PRAYZEHYMN Online | where gospel music lives [Show Cancelled?]

By ANDREA R. WILLIAMS
The Tehilliah Report and the DC Gospel News Network
Posted: March 6, 2007

Gospel music has exploded in recent years. The Christian music industry as a whole sold more than 44.9 million units in 2006 with 20% of those sales attributed to black gospel music. Black gospel music is being heard on mainstream radio formats nationally and has a platform few imagined.

Although sales in the genre are going well, it seems that gospel tours aren't necessarily following suit. Major artists are struggling to fill seats and local concerts and national tours seem to be suffering. Some of those tours, backed by major sponsors including the Patti LaBelle Tour and the Sisters In The Spirit Tour, have been cancelled abruptly leaving gospel music fans scratching their heads while standing in the refund line.

PATTI MAKES A DETOUR: According to a PRNewswire press release, LaBelle announced that the promoter for the "Gospel According to Patti LaBelle Tour" failed to meet their obligations. Inconsistencies coupled with a breach of contract have forced LaBelle to walk away from what has been a highly successful, sold-out run. LaBelle, above, is singing "Walk Around Heaven" from her recent #1 Gospel record at the 22nd Stellar Gospel Music Awards.

What's happening? Are gospel music lovers more interested in popping in a CD as opposed to seeing an artist in person? Are ticket prices too high? Is the gospel market oversaturated? Does today's technology play a role? Or do gospel concerts need to go back to their foundation, the church? To find out the real reasons why the gospel touring industry is being hit hard, we asked some of the movers and shakers in gospel music to provide answers.

James Walker, Esq., of Walker & Associates, known as attorney for some of the biggest names in the biz, thinks part of the problem centers around market saturation. “The explosion of gospel music has been a blessing and a curse in some ways for our touring business,” shares Walker. “There was a time when you could only see your Gospel artist once or twice at most a year in a given market, and rarely on television or in a video. With the present billion dollar state of gospel music and the industry as a whole, many of the artists are touring all the time and the feedback from consumers has me very concerned.”

A well-known Stellar Award winner says he thinks people need variety of gospel acts hitting the road. “I think people would like to see just a little more diversity in the touring scene. Hopefully acts like Hezekiah Walker, The Clark Sisters , and a Bebe & Cece Reunion Tour will hit the road as well as some of the younger acts like Tye Tribbett, Youthful Praise , etc... Perhaps they'll get a chance to do a full-fledged tour as opposed to the same combination of talent year after year. Nothing wrong with it, but how many times will you pay to see the same show?”

Walker concurs. He says, “With the success of gospel music, the promoters, churches, managers and even artists are finding themselves in the same market too frequently and not thinking long term. And, the consumer or concert-goer is pretty savvy. He or she will not pay $30-40 to see a big name artist when they know you were just in town or you will be at a megachurch two weeks from now and they are taking a ‘love offering'.”

It's certain that economics play a part. Cheryl Jackson, Program Director of Washington, D.C.'s Stellar Award-winning Heaven 1580 (WPGC-AM), believes money has a lot to do with gospel music's empty seats. “Economics play a major role in why seats aren't being filled in arenas. Christians are supporting gospel music and record sales indicate this. Ticket prices are soaring based on the growing demand of artists and the economy has affected the consumer so that concerts are no longer an affordable luxury.”

With ticket prices higher than they have ever been, it seems that gospel consumers are counting the cost. Prices for some of the genre's top artists could easily start at $30 and go up to $60 - $75 for coveted seats for A-list artists. “Concert ticket prices are not family friendly,” says Frances Middleton of Arlington, VA's WAVA, owned by Salem Communications. “Do the math. For example, if the price of a ticket is $55 each, for a family of four, that's $220. Then there's gas to the concert and parking, which could be $20. If you add dinner before or after the concert, that could be an extra $60 - $120. So hypothetically, an evening out could be $330- $360 per event. How often can most people do this?”

Matt Anderson, of Heaven 1580 and Missing Peace Productions, says he's certain much of the reason for cancelled concerts is financial. He says, “Disposable income for the audience that gospel concerts target is not so ‘disposable' anymore. The cost of fuel prices has impacted everything from food and clothing to housing and medical care.”

