Before we get started I feel the need to qualify what I'm about to say. I have studied the music business for years, even before I went back to college in 2008. Many of our textbooks were already in my personal library before I began classes at Cedar Valley College. Many don't me beyond articles or a radio show/station but I'm going to be a lot more vocal in the very near future. This is the first of many pieces in this style, enjoy and please share with others!

 I'm not selling you anything or starting a sign up to another conference call or mailing list. What I want to do is encourage you! Yep, that's all. The music industry has experienced a seismic shift as of late and gospel music was situated squarely on a fault line. As the industry as a whole shifted, gospel music sort of well...sunk...is sinking...something like that. But you love gospel music and so do I so what's there to do? 

Many of you have recorded music because you felt as if you were called to do so. Some of you do it full time and some of you don't. Either way is cool and whatever keeps the lights on, gas in the car and food on the table, right? AMEN!!! Until then, pray for release AND provisions. I have observed many of you on Facebook and over the past six months, I've seen your posts about your music diminish. Why though? If it's old to you, surely it's old to people, right? Not necessarily. 

How many new friends have you made within the past six months? How many of them know that you have a project for sale? What about your latest single? See, we've fallen for the market trap but Facebook isn't the market. It's your life, compiled on a single web space. Don't believe me, fast from Facebook for a day. Some of you didn't even think about it! The reason many of you have chosen not to make people aware of your project may be that you're living a comparative life on Facebook. Comparing yourself to everyone else and trying to make the moves their making. Any truth to that? 

Artists...why have you put a shelf date on your music? Consider this: You have a product that is collecting dust and for no good reason. It's just sitting there, waiting on you to compel somebody to come buy it. How many NEW friends have you made on Facebook within the last six months? Do they know you have product and where to get it?
Change that, you may have prematurely ended your career when you shelved your viable product...

A few weeks ago, Anita Wilson (yes that Anita Wilson) put up a song from her first album and you know what? It still jams! It was a cover but it's great music. If you follow her on Facebook, you'll see posts about "Keep Doing What You're Doing" here lately. Music doesn't die! This is proven when artists literally die, there's a spike in sales the moment their death is announced. 

What I'm saying to you is this...as an indie artist, you drive your music sales. It goes way beyond flooding your timeline and posting in every gospel music/artist group on the site. Honestly, don't you know how annoying that is to other people? I'm in many groups and there are some artists that do nothing but post ads (singing engagements and where to download their music). But think about it, if you have music and I have music, what makes you think I'm going to blindly support yours with no guarantee of you supporting me? It's the same with radio announcers that spam these groups with announcements of their shows...you want me to do what exactly...turn my station/show off and tune into yours? 

Be very cautious with groups, you could very well be wasting time, unless you create an interest group of your own and  post to your bonafide fan base. Do you have a like page? If so, how is your engagement there? Do you have promo material/giveaways? Consider that. Do a giveaway, create some fresh, new engagement! I'm on the way to my PO Box today to pick up some promo material from an artist and I can't wait to give them all away! Of course, the end game here is drive CD SALES!!!  Never stop marketing yourself, EVER! 

CD sales are dipping everywhere, even the Grammy's made a move to include streaming music in their consideration for awards. The industry has adjusted to consumer behavior! Do you even know what that means? YES...! Take a minute, let that sink in...the industry has adjusted to consumer behavior! Have you?

So here's the deal, you've got a song or project...what are you doing with it? If your base audience has yielded little to no results, create a new audience and drive new engagement. You've gotta do what works and not what's comfortable. READERS ARE LEADERS! Take some time and discover how to successfully market yourself and your product. There is a plethora of educational material online for the independent artist. 

PROMO MATERIALS
That includes spending some money, not always a lot but at least some! Check Vistaprint for promo materials like postcards and other paper products. You even have the option to design pens, clothing, cups and more. For what it's worth, wristbands are a great idea! Do you have business cards? What do they say? Are they two sided, is your picture on it? If you have a business card, it should literally be your calling card. People should be able to tell what you do by looking at the card. They should also be able to contact you using your card. Current numbers, address and electronic contact info should be prominently displayed on the card.  

