Southern Gospel Promoters Association

The Promoter/DJ

As a DJ, one who promotes gospel music, has certain advantages. One of the advantages is contact with the people who attend the concerts. When you do a daily air shift, you are in contact with the people in a personal way. It is a common thing for those who attend the concerts to give you feed back. This is helpful. You learn to appreciate each comment whether it is positive or negative. I will discuss three common issues in this article.

First, people are interested in the music and the direction it may be going. Next, people comment quite often on the performers and last, the price of tickets is an issue with some. Since this article is being written for a Southern Gospel publication we will deal with the style of music. The sound or style, whichever you prefer is changing. It has changed and is changing. In this promoting area the preference is male or mixed quartet and some trios. The style is four part harmony with traditional instruments. Much new compilation disc released today is displaying a "rock-a-billy". That can not be promoted, at least in this market. My contact with approximately twenty two thousand to twenty five thousand listeners during morning drive time makes me aware of this. While "rock-a-billy" gospel will draw a reasonable good crowd into an unticketed event in the larger cities, most artists will not take the chance on a "love offering" contract. The promoter and the artist must make a profit to continue. This should be understood by everyone involved.

The next area that radio helps the promoters is giving knowledge of the artist and the opinion of the people concerning the artist. A singer of gospel music is no different than a pastor of a local church in the town the concert is held. The character and conduct should be above reproach. One may not like what most of the concert goers prefer but attitude and appearance does count with. The southern gospel music fans are for the most part not "hip" or "hop". Last time I looked, the male fan had his shirt buttoned all the way up and his spouse had a complete skirt on or dress or modest slacks. While this may sound like a small matter with some, it must matter enough for it to be an issue at most concerts. The vast majority of those who attend a southern gospel concert attend for the spiritual benefit and wholesome entertainment. Many of the fans in our area who attend concerts in other areas never fail to express their opinion about what distracted them from hearing and receiving a spiritual blessing. If we want to be blessed and encouraged in the Lord, we should be able to find that at a southern gospel concert. If we are looking for flesh and show, we can find it on MTV. The promoter and the performer should respect the fans who buy the tickets.

This brings me to my last point. The last issue that I find that the fans can help with is the price of admission. The cost of promotion rises and thus the cost of a ticket must increase. While there is some concern I find that when we honestly explain to the people most of them understand. When you inform a fan that for $45.00 you can hear one country singer (but barley see him/her) and that for only $15.00 for a reserved seat you can see three or four great groups and get something that will go home with you, they will understand. One of our radio listeners gave me and idea about ticket prices and it works. For years we had an area of our main building that we could not sell tickets to. We held our price for all other seats and then sold the "unsold" seats at half the price. It worked so well that it has helped us to continue having concerts. I believe that ticket prices are the least of our concerns. Provide quality groups who respect the fans with attitude and appearance and with a spiritual message and they will come back.

In conclusion, you may not be a promoter and a DJ but you can form a relationship with the station or stations in your area and get some information that will be a benefit in promoting southern gospel music.

Jerry Edgil
WBTG Sheffield/Florence, Alabama
Promoting SG music since 1978
SG Radio DJ since 1979