told when we payed our 400.00. And NQC also allows certain "Regional" groups that didnt sign up in advance to now be added to the schedule. We have set and watched them walk in the door and say that so & so said to add us to the top because we have somewhere else we need to be.. I am sorry, but we all have other places to be too. Some of the last groups to sing, sung to an empty room. And we paid for that???

Commented by On 10/24/2007

When one considers the comments that follow Nick's questions and then remember the big increase in ticket prices, the increase in parking prices, and the big increase in hotel prices resulting from the NQC's tariffs on the hotels, it bogels your mind. Is the almighty dollar the only thing that counts? Has the NQC board lost focus?

Commented by On 10/29/2007

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