Also, freshen up your social media space. Also, print up some promo materials and send them to churches. Let the churches know you're available for bookings. Let local businesses know the same, get yourself out there but don't be drab! To get noticed, you must be noticeable! Also, you should consider a graphic designer to spruce up a new promo picture for summer. Think about it...It's summer, do you have a summer look? Nothing's wrong with changing with the seasons! It lets people know you're still around! (LOL) 

HASHTAGS
What about hashtags? How are you identifying your brand online? Recording artist and musician Tony Bush uses: #BushBrand and you could do something similar. You know Everette Drake, his catch phrase is: "Amen Goes Right There" and he's known as "Mr. Amen Goes Right There" which is his debut single. His album contains numerous gospel gems, but it's the #AGRT branding that has traveled with him to bookings all over the country. 

DO THE MATH
Alright, got it? Some of you had NO sales this week and some of you no sales all month! Do you want to change that? You should want to change it, even if you're currently in studio working on new music! The grind never stops and neither should the marketing of your music. What if you decided to personally sell 5 cd's a day? That's 150 units from you. Of those 150, how many people would tell somebody about the cd they got from you and get them to buy their own copy? At least check you out online? 

I know you want to sell more than 150 units each month, but what have you sold so far? If you're doing better than that, great-this is exactly what we want! Get great music in the hands of listeners! 

The top CCM album last week sold somewhere around 6,359 copies. The top gospel album sold somewhere around 2,291 copies. Hmm...that already seems dismal and these are major, national artists. Can you imagine selling a copy of your cd to at least half of the people on your friends list? Maybe not everyone is a gospel music lover so, let's be realistic and say maybe 30%. What's that number looking like? Some of you reading this are already at 5K friends and some of them have NO interest in buying your product. 

NETWORKING YOUR NET WORTH
Earlier this year, I posted the inaugural blog: "Here's What's Got My Ear". Of all the artists, there were only about five of the artists named in the blog that engaged or responded. I know we're all busy but what if that blog post came from a more well known entity and they ignored it? You can never afford to ignore free, positive publicity! Some of you reading this post will be named in my next installment or one to follow. When you see it, share it! Make people aware of what's being said about your project...your ministry! Not doing so is costing you sales, whether you believe it or not! 

Make connections! I can't spend all day on my computer or phone but there are times during the day that social media interaction is my MO. The same goes for other station owners, PD, publicists, journalists, bloggers and artists. NETWORKING STILL WORKS! Bishop Hezekiah Walker said when asked about the timing of pitching a product to your contemporaries: "It's all about relationship!" He further stated that you need to get to know people before dropping the weight of product on them. This applies to industry contacts and not potential customers. Some of you are struggling with the repercussions of 'too much too soon' when dealing with industry people. "Hi, I'm Fred. Please listen to SoulProsper Radio!" is NOT the way you want things to go! 

You need to find out who is who and what they do inside the industry. Are they an actual outsider? Can they help you? Have they tried to help somebody else and what were the results? Are they just somebody good to know (with no expectations)? Know this when you deal with industry people on social media or meet them face to face.

There are way too many fractured relationships within the industry based on social media suppositions. Think about it, I don't actually know Don Jackson from the Stellar Awards, even though he's my  friend on social media or personally approves my post in the Stellar Gospel Music Group on Facebook. When I see Mr. Jackson at the Stellar Awards, I greet him and introduce myself, even if I have to do it each time. 

Furthermore, I don't actually know Phil Thornton, even if I regularly comment on his success at eOne on Facebook or LinkedIn and even write articles about him. Not until I have personally exchanged information with an understanding can I count someone an actual associate or even friend. I did see him at the Virtue listening party at the Stellars but he left before I could speak to him, still doesn't count! 

