Within the Southern Gospel Music industry, there are many jobs. One of the jobs that most fans never see is radio promotion. Shane Ferrell, owner of Lighthouse Promotions, is one of those people who is the main lifeline between artist and DJ. Also owner of a record company, Harbor Music Group, Shane plays double duty as he shuffles between his own artists that record for him, and record companies and independent artists that hire his services to keep their songs playing on the air. I hope this interview kind of gives the average Southern Gospel fan a little insight into the inner workings of radio and radio promotion along with a little look into what goes into recording an album and owning your own record company.
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James Hales (JH): Who is Shane Ferrell?
Shane Ferrell (SF): I'm 27 years old and have lived in Church Hill, Tennessee all my life. I was saved when I was 14 years old. Been married to my wife, Diana, for 7 years and have a little boy, Zachary, who is 21 months. I've listened to Southern Gospel Music all my life. Actually, I grew up on bluegrass music. The first groups I ever started listening to were the Primitive Quartet and Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. My dad was also a huge influence on my life and in music. I became a DJ when I was 14 years old. I was not yet saved when I started working at the radio station. In fact, I had been there 5 or 6 months and I thought I was saved. At that age I really had not reached the point where I was sorry for my sins. But one night I had worked there and had really gotten ahold of one of the messages preached by one of the ministers programs on the station. It was on a Sunday, and that night at church with mom and dad, a light came on in my head and I knew what I needed to do. I went to the altar and got saved.
Since then, the Lord has blessed beyond measure. I was 15 and was working with a charting station for the Singing News and I got to talk to all these radio promoters and I won a couple DJ awards from the Singing News Fan awards.
JH: How did Lighthouse Promotions come to be?
SF: Lighthouse Promotions is like the main company, but about 5 years ago I was working at the radio station and I had been a DJ for about 9 years at the time. I was in college and hated every minute of it! (laughing) But, I always knew Southern Gospel would be a part of my life and that I would somehow make my living from it. I knew it couldn't be a DJ because I had a wife to support at the time, and being a DJ would not pay the bills! I was actually working part time at Little Caesars. I couldn't do it anymore and I began to pray about what to do and where to go to eat and make a living. So, I began to think about all the promoters and artists I talked to every month, and I thought 'here I've been in training being a radio promoter the whole time I have been in radio and listening to all these promoters sweet talk me into playing their songs!' (laughing) I had the best "on the job training" from Tammy Sims-Weems, who used to be with Sonlite, Rick Hendrix, Rhonda Thompson, which by the way is the best radio promoter out there, and so many others. I just stepped out on faith and took a chance. Actually, the 2 groups that hired me the first time took the chance. They were the Mashburns and the Eastern Sky Quartet, and surprisingly the Mashburns song charted in the top 80 after a couple of months and that was an extremely huge high for me. Ever since then I have been hooked! I went full time one year after I started, so the Lord has just really looked out for me and blessed me far beyond I ever dreamed!
JH: How did Harbor Music Group come to be?
SF: Harbor Music Group came into existence about 3 � to 4 years ago. Kyla Rowland came to me, and in fact I had never met her face to face before this point. But she came to me out of the blue and said she had started a new group and she explained what she wanted to accomplish through her ministry and her vision on what she wanted. She determined she was not going to be an independent artist. She wanted to be on a record label. She is the one who actually pushed me into starting this label. We prayed and prayed about a name for the record label and we came up with Harbor Music Group. Actually The Redeemed released the first album for Harbor Music Group with "Live at Caney Creek" and soon after Kyla Rowland & Deliverance released their first recording.
JH: Who are currently on your record label Harbor Music Group?
SF: The only artists right now who are on the label are The Redeemed and Kyla Rowland and Deliverance.
JH: What criteria do you use when signing an artist to your label?
SF: On the label, you look at who is going to sell to make you the money to recoup the money spent on making an album. We set a budget on what to spend on a recording, and they have to be able to recoup that money. I've been blessed with artists in the past like the Jody Brown Indian Family, The Redeemed, Kyla Rowland & Deliverance, Standing Tall who always recouped their monies through product sales. I have never lost anything on those groups. But, that's not the only thing, but being a small company, that is probably one of the biggest criteria. Talent plays a big role as well.
JH: Who are some of the artists and songs you are currently promoting and former songs and artists you have promoted?
SF: Right now we are promoting the Whisnants "Land of the Free", LordSong on "Let the Rocks Keep Silent" and Standing Tall's "God Saves Old Sinners". We helped promote with Daywind "I Rest my Case at the Cross" to #1 for the Perrys. We're also promoting "Where Is Your Faith" by the Jody Brown Indian Family, "Mountains Of Mercy" by David's Heart, "Calvary's The Reason Why" by The Redeemed, "Only Gone From Our Sight" by the Primitives and others.
In past, some of the more memorable ones are "Winner Either Way" by Standing Tall, "Though the Fire" and "I Sure Miss You" by the Crabb Family, "Joyful Morning" by the Hoskins Family, "Searching" by the Talley Trio, "Is Anything too Hard for God" by the Whisnants and some others.
