On the message boards not long ago the topic of local groups opening for the featured group was brought up. I found this interesting, because as a young singer coming up, The Lesters gave me a chance to open on several of their big concerts. They were gracious enough to allow me as a soloist and as the founder of a new group called The Sunday Edition to sing a song to warm the people up before the main groups took the stage. So, this practice of allowing local groups to sing, goes back a long ways. I was dumbfounded when someone in the discussion said that it wasn’t worth their time if they didn’t get 15 or 20 minutes to sing. Lest I get too righteous sounding here, let me tell you that I once made a statement similar to that, and a fine Christian lady was quick to set me straight. I said that I didn’t think that it would be worth our time to drive 100 miles to sing one song. This lady, who was a singer herself let me know that if we traveled 100 miles to sing one song and if one soul was saved because we ministered that one song, then it would certainly be worth our time and effort to do so. OUCH. I felt about two feet tall. Needless to say, if the opportunity to minister is availed to us, we do not hesitate to go, wherever it is within reason. Now back to opening for featured group at concerts. I encourage promoters to use local and regional talent, and I encourage local and regional groups to make themselves available to work with promoters. Let me say that it should STILL be considered an honor and privilege to get the exposure of singing on the main stage of any concert. Somehow local groups seem to have forgotten that. Promoters cannot afford to pay opening groups, but they usually allow them to sell their products. Here’s the secret, if you are good enough to be paid, then you will sell product, if not, then you probably need to hit the practice hall some more. So, at this point I would like to say a great big Thanks to The Lesters for allowing me and my group to open their concerts, and I would like to encourage all the other part-timers that are getting used by promoters to extend a thanks for their opportunity to sing before Pastors and Music Ministers who attend these concerts.
Author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Written: 07/31/2003
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Category: Editorials
Comments: 23
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Deon!
Amen, Deon! I hope local groups will read & heed your remarks.
God is good all the time & all the time God is good.
Elaine Harcourt
Deon, You have written another great article, that I happen to agree with, in it's entirety!. And I would also like to say, if any given singer or group thinks they are good enough...I reccomend, they do their Best Song and possibly they will sell their PRODUCT!. On a footnote, to my comment..the Lady that spoke to You, was definitely a JEWEL!!. God Bless you Deon, Susan and Family Abundantly...Your Friend...Tommy D. Mayo/Southern Gospel Outreach/Clarksville, Texas.
Deon,
I believe I was the one who made that comment on the boards, Deon. Perhaps I didn't 'splain myself, what I meant was I'll not cancel another booking just to get the exposure of opening for a pro group. We are normally booked every weekend anyway, someone else would have to take a back seat to the pro event, and I'll not do that to Little Country Church of your Choice. However, given the opportunity to open for a group without having to cancel an engagement, sure it would be worth it. It's always worthwhile to sing praises to our Savior!
One song or one hundred, if I am singing God's praises then I want to be there. Being paid to do what I love would be the "icing on the cake" not to mention having my cake and being able to eat it too... I must need to go eat...
Tony, I agree completely with you on this one, if we book a church or concert, then we are obligated to keep that commitment, even if we have the opportunity to do a bigger event with main line groups. However, the person I was referring to in my article said that they thought they "deserved at least twenty to thrity minutes if they were asked to sing". I do not believe that it was you who made this statement.
Deon Unthank
SoGospelNews.com
My Blog
Some people are like Slinkys… Not really good for anything, but they
still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs - Author Unknown
Very well said,Deon
You hit the nail on the head Deon. Most promoters don't think the area or regional groups can pull a crowd. They forget about the home churches & all those country churches that these groups go to that backs the area groups. The only thing I didn't like in the article is refererring to the groups as LOCAL. This term has a tendency to say a group is not good enough for major concerts. Think about it everybody is local from somewhere.
I understand that it would be an honor to be on stage performing at one of these concerts. The exposure certainly is helpful. However, I believe a couple of your arguments are flawed.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit
- Galatians 5:25.
Unethical? Where do you even come up with some of the things you post? Your comments don't even have anything to do with the article. The only flaw in here is in your post. Do you ever have anything good to say about anything?
Keith, You got that out of my article???? There are many forms of payment besides money. The exposure that these part-time groups is something that they could not give money for. It is more valuable than monetary payment.
As to selling CDs, if your group is good enough and your product is good enough, you will sell it no matter who you are on stage with.
Now, you seem to have missed the whole point of the article. The point is that if you have an opportunity to sing, whether it's one song or ten songs, you need to take advantage of singing, because you never know who you will be singing to, that YOUR song my reach that person's need, perhaps even being the nudge that allows them to be sensative to the Holy Spirit's drawing. There is nothing unethical about what I have written.
I see nothing "flawed" in my arguments.