I have met some Facebook friends and artists who I didn't recognize in person! LOL It happens but be gracious either way! I love meeting people so yes, I'm actually looking forward to meeting ALL OF YOU VERY SOON!

This is why you must take great care and concern of those you're connected to on social media. There is a fine line between social media contact and professional contact. Many of us do our business on Facebook but it is merely an extension of our business dealings. Handle real business outside of Facebook (what's your email address, where can I send you a copy, may I call you to discuss...?)

Your friends list is exclusive to you. Your taste in music, fashion, comedy, religion, regional interests and much more. You have an opportunity to introduce your music to those different markets within your friends list. Some have bought it already (YAY). But, some haven't because they haven't been compelled to. You have good music, don't you? Well stop depriving your most remote audience of it! You wouldn't imagine outselling a top national artist, now would you? It's quite possible, when you take care of business!

To reach beyond Facebook, Mr. Henry Harris posted this just this morning and I had to add it, you can read it below.

It's been said that your attitude determines your altitude and that's very true! As an indie artist you will be working to prove yourself on a number of levels. DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY THIS!!! Instead, be gracious and embrace each opportunity to introduce yourself to more people, new promoters (with integrity), new stations, DJ's, writers and more. I worked with an artist recently who took every opportunity to rehearse their resume whenever things seemed to dip below their expectation. Handling people wrong as an indie artists very may well be the thing that keeps you an indie artist and creates an invisible ceiling for your career. Here's a rule for you...BE NICE! To tell the truth, we're pulling for the nice people! We really are! Be nice and let God do all the heavy lifting! Smile in the meantime! :)

I haven't written in this particular column in a while BUT...I had to return to my own site to talk about this topic! I have come into some great music as of late and I love every beat of it! I mean, I really do! I could do a formal review in one of my columns but I need to use my own voice and not third person as I tell you about these artists! If I were to listen to everything I've encountered, I'd still be listening, studying and learning music as I type this. So, with that being said, let's establish that I'm not excluding music, just sharing what I love at the moment. In fact, if you want to experience that, you should check out Today's Top 10 at 4 pm CST each day on SoulProsper Radio!
Maybe you'll dig it too, maybe not. Still, I think the artists I name here are pretty good and worth at least a casual glance! 

As a journalist and radio programmer I come in contact with a lot of music. Most of it is good, some is GREAT and some of the submissions are so bad I have to vent on Facebook about it! Seriously, I have taken to Facebook to make general posts brought on by music submissions. Some of the posts were in reference to mixing and mastering, some were in response to communique, some questioned the artist's motivation (skill) and some were general, 'why don't you know this?' posts.        All in all, music has been great to me over the last few months. 

SP Radio was at the Stellar Gospel Music Awards and while we were there, we came across some amazing artists. We also came across some...well, you get where I'm going with this, don't you?!? I want to share some of these artists and their projects with you. This is from me, the owner and programmer of SoulProsper Radio. So, here goes...here are a few artists whose project/single I'm currently enamored with (in no particular order).

When Fred Stewart hit me up about NeeCee a while ago, I was anxious to hear her music. Fred has been the greatest connection for me since I began this level of journalism. Bishop Carlos Cannon hit me up and told me to expect NeeCee's project and I have...I promised a review but was too busy listening to it to get to work on it! I did jot a few thoughts down to share with you. 

• ​​"The best part of the album is its honesty. Though there are commercially appealing elements throughout, you get the notion they didn't set out with a Grammy in mind. It's like they said: "let's go out there and make some great music and present it to God and His people!" 
• The album gets off to an "Amazing" start. Singability is a constant throughout. The chant on "Everything You Need" reminds me of "Gotta Be Starting Something" ...she saved her best for the last four tracks. Amazing!