JH: What is the most gratifying or satisfying part of what you do?
SF: Let me give you an example�a couple of years ago I had went on the road with The Redeemed one weekend and they were with the Primitives one night and the Primitives started doing a song called "We've Been so Blessed." That was one of the very first songs I ever promoted for the Primitives. Watching them do that song, even though at that point it was a couple of years old, was an experience. I looked across the audience and saw the response and the people were running the aisles, shouting and it was such a wonderful experience and then it was like the Lord spoke to me and showed me that I had just a little part of that. I was so blessed just by that. It just kind of reminded me that even though I am promoting, I am not just promoting that group or that song, but that I am promoting Jesus. To me, that was very, very gratifying.
JH: What is the least gratifying part of what you do?
SF: Collecting money! (laughing) That is the worst part of my job. I basically do all this myself and I hate that part of it. My artists are more than just my artists. They are my friends, and calling them up and saying 'hey I need my money or I can't eat next week' is rough!
Another thing is calling a group and telling them their song fell. Or having them spend all the money to promote a song and it didn't go anywhere.
JH: Is there such a thing as a song doing tremendously well in concert, but totally flopping on radio?
SF: Absolutely! For example, this is probably the most devastating thing that has ever happened since I started Lighthouse Promotions. We had released a song for the Jody Brown Indian Family called "Patching it Up." They were singing at Caney Creek and I sat in the audience listening to them sing. Beforehand, Jody had told me about the song and when I heard the title, I thought this was going to be a bad bluegrass song! (laughing) But when Stephanie started singing that song, man the Lord just came down and blessed all over that audience. That song completely changed my way of thinking. I told myself then that song was a hit! Since that first time I heard the song, I have been with the group numerous times, and everytime the people would just flood the altars. They have sold more soundtracks to that song than any other song they've ever recorded and more souls have been saved through the use of that song. But radio did not grasp that song. The ones that got it said that it had too harsh of a message. It is a little harsh, but it is the truth. I think that is what hurt the song was that it was a little harsh and truthful.
JH: Has a song ever done well in the charts and yet flopped in concert?
SH: I would have to say the Talley Trio's song "I'm Free." From beginning to end, that was a great radio song. But everytime I would see them do it concert, the people would look at them like they were crazy! It was too slow to clap to, but yet it was too hip for people say, "oh praise the Lord!" (laughing)
JH: Is there a group or artist, past or present, you would love to produce or promote?
SF: Anything by the Hemphills or the Downings. Specifically, if we are talking about a song, hands down, "He is Here" by the Talleys.
JH: What is the relationship like between record company and artist and how does it differ between radio promoter and artist?
SF: I only have a few artists, so it is not a hassle to me. There is not a whole lot of work to it, because of that. I mean, we've squabbled over a few things, and there've been a few mishaps along the way, but it's not been anything that we couldn't work out. We have a great relationship with The Redeemed and Kyla Rowland & Deliverance, always had a great relationship with the Jody Brown Indian Family and other artists that we've worked with. They are all such easygoing people and we all have the same vision.
Now, I think there is more pressure when it comes to a record company than a radio promoter. I have to be a little more harsh with that because you're not just dealing with that one song going out to radio, you've got a whole album. That's a big thing. Also, as a record company, you've got to keep reminding yourself that you can't make a wrong decision. If you do, then that is going to cost you sales on the album.
With radio promotion, we listen to the whole project and make suggestions as to what should be singled, and they don't have to take that suggestion. We tell them what we think will be best for radio and if they don't take that, then that is the artist's decision. Some depend totally on us to pick the radio single and have no problem with whatever we pick. But the majority of the artists want their opinions. Which, I want their opinion because they have to sing that song night after night. Now, as far as the record company end, if I ever had a situation where this artist wanted to release a song and I knew good and well it wasn't going to do anything, I've got to remember if that song doesn't do well then the records aren't going to move in the store. Now, I would fight them on that! (laughing)
JH: How do you know what to release to radio?
SF: That is something I have never been able to answer clearly. You just know a good radio song. You can have a song go ever well in concert, but that doesn't make it a good radio song, as we already know. But, you just know! Instinct plays a big role. The message and the production all play an important role in a song. It has got to be something that will stick in the listener's mind.
JH: Was there ever a song you did not want to release to radio, but did it anyway?
SF: Yeah, a couple of years ago the Primitive Quartet wanted to release "If I Could Telephone Heaven" and it was very bluegrass and extremely fast with the banjo being very dominant throughout the whole song. Bluegrass is somewhat hard to promote on Southern Gospel radio. The banjo scared me and I thought that would really hurt the song. I was very afraid for them. I begged them not to release it and with that being a radio promotion deal, I promoted whatever they wanted to release. Since that time, it's been one the most requested songs by the Primitive Quartet. We had a lot of fun promoting that song because we mailed out phone cards to the DJs and we just had a lot of fun with it and it did well for the group.
JH: Was there ever a song that just completely surprised you and became a hit?
