Illegal Immigration And Southern Gospel Music
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Written: 08/01/2005 
Author: Nick Bruno
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The Immigration and Naturalization service (INS) estimates that there are at least 10 million illegal aliens living in the United states, and the number is growing by about 500,00 per year.
Illegal immigration is a crime. Sneaking into the country (legally referred to as “Entry Without Inspection –EWI”) is a misdemeanor, but if repeated, becomes a felony.
The fact is that illegal immigration causes substantial harm to American citizens and legal immigrants, and it causes an enormous drain on public funds. It contributes to the dramatic population growth, overwhelming communities across America – crowding school classrooms, consuming already limited public housing and increasing the strain on natural resources like water and energy.
In California, pregnant illegal aliens sneak across the border to give birth in America. They are treated to the finest care (at our expense) and when they give birth their child is an American citizen, with all the privileges and rights that come with that honor.
In Tennessee, an illegal alien can walk up to the counter at the Department of Motor Vehicles and walk out with a drivers license, while an American citizen may have to produce up to 4 pieces of documentation to accomplish the same thing.
According to a recent poll (as reported by the Washington Times) 77% of Americans believe the government is not doing enough to control the borders.
There is a reason that most of us are opposed to illegal immigration that goes deeper than crowded classrooms, and over-burdened housing and natural resources. It has to do with our human nature and the pride we take in our accomplishments.
The “Truth” is…we don’t like it when others try to short circuit the system and gain entry without doing things the right way. There is always a correct and proper way to do things, and when we’ve done our best to play by the rules, our human nature flares up when others try to sneak in. It goes against our nature to accept those who are not willing to play by the rules.
THERE IS A STRIKING RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN AMERICA AND THE WORLD OF SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC.
The correct legal definition of Illegal Immigration is EWI –Entrance Without Inspection.
Currently in SGM we are over-run with artists that are classified EWI – Entrance Without Inspection. We are no longer a professional industry. We have become an amateur industry that also has professional artists.
Before I go any further I want to clearly state my position.
I am not saying we don’t need amateur artists. We need all the new artists we can possibly get, they are our future. My argument is that amateur artists should not be put forth as representing the professional SGM industry.
You don’t make the mail room boy the CEO. You don’t put a high school freshman baseball player in the major leagues. There are many mailroom clerks that have gone on to become the CEO of their company and plenty of high school ball players that have gone on to become stars…but not until they were groomed and trained for the position.
In the Singing News Top 80 chart for the month of July, 45 of the 80 slots are occupied by amateurs, in my opinion. What we are saying to the world is… “These 80 artists are the best we have to offer…45 of them still don’t know how to sing professionally”.
Does this make sense to you? First of all, we don’t need a Top 80 chart. It only fuels the fire for the ego driven amateurs that would do just about anything to see their name on the chart. Billboard has a Top 100, but their market is huge compared to SGM...about like the difference between a basketball and a dime. It makes sense for them, but not for us.
WE NEED A TOP 20….PERIOD.
Now, if you’re an amateur artist that wants to get in the top 20, I say…knock yourself out. There are 20 slots, if you’re good enough to earn one of those positions, more power to you.
THE FOUR LANE HIGHWAY
Imagine an unguarded 4 lane highway between Mexico and the United States. How do you think that would affect our illegal immigration problem? I can tell you how. We’d all be speaking Spanish!
Well we have one of those highways in SGM…it’s called custom recording, and it is the primary reason our industry is in trouble right now.
Custom recording is a service that is vital to our industry when applied as it was originally intended, as a method for amateur artists and others to pay for their recordings and sell them over the table. The artists can make a profit and grow their business. Some will succeed to the point that a major label will pick them up, others will not.
The majority of custom recording is done by amateur artists. Some of these artists are selling enough product to be noticed by the major labels, but most are not and never will.
I believe history will prove that one of our darkest days was the day one of these custom recording companies decided to make a compilation of amateur artists and send it to radio. That was the day we turned what was a needed resource for amateur artists into a money making scam for custom recording companies.
Today anyone with a check book can sneak into our industry, (EWI), make a recording and send it to radio. There is no one watching, and no one protesting (except me), and even worse, no one that seems to care.
Currently, the majority of recording in our industry is custom recording by amateur artists. Their main goal is to get a song on the charts and “get their name out there”.
Recently I received a SG magazine in the mail. The magazine is 24 pages. There are 27 ads on those 24 pages, all by amateur artists, and they all say exactly the same thing, “Thanks DJs for charting our new single, “Song Title”.
It makes me want to scream!
THE SOLUTION
You know I never leave you hanging, so here is my solution to the problem.
Illegal immigration can be stopped in its tracks by doing one thing:
Ensuring that illegal aliens will not be able to obtain employment, public assistance benefits, public housing, or any other tax-payer benefit.
You take away the carrot…the rabbit goes home.