Last year, as I was adding new music I came across Dasha Moore's version of "My God is Big", not to be confused with Myron Williams/Karen Clark-Sheard's "Big Victory". I fell in love the song immediately and added the song to the station. Fast forward to a few months ago when I saw pictures of her album release...I was so down because I couldn't be there! I really wanted to be there but of course I couldn't. My Pastor, Alvin Pope told me to remind him to bring me a cd his brother sent him. 

He'd said that the Minister of Music at his church released a cd and he wanted to send me a copy. Gary Pope is a strong supporter of SoulProsper Radio in California and I thank him for it! Pastor Pope walked into rehearsal and handed me the cd...IT WAS CHRISTMAS at the organ! LOL

I was literally giddy when I saw the cd and just could not believe I had the project in my hands! As I listened to the album, I was in pure music Heaven. I love the album, its flow and of course the voice of Dasha Moore. My favorite song on the album (now that I have it) is Ascend. I love the song and as I listened, I prepared each song to teach at church. Can you imagine us singing the whole album? We just might! ;) 

My favorites:

• My God Is Big
• I Am What God Says I Am
• Ascend

I hadn't kept up with Pastor Wright following "We Made It Through the Storm" but meeting him at Trenia Moore's All White Party at the Stellar Awards, I got a hard copy of the New York Fellowship Choir's latest single! I again waited to try this one out on the kids and again, they loved it! I guess they've got an old soul like me...time will tell. This is perfect church music for any choir wanting to keep that Sunday morning feeling strong! The first line of the song says: "I don't know what you come to do", it's hard to go wrong from there and the N.Y. Fellowship choir doesn't disappoint at all. 

Pastor Wright deserves a great deal of recognition for keeping his father's legacy strong and helping push it forward. We spoke briefly about it on the red carpet at the all-white party, I'll share that interview in its entirety at a later date on SoulProsper Radio.

After listening to this song on repeat for at least five times, it hit me...this is a great choir anthem! It didn't take that long for me to figure it out, but it did replace Ricky Dillard's "Amazing" which currently held that spot for me. This song is a great choir anthem with an easily lovable refrain: "He is great and greatly to be praised". 

While at the Stellar Gospel Music Awards, I met a few artists at the official kick-off of the weekend. One of them was Kevin Monroe. Mr. Monroe was actually one of the friendlier artists there when I introduced myself. I took his album and card and put his cd in my bag. I didn't really hear the song until I got home but when I did listen to the single "Heaven" I was blown away. The single is produced by legendary composer and artist Edwin Hawkins. 

In today's industry, securing a high profile producer is not a formula for success but I love the tandem of Hawkins and Monroe. "Heaven" is the only song on the cd and it replayed constantly as I drove, sometimes the whole way to work and back home. 

There is nothing about this song I don't like! The music, the lyrics, the mix...it's top notch and PERFECT! 

"We're on our way to Heaven just to behold His face. 
​He'll wipe all our tears and pain away, when we get there!" 

I'm using all my journalistic authority to proclaim this song the new funeral song! It can easily be a praise and worship song, as well. But I think it's time to celebrate earthly transition the way Heaven does and this song is the perfect soundtrack for your celebration of life! 

Let's see if I can remember...Jesus is the ROCK...We should come to him like children...BOY...and He makes all things new (2 Cor. 5:17...FRESH! This group is crazy talented and I have no clue why they aren't in the mainstream conversation as of yet. This group ministers the gospel with rap, rop, hip-hop and urban gospel. By the time you get to "All I Wanna Do" on their Love.Forgive.Restore. album, you've already gone through most of the aforementioned genres. Imagine the Fugees doing a gospel album. Not exactly Lauren Hill, Wyclef and Pras...but imagine the unrivaled musicality and lyrical content wrapped up in the gospel message...you'd have this one on repeat, as well!

album is beyond measure! When I met this group of siblings, I had no idea they'd completely captivate my senses with their self titled album. When I asked their manager which song was their single, I was told it was "Dreamfighter". I listened to the song but I just couldn't separate myself from the opening song, "Beautiful". WOW, what a song. These voices are so robust you're not really sure if it's gospel, but rest assured the message in this music is crystal clear.

