GMA Journal 2005

GMA Journal 2006

2006-03-10T13:59:00.000-05:00

Thanks to those of you who have followed my behind-the-scenes look at Gospel Music Week over the past couple of years. It's time go get ready for GMA 2006.

This year, I'll be blogging on the What's Up Entertainment section of my website at www.joannebrokaw.com.

Feel free to surf around the site; you'll find my random musings under the Random Musings section (clever, eh?) and my monthly humor column at This Life.

Let the games begin!
Joanne

Thanks to Kingdom Bound ...

2005-05-12T18:45:00.000-04:00

If you're stopping by as a result of the last Kingdom Bound blast, let me say welcome! I hope you enjoy my recap of GMA week. Drop me a line at joannebrokaw@yahoo.com and let me know what you think. And please visit my main website at www.joannebrokaw.com, where you'll find an archive of articles as well as my monthly column, This Life.
All the best!
Joanne Brokaw

GMA WEEK: Recap

2005-04-20T13:01:00.000-04:00

WHAT’S UP: GMA WEEK
By Joanne Brokaw

If there’s one thing about GMA week that you can always count on, it’s this: you find what you’re looking for.

My search was for the heart of Christian music. I wanted to know what makes these artists tick, what separates them from their mainstream counterparts, what makes Christian music so ... well, Christian.

Sure, there’s a lot of posturing. This is a business event, don’t forget. It’s a time when record labels are parading around their new artists, and veteran artists are showcasing their new projects, and everyone is vying for as much media attention as possible. Without record sales, there are no record labels, and while it’s nice for an artist to have a message, without an avenue to get the message to the public, it’s back to the Burger King drive-up window.

The question is this: at Christian event promoting Christian music, how many of these folks are just putting on a face to fit in with the crowd? Are they serious about using their music to further the gospel? Or are they willing to slap a Jesus fish on the CD cover so they can make a few more sales?

Either most of these artists are a bunch of really good liars, or the Christian music industry is filled with folks who genuinely define their music by their faith.

For acts like By The Tree, Starfield, Sarah Kelly, and Todd Agnew, it’s worship music to the church. Artists like Out of Eden and Ashley Cleveland are giving a new sound to traditional hymns. Stellar Kart, Seventh Day Slumber, Building 429, Fusebox, Jeremy Camp and newcomers Inhabited are using culturally relevant rock music as a platform that lets them minister to kids and give them a reason to invite their friends to church. New acts The Wedding, John David Webster, Lost Anthem, and Carried Away bring fresh faces and new sounds. Many acts are adding their own distinct flair to Christian music, like Latin artists Salvador; new worship artist Ricardo, whose songs are influenced with a mariachi sound; and folk/bluegrass artists Alathea. Celebrities you‘ve seen on television prove that Christians can make a difference in the mainstream, like American Idol’s George Huff and actor Stephen Baldwin. Acoustic singer/songwriter Randall Goodgame is a musical storyteller whose new album includes a tribute to Charles Schultz. Urban artist Bobby Bishop is using rap music to reach kids. Even comedian Bob Nelson has finally found a purpose in the Christian community - 13 years after he met Jesus.

All around Nashville are indie bands hoping that their CD gets in the right hands and learning about the industry. Rockers LastPageFirst, from Rochester, NY, were in Nashville for showcase in a hole-in-the-wall club, but had so much fun they decided to stay for the whole week, sleeping in their van parked next to the Renaissance Hotel. They enjoyed the kindness of industry folks like publicist Lynn McCain, who welcomed the guys to her annual Guitar Pull, one of the highlights of GMA Week. They got some impromptu words of wisdom about being grounded in the industry from By The Tree’s Aaron Blanton as we stopped to chat on a street corner.

GMA is also a time to meet up with publicists, writers, and musicians who are more than just industry connections, but old friends like Mike and Paula Parker, who are old hats at GMA week.

The third floor café is the hot spot for the week, the place to meet, greet, and have some coffee if the line’s not too long (no tea; they ran out by Wednesday). I met artist Jaime Jamgochan for a 10 minute introduction, and talked for an hour. Karl Messner from ApologetiX and his publicist Kathleen Burke set up office on the couches around the corner, just outside the press room, where Karl imparts words of wisdom and comedic stories to not just his interviewers, but anyone who wants to stop by and hang out for a while. He shared with me about his daily Bible reading club, where he encourages fans to commit to read one chapter of the Bible each day and then send him an email letting him know what they read. While we sat on the couch talking about the program, he received his 14,000th Bible club email.

