Shane Roark

Nov

2008

What’s the point?

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It is, with a wee dram of reservation, that I write to you my first article for this website. I am not without subject to write, I am simply leery of anyone getting the point. I have been following this site, and few others, for some time now with curiosity about the opinions that are out there about our industry. I have been quite shocked at the intellectually bankrupt people who seem to be proclaimed as “Guardians of the Gate of Truth”. Most of the articles I have read have been more like advertisements from politicians running for office. The one resounding subject seems to be that the SGM industry is in trouble and how do we fix it. Well let’s delve into that a bit. First of all I want to let you know that my opinions on this matter are just that “opinions”. Much has been said about NQC, Singing News, Charts, Pros V Amateurs, and the direction of our industry in general. I attend the NQC board meetings and work directly with Singing news and their charts. I can say, FOR SURE, it is a mess! So many people look at these simple 1-2 fixes like separating pros and amateurs or changing the overall quality of our recordings. Or perhaps booting out the entertainers and going all out for ministry only. I can assure you, NO ONE in the box seats of the game CARE even a little bit about any of that. The people in this industry who hold the reigns simply don’t care! The Government that is SGM has become a Communist Regime.

OH MY! HOW CAN HE SAY THAT!?! Because it is true! There are a few in number who own all we try to become a part of and if you disagree with the way things are ran You Are Shown the Door! This industry is No Longer about quality or Christian ideology, it is about MONEY! If you can bring Money to the table you can get in any door you want to get in! As far as I am concerned more than half of the artists holding top charting positions and Time on the NQC stage, simply don’t deserve it. There are groups out there that aren’t much better than a decent church group and have been on the cover of magazines. This is the true decline of our Empire. We are over here arguing the finer points of pitch and stage presence, and NOBODY CARES! So what if the McKameys aren’t sonically pure? They sold 500,000 copies of “God on the Mountain” in less time than it took Ernie Hasse and the gang to sell “Get Away Jordan” the same amount! I am not a McKamey fan but they have something called Anointing! They no doubt also have a real relationship with GOD! Ernie isn’t anything more than any other Pitchy tenor, if you were to strip away the lights and dance moves! And let’s not forget the NOD of approval from the mighty GAITHER!

Let’s face it, nobody cares either way! Do we need entertainment (EHSS)? Sure we do. Do we need anointed sincere singing ( Mkmy )? You bet we do. Does any of that have anything to do with the decline of SGM? NO WAY! The arrogance of those of you out there who think you have a quick fix idea is staggering. I am so sick of the after concert, Waffle House, SGM repair sessions! Everybody has “A PLAN”. Some say, let’s educate the people coming up and keep them from getting ripped off. Noble gesture, as long as you’re not suggesting that the umbrella of protection only opens in your studio or record company. Those same people suggest that you need a REAL RECORD DEAL! WHAT? Does everyone honestly suggest that Daywind, Crossroads, Springhill etc.. Won’t RIP YOU OFF! HAHA! Of course they will. They will take your money, stick you on some farm label, and you get to go out and brag about your record deal. (That’s another article) the point is, NOBODY CARES! It doesn’t make any difference either way. Fact: nobody ever bought a CD because of the label. Fact: nobody ever bought a CD because of who the producer is. Fact: nobody cares who played guitar on the CD or what city it was recorded in! This stuff is irrelevant! What is relevant is, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? That’ right, I said YOU! You are the POWER and the INDUSTRY. Without all the YOUS out there we would have NO NQC, NO SINGING NEWS, NO CHARTS, No industry at all! We the people have the power to change the course of SGM! We have the power to choose if we are going to continue to accept things the way they are or change them. Some of you like it the way it is. Great, do nothing. Some of you want change for our industry, well CHANGE IT THEN! HOW? Well, that is to come (IN MY OPINION) in future articles. I look forward to addressing these, and many other issues. I look forward to your comments and opinions that will follow. This will be my platform in future articles and I am looking forward to it. I eagerly await to see if anyone will get “ The Point”.

God Bless,

Shane Roark
http://www.chapelvalleystudio.com

Reader Comments

Ed,
First of all, glad to hear you are still out there! You of ALL people should and DO get it!
Someone with your experience and background should automatically be on the INSIDE. But politics and finance keeps you out. I agree with your point, If you are out there with NO intention to help better things for us all, then don't be a stumbling block for others! There are a lot of people with a lot to offer, if we were all working together for a common GOOD, we could all enjoy the benifits from that action.

SHANE ROARK

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/04/2008

Shane,

Outstanding! The issues are not the music nor the message, they're centered around the business. While the ministry should be the number one focus, it's become more about the biz...and that's where we go off track. When your level of success is identified by whether you have an 'artist' or an 'exhibitor' badge to wear, the point is being missed.

The message is still worthy of the spotlight...and there are no quick fixes.

Blessings,

—
Rod Burton

http://www.rodburtonmusic.com
http://www.twitter.com/rodburtonmusic
http://www.bransonGMC.com

Commented by Rod Burton On 11/05/2008

Yep... He really said all that.