I love classic easy listening music so the cover of BJ Thomas' "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" made this album extra special. The group has a unique style and they give Thomas' classic their treatment. "His Eye Is On the Sparrow" is also delivered in their style but the refrain: "...watching over me, watching over you" gives the song new life and is an escape to new creativity for such an iconic song. 

"Love Is Watching" is a cool tune. Infinity's Song's voices are so beyond their years and I enjoy it on each track! It's like listening to the very best of modern jazz singers sing a plethora of songs in each genre. The album closes with "What the World Needs Now". You remember that song, the Burt Bacharach classic...well it's got new life in the 21st century thanks to IF. The album speaks to the time the world finds itself in. "Dreamfighter" is an ode to the new struggle and challenges those breaking beyond the struggle. "Why" lets you know that there's a daily choice to be made, "there will always be a sad song to sing..."

My overall favorite is "Walking In Your Eternal Love". I encourage you to have a listen, and see why for yourself! 

I accepted Frankie Wilson's invitation to cover Inside Gospel's SXSW (South by Southwest) event "LIVE". After setting up, I got things cranking with a few on-air interviews. One of my first interviews that night was GIEL. At the time, all I'd heard about her was everybody hyping up her song "130:5 HOPE". I couldn't wait to hear the song but once I actually heard the album, I never took it out. Seriously, the whole time I was in Austin (and San Antonio-I love sight seeing) I played her album "The Decree) in my car.

I'm not actually sure what I actually love more, the artistic genius or the actual music. In between songs are powerful vignettes of scripture, affirmations. The affirmations are segues between songs and actual art themselves. With so much of this new thought stuff going around, it's great to hear someone create positive affirmations actually derived from scripture. She channels Cyndi Lauper in "Never Change" and I always have to do a double check as if I forgot which cd is in the player! 

I took everyone's advice and I listened to "My Hope". But when I heard...K.O.H. I was floored! As a musician, there are certain elements that really stick out to me and grab me in a song. The meter of this song, grabbed me from the down beat. The bgv work is incredible,too! The vamp is killin' so hard, the only comparison I can find for it is Mint Condition...I'm telling you the truth! 

A few vignettes later, we get to my 'take this secular music!' song...Forever! Yesterday after church, we came to my mother's house and she was having some work done outside. While we were all outside, I turned my car radio up and blasted this song on the same street that was flooded with blues and R&B the night before. 

I LOVE THIS ALBUM! It's only 40 minutes but it's a jam packed forty minutes! 

I met Pastor James Powell on The New York Fellowship's single "We Made It Through the Storm". I knew of his singing but not enough to really call myself a fan on any level. I met Pastor Powell in passing during Stellar weekend and shook his hand. My kids love him on the song with Pastor Wright and the NY Fellowship choir. I don't remember exactly at which event I got his album in my bag...but from the first track, I was hooked! Powell's treatment of hymns and classic gospel songs are immeasurably great! 

Powell's  arrangements of "All Hail the Power of Jesus Name", "There's Power in the Blood", Victory in Jesus" and "The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power" place this album in my top 10 of all time. The creativity that drives this album is off the charts. His current single "Recover" is making the rounds and he's even released a video for the song, but it won't be a single song on this album that'll make you love it! The whole album...get the whole album! You will NOT be disappointed, in fact you will be inspired whether you're a singer/musician or not! 

Add James Powell "Reconstructed" to your music collection, today!