But why are ticket prices so high? Some people feel that fees for many of today's popular gospel artists are too expensive. Major gospel singers can charge in the tens of thousands of dollars for one performance. Have they priced themselves out of the market? Since promoters must absorb artist fees, promoters are forced to charge high ticket prices to cover costs. But are promoters doing their part? Middleton says, “Most promoters are uninformed or ill-advised about this niche market and the process to reach them. They do not know how decisive music is.” She also feels that many promoters haven't budgeted for “long-term advertising (8 - 12 weeks) to reach this trusted, loyal audience for the cause.”

Jody Mainello of Lone Oak Entertainment, responsible for booking such artists as Richard Smallwood, J. Moss and Tonex, feels that a lot more time and money are needed to promote a concert well. “Most of the time the sponsor of the program doesn't spend enough to market the event to let the public know. Most marketing people will say that you have to make 5-7 impressions before a consumer will respond to what you are marketing,” says Mainello. According to what he's seen, many sponsors don't go the extra mile to publicize their events. “They will send a flyer out to the area churches to have them put it in the lobby, do some PSA's on the local station and try to get the artist to do an interview. With these things in place they will call it a day and hope that 1500 people show up to pay $25 to see Mary Mary in concert. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way,” states Mainello.

Kenny Taylor of Gospel Truth Magazine and Teemade Services says, “Proper promotions are a key factor in the success of any concert. Perhaps it's time for promoters to step up their game, go ‘grass-roots' in their marketing plans, and work harder to excite consumers as these concerts are planned, but first, let's re-dedicate gospel concerts to the true gospel artists. Be it nostalgia or tradition, there must be enough long-standing enthusiasts out there to provide the support needed to succeed."

Although oversaturation, finances and promotion play huge roles in why gospel concerts aren't doing well, technology may also be partly to blame as well. “The rapid growth of technology has a direct impact on the lack of attendance of gospel concerts,” says Anderson. “People can now download music videos, movies and television episodes along with their favorite songs directly to their desktop computers or even cell phones. It is now much easier to access information and entertainment content than ever before. Why pay for gas, parking and a new outfit when we have widescreen TV's and Surround Sound at home?” Walker agrees and says, “Many big name artists are commonly on TV now. Stations like BET, The Word Network, Gospel Music Channel and other gospel TV outlets, along with TBN and CBN, among other regional channels, carry gospel music frequently so the demand to see someone isn't the same. If I just saw 30 minutes of your concert on television, I can just tape it and avoid paying a fee to see you live.”

Some gospel fans are feeling that gospel concerts are becoming performances with the name “Christian” tacked on to them. Has entertainment become more the focus than ministry? Is the purpose really about Jesus Christ or are people more concerned about the almighty dollar? If salvation is truly the goal, why do so few gospel concerts end in an invitation? Hopefully the unsaved are leaving theatres with a closer relationship to God and not just empty wallets.

There's certainly room for entertainment in Christendom. Mainello feels that both Christian music ministry and Christian entertainment are appropriate. “There is definitely a division between the two,” he states. “Most artists will argue that theirs is a ministry when in reality it is more entertainment. Don't get me wrong, there is a need for both and both have Christian overtones to what they do. Christians need to be entertained also.” And many churches are providing entertainment and ministry under the same roof.

As Walker earlier pointed out, many mega-churches are bringing in gospel's finest and concert goers are seeing them for free. Is that the key? Do gospel artists need to go back to the church? With prices for churches normally far less than typical venues, the idea may be exactly what's needed to get the gospel tour business back on track.

Bobby Burwell, Operations Manager of Soul World Entertainment representing the 7 Sons of Soul, feels that artists need to go back to their roots. Burwell states, “Spiritually speaking, I believe in order for gospel concerts to be successful once again, it needs to begin with concerts by major artists at the local church. No matter if it's a megachurch or store front and those in between, churches need to be the primary venue for gospel concerts. Take the concept back to church and let the gospel chips fall where they may.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Former GRAMMY Awards employee Andrea R. Williams is the publisher, editor and president of Tehillah Enterprises and the Tehillah Report, based in Washington, D.C. She is a freelance writer for GospelCity.com, BlackGospel.com, Gospel Today Magazine and has been cited in the Gospel Industry Roundup as a "Mover and Shaker" on the Internet from 2004-2007.

OTHER VALUABLE RESOURCES TO LOOK INTO:
We perish because of the lack of knowledge. Get schooled.

Tehillah Enterprises - Official website of Tehillah Enterprises
DC Gospel News Update - Offical website of the DC Gospel News Update
Changing Faces - Attorney James L. Walker deals with the strange changes of leadership in the gospel music industry.