Showing posts with label Yolanda Adams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yolanda Adams. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The Gospel Music Industry vs. The Gospel Music Ministry
There are thousands of artists (Major and Independent) that are not only involved in the Industry of Gospel Music but also the Ministry of Gospel Music. I, like many of you, have one time or another, intertwined the two as one but they are different yet they can come together depending on the vision of the artist. The word "Industry" refers to the production of an economic good or service. (Wikipedia). It's important to understand that the Gospel Music industry can involve ministry but ministry is not the focal point. The focal point is the marketing, distributing and selling of products for money. Without money, an industry would fall and that's why so many artists and some major labels in the past have fallen because of the lack of financial resources due to various reasons. The Gospel Music Industry is comprised of major Corporations, small labels, mom and pop record stores,( which are vastly dying) promoters,media, marketers, publicists, radio personalities and churches.The industry is primarily ruled and influenced by major labels who have the necessary funding to reach the average Gospel Music buyer with their products and services. The labels products are their artists and the products they create(CD's, DVD's etc) and depending on the success of those products other residuals are created such as royalties, merchandise etc.
The Gospel Music Industry does not have to follow any moral or religious code nor do the artists they promote. They concentrate on making music that people want to hear. When major labels sign artists, they look at the talent and marketability of the artist. If lifestyles were a prerequisite to being signed by a label then there would be no labels because most of the artists that we know and love have lifestyles that wouldn't measure up. There would be no industry. Just think, if you only bought products from corporations and artists with whom you knew were operating by biblical principals, how easy would it be for you to get what you wanted although it would be interesting to know how many corporate executes, who promote Gospel Music, actually know Jesus as their personal Savior. To the Gospel Music Industries credit, many songs, videos, songbooks and award shows have been beneficial to the everyday lives of Christians around the world. Gospel Music would not be where it is today if it weren't for the Gospel Music Industry but let's not spiritualize it folks. It is what it is. I'm in the industry and if I don't make money, I can't continue to make records and travel. Major planning and implementation makes major artists. Artists don't do well just because their anointed. Their are people in our local churches who are anointed and if they had the right business model behind them they would be selling records too.
The Gospel Music Ministry is different. When one is in the ministry of Gospel Music, their primary focus is the salvation and uplifting of souls. Many artists, major or independent, when they step on stage their goal is to minister God's music to the waiting audience or congregation. The ministry is not focused on money, although money is needed to survive, the ministering of music is essential to their mission in life. I would venture to say that most Gospel Artists make an attempt to minister Gods music every time they are offered an opportunity. However sometimes personal ambition and arrogance gets in the way. The Gospel Music Industry and Ministry can walk together if the artist desires it to be so. When you are sold out for God your integrity means more to you than money. You thrive off of ministry and you let the ministry drive your business and not vice versa. I hear some of you saying now, I would prefer ministry over industry well let me tell you that without an Industry you and I would not be exposed to the ministries of most of our wonderful Gospel Artists.
Peace,
Phillip
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
"Losing a Generation of Young Church Musicians"
As I reflect back on my early years as a musician. I thank God for my father with whom I had the opportunity to play with on many Sundays and during the week in church. Most of the churches that I played in were small and the music was somewhat behind the times. However it was at those humble beginnings that I learned how to be a church musician. I learned praise songs, hymns and spirituals. I learned that it was not about the money but it was about my relationship with God and His music. I learned how to teach parts and deal with people. I also learned how to work with and respect the Pastor. For a long time getting paid was not even apart of my vocabulary. In addition to playing in church, I also worked part time cutting grass after school and on weekends. When I finally started receiving some kind of compensation, my compensation started at $35 a service which included rehearsals. Later on, as I matured as a musician, my father and I decided that it was time to explore other church options because we had outgrown our current situation. WOW!! Those humble beginnings really paid off and I thank God for it as I reflect back now. I wonder how many young musicians have a similar testimony today? My guess is not many...
It seems that we are in some what of a crises as it pertains to the younger generation of church musicians. There is minimal integrity, minimal knowledge of music repertoire, no anointing and not enough mentors to go around. Every Pastor that I talk to, that is looking for a musician to hire, all want the same thing. They want a seasoned musician but their are none to go around. A seasoned musician is one who has been trained with a certain measure of experience to handle a certain job. Seasoning has little to do with age. I was a seasoned musician at the age of 16 because of my father and the exposure that I had playing and directing at a young age. There is NOT a shortage of musicians but there is a serious shortage of seasoned musicians. I am 36 years old and most of the musicians who are 10 years younger or more have become arrogant because of the early pedestals that some of us have put them on due to their exceptional abilities. They are demanding respect and competitive salaries with little to no training(musical and spiritual) and/or experience. They view music ministry as a way to pay their bills and gain popularity and not as a calling.
