Something To Think About- The "R" Word and The "N" Word

Something to think about......

Definition of a "R" word - American Indian (Usually Offensive)- According to Webster

Definition of "N" word - A Black Person (Usually Offensive)- According to Webster

What's the difference? Once offensive but no longer, at least to the younger generations. The "R" word is largely used to describe a team instead of a people which is considered it's new meaning although said team (with heavy fan support) continues to use the symbol of the "Red Skinned" Indian to promote said team and marketing paraphernalia. The "N" word is used "loosely" within a culture but its use is forbidden outside of it's culture and considered racist. (Double Standard).

                                                                                                         Phillip Carter

My Thoughts About Daryl Coley

Many of us who follow, sing and study Gospel Music are in deep reflection this week as to what Daryl Coley meant to Gospel Music and to our lives. He sang so many songs. He was so good. He was humble. He sang songs with substance. He could take anybody's song and make it worth something and if it was already worth something he could turn it into a Gospel classic. He was supportive of others. He was fashionable. He was transparent. He was a friend to many. He was even controversial. He was a Pastor.

Many times ones impact is not truly felt until they are gone. The ironic thing about Daryl Coley is that his music bridged two generations. The 30 and younger crowd was too young to remember his days with James Cleveland and the Gospel Music Workshop Of America, his participation in the Soulful Messiah, his voice on the Simpsons but they have heard some of his more recent performances and thanks to Youtube anyone can catch up on anybody's body of work.

Daryl Coleys own music was different. It was thought provoking and it required a skilled vocal technician to handle it and that's why you don't hear many repeating his music. His music took time to develop. It had form to it and one would have to analyze it before attempting to perform it. He was also a virtuoso pianist and I wish he would have played more.

I believe, and I thought long and hard about this, that Daryl Coley was the greatest male Gospel Singer of his time. He came before Auto Tune and delivered jaw dropping, anointed performances that too this day people remember where they were when they heard it. We will never forget Daryl Coley. He like Thomas Whitfield and so many others will be remembered as "Game Changers" and "Trendsetters" in the Gospel Music Industry and Ministry. Long live the memory and legacy of Daryl Coley.

                                                                                                                    Sincerly,
                                                                                                                    Phillip Carter

Independent Artists- Building "Coalitions" and "Collectives" for Greater Results

It's a great idea to build a coalition and here's why. You don't have to do anything on your own anymore. Although you may be great, grand and glorious the truth is you don't have enough capital, connections and support to become the big super star  you planned to be when you got started. Even if you just wanna work in your region a "coalition" and/or "collective" is a great booster for you

Teaming up with like- minded individuals/artists can be huge benefactor for all involved. Ticket sales, cd sales and social media presence would go up substantially because everyone in the collective would ban together with their audiences to aid in making event(s) or anything else pertinent happen. If you manage to build a "coalition" or a "collective" you want to make sure that everyone is not just in it for themselves so it's important to push and promote a team concept at all times.

Team work makes things happen in the music industry. Build a collective or a coalition and watch how things move in your career. The details as to how you build it is up to you and your team but there are a number of ways to come together to make it happen. Just do it.


                                                                        Phillip Carter
                                                                        President of SOV INC
                                                                        Founder of the IGAA Conference

Independent Artists.... Here are a couple of things that you should keep in mind in 2016.

1. Don't do anything without a plan and make sure your plan has an exit.
2. Don't do paid showcases unless it is an extension of your already booming marketing strategy. Gospel showcases are not going to break you as an artist. They are designed to give you exposure so stop treating them like they are the "end all, be all" in your life.
3. Use videos in Social Media for exposure but take it a step further this year. Take some online classes and study how to effectively market and promote your self on Social Media.
4. Master your craft if this is what you are supposed to do. Some of us aren't that good at what we profess to be our ministry. There is a difference between a singer and an artist. You need to figure it out.
5. Find out what you are really good at in music ministry and "Do It". Stop trying to be everything to everybody. There are people who have been assigned to support you but you need to be in the right place musically and with your marketing/promotion for them to find you.
6. Know this.... Church music is coming back. People are soon going to come back to music with a strong message and strong harmonies People are going to start desiring meat instead of milk again. Church choirs and directors need music that the average choir can sing. If you write music like that then you need to start gathering up your songs because "ITS COMING BACK".
7. Radio isn't everything. In 2015 I produced two records in the Billboard Top 10 sales chart that received very little Gospel Radio airplay. Keep this in mind before you spend your mortgage on a prominent radio promoter.
8. Start submitting your songs to conferences like the GMWA, Thomas Dorsey Convention, Hampton Ministers Conference, Edwin Hawkins Seminar and other smaller conventions. Your songs will go a lot farther when directors are taking them back home singing them in church. You need a holistic plan when marketing your music ministry.
9. Turn your heart back to God and off of popularity. in my opinion, Reality shows have ruined our passion for being ministers and caused us to desire stardom. We don't desire excellence and we want to be the next sensation instead of spreading the Gospel through music. Let us all go back to what makes "Gospel" "Gospel".
10. Come together in your city with other Independent aritsts and Pastors and figure out how to maximize your buying and selling potential amoung those who are buying Gospel Music. The one thing I have realized is that we can do a lot more unified then we can apart.
www.indiegospelalliance.com