Now, obviously we can’t go around to all these custom recording companies and padlock their doors, although the thought has crossed my mind.
The answer is to raise the bar.
First of all, we only need a top twenty chart. This would ensure that the chart would more accurately reflect the groups that deserve to be there.
Secondly, we need about 10 or 12 of our best radio stations to be computerized and make them our charting stations. Our industry is not big enough to have all the reporting stations we have. This would hopefully make the top twenty list more accurate.
Now, having done these two things, I believe the problem would take care of itself. The custom recording companies could keep operating and making their pitch to the amateur artists. The artists could keep taking out their ads and sending songs to radio.
Everybody would be happy.
Except for the fact….that, with the bar raised….only the artists that are truly worthy will make it on the chart. TAKE AWAY CARROT…RABBIT GO HOME.
Brilliant!
As always, I welcome your comments,
God Bless You,
Nick Bruno
http://www.nickbruno.com
Reader Comments
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The length of the chart is not the problem.. It's what the radio stations are playing. Until radio plays quality.. the amateur complexion of SG will remain the same.
I say... let the custom recording companies carry on.. let everyone make an album.. let everyone have a shot. But.. radio needs to raise the bar. That's where the problem lies. SG stations are playing too much junk.
Chuck
http://www.sglive365.com -
I agree someone should pay us. That is how it is in secular and they are booming. WE are doing something wrong.
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Right, Justin. I agree. I'm not saying we, as newer artists, shouldn't foot the bill when we're starting out. Maybe we should. But to continue this "pay to play" situation as the NORMAL modus operandi in the industry is just ridiculous. Then all the "wolves in sheep's clothing" posing as record companies, promotions companies, etc. will just be a gaggle of paid-off "yes men." Like Nick said in his famous Trojan Horse column, we have to check out a company's track record and their artist roster. If the "35 professionals" are using them, then that's a good sign. Good companies like Southern Spin and the Rick Hendrix Company are actually doing something positive.
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I agree totally with your article, Nick. One question -- who determines when an amateur artist becomes professional? The record company, the radio stations, both? Can a professional group be weekend warriors? Or do you have to be full-time to be considered professional? Just a few thoughts. My hats off to stations like Solid Gospel (Nashville network), The JOY FM and Praise 96.3 -- leading stations in our industry who are doing it right, in my book -- playing only the good stuff.
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Webster's defines an amateur as:
1 One who does something for pleasure, not for money
2 One who is somewhat unskillful
Ironically, either of these definitions could describe a full-time artist as well as a part-time artist.
Sally -
Way to go Sally...sounds as if a good definition of "amateur" would help in this discussion. Hopefully we are all seeking to improve our skills. As far as the money, I would hope that the majority of those in the ministry of southern gospel music are in it for more than just money. From what I'm hearing, there's not a lot of that to go around in this genre of music - even for the "professionals"!
Van Morris -
I just re-read the column, and noticed one statement from you Nick, that may be what some of the commenters are focusing on: "In the Singing News Top 80 chart for the month of July, 45 of the 80 slots are occupied by amateurs, in my opinion. What we are saying to the world is… “These 80 artists are the best we have to offer…45 of them still don’t know how to sing professionally”."
There are a TON of top 40 groups that don't have the slick, "Statesmen and Blackwoods" sound, but I still consider them to sing "professionally". I think that for the type of SG music that they are doing, they are singing the STYLE of the genre, whether it's bluegrass, country, or family typoe harmonies, so that statement about 45 not singing professionally is a broad paint swipe, don't you think? -
Nick, you and I are just about in 100% total agreement on this one!!! I've been proclaiming, even on this list, for several years that there are too many groups trying to be considered mainstream top professional groups.
Only in Southern Gospel can the average person put together a recording, take a picture in polyester suits with a living room lamp in the foreground (with all of the singers holding microphones that have no cords in them as if they are singing - not to mention the colored windscreens), then pay to have their ads in the leading publication of that genre, not to mention pay a promoter to get on their compilation CD and possibly get played on a charting station! It's ludicrious.
It's watered down the industry in so many ways.
For those who have talked about sharing the gospel in regard to this discussion - Nick says NOTHING about hindering anybody's ministry. There are many ministries that are very successful but don't belong on a national scale as are as a professional artist in publications. Nothing Nick says has any reflection on anybody's ministry in the least. To compare it to country music, we are talking about the difference between karaoke singers or club singers and touring artists - there's a big difference. -
I'll say a hearty AMEN to that, Nick! I sing in an amateur group myself, we would never try to get one of our songs onto mainstream radio because we know that is not what we're trying to do. We have a weekend ministry, we aren't trying to make it into the big time. Talent-wise, we're pretty good, we just don't have the time to put the polish on that the professional groups "should" have and so often don't. Our ministry is doing just fine, and that's the way it should be.
For those who are taking this column a little personally, remember that the hit dog hollers loudest. -
Tony,
Excellent comments!
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