Deon Unthank
SoGospelNews.com
My Blog
Some people are like Slinkys… Not really good for anything, but they
still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs - Author Unknown
My two cents worth falls between the article and Kieth's comments. I turn down SOME "opportunities" to sing 1 song, because the whole of my life's ministry is not standing on stage. Maybe a person will be saved because of my one song, but maybe I'll be more effective spending a longer period of time that evening doing something else. Exposure is good, and sometimes it's a blessing for a local group. Sometimes it's also a cheap filler for the promoter to pull in the local groups family and friends. In the many years I've been around, I've also seen several times that sound is set for the main draw and the local group just has to go sing their 10 minutes without a sound check and what they get is bad exposure.
I'm agreeing with Jim Brown here...good points. Deon's right about what our attitude should be, but it works both ways. There are artists who will do ANYTHING to get on a particular promotion...and I mean ANYTHING...and ministry has nothing to do with it.
I have sung baritone for ten years with the local group ... I have been "on the main stage" with several top groups ... have sung singings with several promoters ... those nights have been great and some have been really BAD ... like the PA being really BAD for the local and POOF when the big boys come up the PA is great ... (Deon ... maybe you can talk some on that topic) ...
Deon,
Somebody needs to make a couple of comments on my article. Daryl Williams has more comments than me, and I don't like that.. LOL
Deon Unthank
SoGospelNews.com
My Blog
Some people are like Slinkys… Not really good for anything, but they
still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs - Author Unknown
Mike I was just about to say the same thing. When I first read Deon's article I thought yes but it is expensive to take a group to sing one song and not get paid. I have a new group just starting out. As a manager I want to do whats right. However, as I was reading over the article God just kept prompting me. If you love me you will do as I ask. Singing one song with the right heart is better than 50 with the wrong attitude. If you are in southern gospel for the money I think you are in the wrong place. I am in it only to glorify Him. If I go 100 places and get nothing money wise. Jesus will see that I have what I need. I am only 26 years young but the Lord has taught me many things about finances and trusting in Him.
As an artist, I agree that I should be willing to sing anywhere I get a chance if the Spirit of God in me agrees. But is winning souls the only reason God gives us musical talent? Are there ways that God will let me earn a living in music that do not vex my spirit? If it's okay for a country singer to make a living singing songs that agree with the cultural values of his or her fans, why can't I make a living singing songs that are culturally valuable to Christians? Jesus said that we should not cast our pearls before swine. To me, that means that I should not present my music to anyone who does not appreciate it enough to pay for it. Those who pay for it will get the most out of it. But, again, anytime I get a chance to sing or play somewhere, I am more than willing to do so.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit
- Galatians 5:25.
"I should not present my music to anyone who does not appreciate it enough to pay for it." Do you sing to anyone? You know Keith, as long as I have been visiting and reading your comments I have yet to see you post anything positive.
As one who tried to promote several concerts a few years back I have to give thanks to the "local" groups that were willing to be a part of my concerts without charge. I had about 3 local groups or artisits perform for about 5 minutes each and then brought on the featured group. The local groups were all excited to be promoted with and appearing with these "pro" groups. They enjoyed the backstage time with the pro groups and hopefully learned from them and made friends. Unfortunately, I lost money on each concert. I barely paid the featured groups and had some of the best at the time. I wouldn't have been able to pay the locals. I always considered myself a good promoter but it just didn't work out. I still have a list of items we sold from our home in order to pay for a "pro" group that lived only an hour away. We had committed to 4 concerts and each one just drained us more. So Thank You to the "locals". Maybe if I'd have promoted them as opposed to the pro groups I wouldn't have lost financially. We did however have some great programs even with low attendance. The problem here seems to be lack of a quality facility to have a good concert. Few promoters can fill the local civic center due to poor sound and seating conditions but some actually do. My biggest "problem" is that groups charge promoters so much to "perform" and then sing in a church 30 miles away the next day where it's strictly a love offering. I think that hurts the promoters. How many other music genre's work in this fashion of paid one night and love offerings the next night? Thanks for listening. Be Blessed.
Keith, if you have ever been involved in a group then you would know that exposure is far more important to an up and coming group than is money. The promoter is GIVING them an opportunity for exposure. You seem to be having trouble understanding how the music industry as a whole works. Secular artists sing for "tips" using the same principle. The promoter is not taking advantage of the local artists, he is giving them a break. Local groups who have to get paid before they sing rarely get anywhere.
Deon Unthank
SoGospelNews.com
My Blog
Some people are like Slinkys… Not really good for anything, but they
still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs - Author Unknown
This is all very interesting! I have been singing with a P/T group for 24 years and have had the opportunity to sing for nothing, and also get paid a small amount. I have enjoyed all of them and try not to turn any of them down so long as it is reasonable for us to make the engagement. In other words, "pay" is not the priortiy with us, but the opportunity to share the "good news of Jesus Christ" is. When we obey Him, our ministry will prosper, both spiritual and financial.
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