Favorite Tracks:

• Victory in Jesus
• The Heavens Are Open
• Hold On (It's Almost Over)
• All Hail the Power of Jesus Name

As a young musician, I had two favorites: Edward Kennedy Ellington and Quincy Jones. As a matter of fact, watching Q's transformation of Michael Jackson's sound, I knew with absolute certainty that I wanted to be a producer. Now couple Q's genius with Berry Gordy's ingenuity and there ya have it...my future! Duke Ellington's lush compositions made me a young fan. I studied his music and knew nearly each member of his band by name. Tricky Sam was my hero! When I started playing trombone, I immediately started working on my plunger technique. As a young drummer, Sonny Greer was my inspiration! I mean, he kept time for my favorite musician of all time! As a young believer, I searched for a dynamic that melded the sacred with my love for swing and I found it when I discovered Ellington's Sacred Music concert. With this I experienced Duke's divine compositions, thus solidifying his place at #1 on my list. 

Fast forward to 2016 and Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra has released the only contemporary to Ellington's iconic Sacred Music offering. In 23 tracks, Wynton Marsalis has masterfully composed original tunes that swing from the call to order the benediction/doxology. I love this one because jazz literally comes to church! The overlapping dynamic here is one that may be intrinsic to my experience...jazz and church, it's me all day! The genres are also fleeting in the marketplace while at the same time experiencing new creative heights. 

*I met Wynton Marsalis as a senior in High School. LCJO was performing at The Bass Hall in Fort Worth and I'd been given tickets. Ironically, I met a few band members and showed them to the hall. The doorman held the door for me and I followed them inside. It happened just like that. I met the band and Herlin Riley gave me his home number (504 something)-he'd been on the cover of Modern Drummer that year so I was completely geeking out! Wynton was cool and I even got to hang with them after the show. Unforgettable night, LCJO will always be one of my favorite bands.*

Each song has a scripture assigned to it! Wynton dug in and really made this a genuine worship experience, through the vehicle of jazz. I can't really say enough about this project other than to say that for jazz lovers, this is the perfect contemporary blend. Add in the choir and what you also have here are a fair share of selections for Sunday morning. Who'd be willing to take this on? I'd love to see it, and allow this music to move during the corporate worship service setting. 

Here's a little something from the original press release:
The Abyssinian Mass - a landmark collaboration of jazz, gospel, instrumentation and vocals -marks Marsalis's first original recorded composition in six years. 

In 2008, nine-time GRAMMY® award winner Marsalis was commissioned to write a piece commemorating the 200th anniversary of Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church. The result was a sacred celebration: a sweeping composition for big band and 70-piece gospel choir conducted by Damien Sneed. The work's popularity sustained a 16-city, 19-concert tour that brought the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, award-winning recording artist Damien Sneed and his choir Chorale Le Chateau across the American south and into deep dialogue with the black tradition.  

Being in journalism has its perks. I've been listening to an unreleased version of one of Gerald Davis' songs for the past few weeks. Gerald is a close friend and I played for him when he was here at home in Texas. Since moving to California with his wife and now children, we continue to keep in touch. Gerald released his first single "The Earth is the Lord's" and continues to  prep for his full album release. This track "Rescue Me Again" is pure fire! FIYA, I tell ya...and you'll have to take my word for it, until he releases it. 

As a writer, Gerald's got a lot to say and not many singers can really bring that through. Tatiana Mayfield is a solid singer who brought the vision through with clarity and ease! In fact listening to the song's "throwback" groove made me reminisce of George Duke and Rachell Ferrell's good days in the studio. This song is different for both Gerald Davis and the gospel music industry, but the message..."you rescued me..." is plain enough for the newest convert to understand! 

​I have no idea about any potential release date but I will tell you that whenever you get to hear it, you'll be glad you did!

I'm jumping the gun on this one, but when this project is released it's definitely on my list! Roy Cotton has assembled a number of amazing musicians and singers for this project which features hymns of the church. The musical foundation, if you will. Let's see, Bishop Paul S. Morton, Pastor Darrell and Latonya Blair, Crystal Rucker...the list goes on an on. The album is being released this weekend at the Pastors and Leaders Conference this week in Florida. 

We'll see, but I hope while Roy's "Bringing Back the Hymns" in Florida, he remembers to 'bring back' a few copies to DFW next week!