No, YOU give ME a break.

Everyone, please welcome Monument Quartet. Still got a chip, fellas? Go ahead - deny it. The truth is, whoever you are, you both simply have no idea what good music is. I’m Mr Picky on SGM and Tribute was the best qt I’ve heard in the last 12 months. Seriously, if you think they stink, your just dumb. And as far as making suggestions about the “preferences” of some of the members, again, your dumb. Course, it’s easy to sling the mud while you got downloaded pics of Hannah Montana on your other window. These men are gentlemen and Christians (more so than I). I’ve spent the time with them to know, and now come to their defense. Your inflamatory remarks have been punished. I’ll expect a weak response (if any). Please, no one else get your hands dirty on this one. These guys made it personal with me. Thanks for your consideration.

#1 you need to get a life your probably one of those fat ppl that sit on the couch all day making fun of ppl that really do work hard for a living.

#2 if you just knew all the hard work the ppl in gospel music put into singing… and trying to lead lost souls to the LORD. They dont need pain in the butt like you giving your comments.

#3 I happend to think that TRIBUTE QT is the best ((sangin)) group there is!!! and I dont care what your thoughts are and no one else will either when your in hell

THank you for reading.
Tributes #1 fan

Eric,
I appreciate your credentials and respect your opinion.What do you see being the major issues in SG that are causing the downward spiral in sales, attendance, radio market and no major impact in retail sales.

GC to attempt to answer your question, I am not sure if there is any one definite answer. We could blame it on the economy and that is true to an extent. There still seems to be a large percentage of Southern Gospel Music Fans that do not live in high income situations. But they follow this music because like many of us and I have stressed again in this thread that we could be something else for a living that is much more lucrative but we have a passion for it. Let’s take NQC for example. Many of the groups I talked with and there were even some of the Top Names that did not sell what they had hoped. Think of a family of four that decided to take their vacation and spend the whole week. Tickets for each night at $27 per ticket, x4 x 6 nights is $648. Then lets say they drive from Orlando to Louisville. That is 860 miles each way, 1720 miles round trip. Their Tahoe gets 15 miles to the gallon. It would take approx 130 gallons of gas round trip at an average of $3.60 per gallon that is $468 in gas. Then a hotel room is an average of $120 per night. Another $720. Then an average of $80 (and that is a low figure) for everyone to each each day. Grand total for the family is $2316. Not counting any incidentals. Then the family if they buy any CD’s at all has to charge them on their American Express. Number one is the economy. You could ask the average family that loves Gospel Music and I would be willing to speculate that majority of them do not have an extra $2500 just laying around. I know that NQC offers packages (and they are great values) but some will still go this route. The same thing with many venues throughout the year. The fuel prices are difficult on everyone as well as utilities and food. This is affecting our industry both fans and artists alike. I was in Wal-Mart last night and ran into 4 people in Southern Gospel Music. Two industry people and 2 artists. Everyone is saying the same thing it is hurting us all.

Number 2 I feel that in Southern Gospel that radio and retail have never truly been on the same page. There are a few exceptions. Case in point. in 2000 when I was at Spring Hill we had a song that you may remember from Karen Peck called “Four Days Late”. It was June of that year when the album first came out. We partnered with a local Christian bookstore in Winston-Salem and Rodney Baucom the general manager at JOY FM helped to sponsor the event. The station came and did a live remote and one of the local Christian bookstores set up a tent in the Parking lot. Karen Peck and New River gave a free concert to over 200 people that came out. While this number may not seem to be that large, nearly everyone came in the store, purchased a copy and had it signed by the group. If this was more of a normal some things would be different. That same year I went with one of our CCM artists to Minneapolis before Christmas. We did the morning drive with KTIS/Skylight Network and then a bookstore appearance in the afternoon and then a large church that night. The temp was only 2 degrees for the high and there was almost 3 feet of snow on the ground by nightfall. Still over 1000 people braved the storm and came out. As I emceed the concert that night I asked how many came out just because they heard us talking about it on KTIS that morning. Almost 70%. KTIS helped us partner with the Northwest Bookstore closest to St. Paul that also got behind the event. These type of things are key.

Sevearl years ago Jim Black, sevearl radio promoters and myself attempted for 2 years to get Southern Gospel involved in the radio bootcamp that happens each year during GMA week. We had several meetings at the Salem offices and then launched the program and the first year 2001 suprisingly had a fairly good turnout. But like everything else there was the interest lost its momentum. If we continued to have things move forward instead of staying the same we would be in better shape.

Eric,
What sort of company have you formed to make this right?

That is the criteria a person needs to meet before they have the freedom to criticize as you’ve just said…right?

David to answer your question and I don’t mean any disrespect, I have not owned my own company but I have spent over 10 years in gospel radio both as a personality and a programmer, and 13 years with 3 of the respectable companies in Southern Gospel Music. I am blessed to have worked with over 50 artists and in times past have been both with the SGMG, a member of the SGMA and spent years on the Dove Awards screening comittee. I have also been blessed to have spent many years learning from the leaders in our Southern Gospel. I could go on and list my accomplishments, but there are many artists that you could call that are good friends. I do this because I have had a passion for this music in my 36 years on this earth.

I go to events because I still want to be a part and to help futher this music and the kingdom of God. I choose to receive a blessing instead of being critical. If I see an artist that might improve on something, I will talk to that group individually and make my suggestions instead of personally calling them out in front of everyone.

You’ll have to go to 46:33, because that’s when they are introduced.