You may ask "How did this happen and who's to blame". Let's start with those of us who are seasoned musicians who have become so self-serving and self indulgent that we are no longer taking the time to mentor/teach the younger generation what it is to be a minstrel in the house of God. We no longer have the time to pass on what was freely given to us. We are so focused on our own careers that we forgot to go back and help somebody else. I don't want to leave out the fact that many of us(musicians) are threatened by their musical abilities so we decline to mentor them so save our own jobs or positions. Next up is the Pastors who, out of desperation and lack of spiritual discernment, have and continue to hire these young musicians out of desperation and the need to keep up with today's church musical environment. Just because someone knows the latest chords and chord progressions does not qualify them to be the next musical Moses to bring you out of your dark ages. Then after you hire them you do LITTLE TO NOTHING to invest in them as musicians and as people.
Thirdly is the parents who see dollar signs like their children and have allowed them to leave the nest too early without the proper training and spiritual development which has led to all kind of problems such as homosexuality, fornication and drugs just to name a few. Lastly its some of the Gospel Artists, who many look up to, who take these youngins on the road with them, in the name of cheap labor, and create a false sense of reality by not explaining to them how they arrived themselves. Everybody has to crawl before learn to walk.
This is an indictment on the church. The sad thing is that it is too late to save some of the musicians. They are LONG GONE and have been exposed to too much of the negative to turn around now. However we can save the ones we can and the new young musicians who are coming up with our mentorship, help and support. Let's teach our younger generation to work for what they want out of life instead of handing it to them on a silver platter.
Peace,
Phillip Carter
It seems that we are in some what of a crises as it pertains to the younger generation of church musicians. There is minimal integrity, minimal knowledge of music repertoire, no anointing and not enough mentors to go around. Every Pastor that I talk to, that is looking for a musician to hire, all want the same thing. They want a seasoned musician but their are none to go around. A seasoned musician is one who has been trained with a certain measure of experience to handle a certain job. Seasoning has little to do with age. I was a seasoned musician at the age of 16 because of my father and the exposure that I had playing and directing at a young age. There is NOT a shortage of musicians but there is a serious shortage of seasoned musicians. I am 36 years old and most of the musicians who are 10 years younger or more have become arrogant because of the early pedestals that some of us have put them on due to their exceptional abilities. They are demanding respect and competitive salaries with little to no training(musical and spiritual) and/or experience. They view music ministry as a way to pay their bills and gain popularity and not as a calling.
You may ask "How did this happen and who's to blame". Let's start with those of us who are seasoned musicians who have become so self-serving and self indulgent that we are no longer taking the time to mentor/teach the younger generation what it is to be a minstrel in the house of God. We no longer have the time to pass on what was freely given to us. We are so focused on our own careers that we forgot to go back and help somebody else. I don't want to leave out the fact that many of us(musicians) are threatened by their musical abilities so we decline to mentor them so save our own jobs or positions. Next up is the Pastors who, out of desperation and lack of spiritual discernment, have and continue to hire these young musicians out of desperation and the need to keep up with today's church musical environment. Just because someone knows the latest chords and chord progressions does not qualify them to be the next musical Moses to bring you out of your dark ages. Then after you hire them you do LITTLE TO NOTHING to invest in them as musicians and as people.
Thirdly is the parents who see dollar signs like their children and have allowed them to leave the nest too early without the proper training and spiritual development which has led to all kind of problems such as homosexuality, fornication and drugs just to name a few. Lastly its some of the Gospel Artists, who many look up to, who take these youngins on the road with them, in the name of cheap labor, and create a false sense of reality by not explaining to them how they arrived themselves. Everybody has to crawl before learn to walk.
This is an indictment on the church. The sad thing is that it is too late to save some of the musicians. They are LONG GONE and have been exposed to too much of the negative to turn around now. However we can save the ones we can and the new young musicians who are coming up with our mentorship, help and support. Let's teach our younger generation to work for what they want out of life instead of handing it to them on a silver platter.
Peace,
Phillip Carter
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