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/06/2008

I think we sometimes forget the need for great songs. We need more songwriters in the "industry", if you want to call it that, who take the craft seriously and more singers/groups who settle for nothing less than superb songwriting. While there are a few great songs coming out in SG, overall I feel that there is a dearth of great material.

Secondly, we need singers who (a) love Jesus and (b) know how to sing--and sing well.

My point is that if you get all three right...that is you have great songs, you love the Lord and you can sing really well, the political walls tend to break down by themselves a little bit. People will take notice of you and if it's God's will, He will begin to put you into places you never dreamed about.

The one caveat there is that it's not always God's will to put you on a national platform. Many singers/groups never come to the realization that God sometimes has a place for you on a local or regional scene, and in those cases it's never His intention to put you in the Top 10 on the Singing News charts. Hard to swallow, yes. But if it's His will, it's always for the best.

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/06/2008

I would add one other requirement to success in SG, and that is for a singer or group to settle for nothing but their very best in the recording studio. So many groups--big name groups, even--allow producers/engineers to run them through their vocal recording sessions in a hurry. The fact is that most groups CANNOT do as well as they should with only two days of vocals.

Try recording vocals for four or five days on your next project, tweaking and tweaking and fixing every little thing you can think of.

Then approach the mixing segment of the process as seriously as you have any other part of it. Demand a great mix from whomever is mixing the record. You will come out with a much better project.

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/06/2008

I've noticed something intriguing here as I have read this article and the comments to follow. Not once have I seen anyone mention the need to have God first. I've read "Christian Ideology," and "ministry" but these could mean any number of things. Let's not beat around the bush here. The problem with SGM today is that too many have lost focus on what they are singing about. Once a person has lost focus of God, I believe God's blessing has also left. However just because someone acheives great "success" doesn't mean they are in God's will. The world offers success and happiness, but only for a season.

SGM as a whole needs to refocus and realize its not what you or I can do, but what God can do. It's not about us! It's not about Gaither. It's not about The Hoppers. It's not about EHSS. And believe it or not it's not about NQC or SGM as a whole. It's about what Christ did for us. When we start to worry more about vain things than seeing souls saved, then we are way out of focus.

Sure I would love to see every group acheive the success of Bill Gaither. But if you are willing to do anything short of selling your soul to the devil to get to that point, what have you gained? The end doesn't justify the means.

SGM has turned away from the founding principles which made it great! There are exceptions of course, and I believe those exceptions are seeing true success.

My main point is this...we, and when I say we I mean me too, we all need revival. Revival in our churches, Revival in our schools, Revival in our homes, and Revival in our hearts! Oh how I long to see Revival in our country!

"The same faith that saved us that day, should be lived by us every day!"

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/07/2008

Certainly we need revival, but "seeing souls saved" isn't the only reason God created music in the world, just as He did not create the Great Smoky Mountains for the sole reason of seeing souls saved. On the other hand, God did not create music to be the money making object of the music industry, just as He did not create the Great Smoky Mountains for the profit of the tourist industry. Once we can see music as neither a tool for winning the lost nor a way to make money, then we will truly understand God's heart for music and why He created it in the world. (And this is a revelation to me, too!)

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit

- Galatians 5:25.

Visit My Website

Commented by Keith Prater On 11/07/2008

Music is not a tool for winning the lost? Did I miss something here?

Commented by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) On 11/11/2008

Yes you did. I'm talking about how we view music in our minds. Long before men tried to win souls with it, and long before men tried to make money with it, music was given to us by God as beauty...just like the Smoky Mountains or the Grand Canyon. All the troubles we are having with music, whether it is Southern Gospel or any other style, stem from us failing to appreciate music in the right way -- the way God created it.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit

- Galatians 5:25.

Visit My Website

Commented by Keith Prater On 11/11/2008

But wouldn't that sort of be like saying that we shouldn't preach because it takes away from the beauty of speaking? Music, as you correctly stated, in and of itself is a beautiful thing. It was created to be enjoyed. But, SGM is more than just a Beethoven Symphony. Not only is it beautiful because it is expressive, it's beautiful because it has a message. Just like preaching, it's more than just a speech to be prepared. It's more than just getting up and talking - there's a message. That's why SGM or Christian Music in it's entirety should spend MORE effort focusing on not only entertainment value, but how to reach more and more souls. I realize that a SGM or CM concert shouldn't be based off of preaching musically from song number one in a lineup. However, we shouldn't be on the other extreme either - being too entertainment based. We have a serious message to tell/sing about, but we've got to start having a JOY about being a Christian. When people see us singing or playing this music, they should see something glowing from within us. The anointing we have should show, and people everywhere should want to have what we have and what they can SEE in us...JESUS. Showing the message of how GREAT HE is, THAT is what God intended Christian Music to be about...

Commented by Shane Watson On 11/12/2008

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