SF: Actually, the biggest hit that I honestly didn't think had a chance above top 40 is Standing Tall's "Winner Either Way." It was Standing Tall's first single out to radio. Mike had sent me the tape and I had did not know anything about Standing Tall at all. I listened to the tape and I told them that song was their single, but you are a new group and you'll be lucky to break top 80 and that's it. But after the third month, it was apparent what that song was going to do.
JH: Can you over promote a song?
SF: Yes you can.
JH: Have you ever done that?
SF: Yes, most definitely! (laughing)
JH: This is just a personal question, just for my own benefit! I have never really understood why there is a need for radio promotion. I always thought that if it is a good song, it'll get played and become a hit on its on merit, and doesn't need to be pushed.
SF: I think back in the 70's and early 80's that worked, because I look back and see so many great songs. You look at the songs back then, and the top 40 charts were really filled with top 40 songs! (laughing) Now, you look in the top 40 and there are only 20 real top 40 songs, if that! I think basically it boils down to there are way too many groups and too much competition, and the groups have to do it, or they will get lost in the shuffle, no matter who it is.
JH: What is the process, from beginning to end, in recording an album?
SF: I'll use this last album we did for The Redeemed, "Overwhelming Joy!" This last album of theirs, I got more involved than on the other albums we've done. I don't consider myself a producer. Roger Talley does a lot of producing for us. But, in the past, I've just kind of sit back and let the artists be themselves and let them do what they wanted and trust Roger, but you know as they say "it all starts with a song" and it does! All year long, the group gets songs from writers and I get songs from writers. But this album was the hardest for picking songs because Mike Davis who is basically the groups in house writer had been going through a dry spell this year and had not really written anything, and we only put one of his songs on the album. But we listened to other writers and I had pulled out an old Rambo's song and told them they needed to do "Stand By the River." No one else had done that song at that point. And they all fell in love with the song. So, some songs were easy to pick and some were not.
After picking songs, you make a worktape for the producer to write the charts for the studio musicians and then you go in and lay down tracks. On this album, I went into detail on every song. Not so much what instruments to use, but what kind of feel that needed to go into each of these songs. They wanted to venture out and do some mainstream Southern Gospel with pretty orchestrations and some pretty arrangements.
After the tracks are laid down, they had 2 months to practice and then we went in to record the vocals. After the vocals are done, you basically have 2 days to mix and a couple weeks later you send it off for mastering and duplication, and BOP�there's the project!
It's an art, and pretty much every album is done that way.
JH: What makes a great recording?
SF: Songs! I heard an album recently from a very well known group. They had awesome, incredible vocals, but the songs were terrible. The music and the production were great, pictures and graphics were great. But the songs sounded like an amateur wrote every song on the album. The McKameys are a group that does very well for themselves in finding great songs. It's like I said earlier, it all starts with a song.
JH: How has gospel music changed since you first got involved?
SF: I think that back then you could turn on the radio and hear a song by the Nelons, and you knew it was the Nelons. You could turn on the radio and hear a Gold City song and you knew that was Gold City, or the Goodmans, or the Hemphills or the Talleys. They were original and it seemed like everything you heard was something original and you knew who they were. But now, you turn the radio on, and you think you're listening to the Gaither Vocal Band, but surprisingly it's another group. Everybody sounds the same anymore. Everybody is trying to be like everybody else and go into this style of music that everyone else is doing. That irritates me. Be original. Be yourself.
And too, like I said earlier, radio promotion was not a big deal back then. But now, groups have to do it to keep up with everybody else.
JH: What would you like to see accomplished in and through Southern Gospel Music?
SF: To see more Lighthouse groups succeed! (laughing) Honestly, I love what Bill Gaither is doing on TV, and other groups have things going on with TV and there's TBN as well that supports Southern Gospel Music. But I would love to see more, true Southern Gospel on television. Not just local television, but syndication.
JH: What do you feel to be your greatest accomplishment?
SF: Honestly, just staying afloat! Seriously, there are so many promotion companies popping up all over the place. I feel that if I had started my business in 2002, I would not succeed. If I had not started when I did in 1996, I would not have succeeded.
Seeing the groups like the Jody Brown Indian Family getting their first chart song, or the Beene family getting their first chart song. Things like calling Susan Whisnant and telling her they have the #1 song and having her scream in my ear on the phone and bust my eardrum, that's exciting to me!
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Check out Lighthouse Promotions on the web: www.lighthousepromo.com
James Hales
Author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Written: 08/31/2002
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Category: Feature Articles
Comments: 5
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I am Ron Gordon and I do Shane's web site.... I was wondering if I might have the interview after you guys have run it and finished with it...
I visited your site and liked what I read.I have written 8 songs & 6 are on a demo cd. I would like to send you a cd to see if you have an artist that would like to record them.They are copyrighted & bmi registered. If you are interested please e-mail your mailing address& I will get cd off to you. Thanks & God bless Wilma Pitts p.s. My cd is be played on WCKI Greer S.C.and other stations as well!
Ron,
Thanks!!
hey send us some info. Thanks MAY GOD BLESS ALL YOU PUT YUR HAND TO.
HI There,
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