But there’s still work to be done, including three days of interviews, and more showcases than anyone could possibly attend. It’s not unusual to see visit several different clubs at opposite ends of downtown all in one night and still miss something great. Seminars and press conferences keep everyone abreast of new products and projects. Three floors of the convention hall are filled with booths, demonstrations, samples and more. Need a quote to get CDs manufactured? Want a copy of a magazine? Need a ticket distribution service? You’ll find it all in the exhibit hall.

The week culminates in the Gospel Music Awards, where Doves are handed out to artists for their contributions to Christian music. This year, rockers Switchfoot, who have enjoyed enormous mainstream success, won four Dove awards. Casting Crowns took home a Dove for Group of the Year, and lead singer Mark Hall took home awards for both Song and Songwriter of the Year. Jeremy Camp was again named Male Vocalist of the Year, and Nicole C. Mullen was named Female Vocalist of the Year. But proving that the awards don’t always go to household names but to the most deserving artists, Modern Rock Song of the Year went to MuteMath for “Control”.

In the end, Gospel Music Week is exactly what it should be: a business event conducted with grace and a Christ-like sincerity that transcends record sales. While the bottom line is what keeps these labels in business, it’s the servant attitude that keeps the main goal in focus: serving the church and reaching the lost through culturally relevant music.

Heard Backstage At The Doves

2005-04-16T12:47:00.000-04:00

"I'm such a dork."
Mark Hall, Casting Crowns, accepting the award for Song of the Year for "Who Am I", and choking up when he thanks his band

"More than this award, the trophy we have to strive for is the crown of life."
Nicole C. Mullen, accepting the award for Urban Album of the Year for Everyday People

"Before you can really know how much God loves you, you have to realize how small you are."
Mark Hall, Casting Crowns

"A teenager will do just about whatever it takes to have someone sit down with them at lunch."
Mark Hall, Casting Crowns, talking about how his job as a youth pastor is much more important to him than success as a band

"If you're going to be a bridge between different cultures you have to expect to be walked on."
Nicole C. Mullen, female vocalist of the year and winner of a Dove for Urban Album of the Year

"I think mine just went plastic."
Todd Smith of Selah, winner of Inspirational Album of the Year, when asked about sales of the bandmember's solo albums

"You can't be a celebrity and a pastor."
Donnie McClurken, talking about his retirement from music

"If people are going to know my name, I hope it's because I did something great for God."
Chris Tomlin, winner Praise and Worship Album of the Year for Arriving

"We need more Christian rock stations. Can I get a witness?"
John Cooper, Skillet, talking about the rise in Christian rock and the lack of rock radio stations

"I can tell I'm at the Dove Awards. You're so nice. They yell at you at the Grammy's."
Stephen Curtis Chapman, posing for media photos

"When I wake up in the morning, I'm going to play with my kids. I doubt they'll care much about these."
Mark Hall, Casting Crowns, talking about his Dove awards for Songwriter of the Year; Song of the Year; and Group of the Year

"For me, the song is new every time. I don't get tired of the songs, because the people are different every time."
Mark Hall, Casting Crowns

"I'm nervous!"
Darlene Zschech, posing for photos in the press room

"We need examples of Christian women who show you can have fun and not live in sin."
Kierra Kiki Sheard, winner for Urban Song of the Year

"These things aren't going to mean a hill of beans in five years, but how good a dad I am will."
Mark Hall, Casting Crowns, talking about his Dove awards for Songwriter of the Year; Song of the Year; and Group of the Year

"Completely taking over multimedia for Jesus Christ."
Flamboyant Prince-like artist Tonex, nominated for Urban Album of the Year, talking about what he'll be doing over the next five years

"It's nice to be recognized for a project as a whole instead of just a song."
Bart Millard, MercyMe, winner Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year

"When I see all my fans at a show, I just want to hug them, because they're such an encouragement."
Jeremy Camp, winner Rock Song of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year

"If you want to be light, you have to see light."
Matt Redman, winner Worship Song of the Year, talking about the importance of getting into fellowship with God

GMA: The Doves

2005-04-16T12:16:00.000-04:00

Or, as they're now officially called, the Gospel Music Awards. Or something like that.

To get an idea of what goes on for media at the Doves, first you need a mental picture of the press room. It's a curtained off section in the backstage area, next to other curtained off areas for publicists and media who requested private TV booths. As we sit in our corral, we can hear the party going on on the other side of the curtain.

There are maybe 5 rows of tableclothed and skirted tables with chairs, then a section of just plastic chairs, then a raised area where the cameramen sit. There's a small table of snacks in the back - some sandwiches, soda, water, cookies. But we've been instructed not to pig out, and to leave the water for the artists, which is weird because you'd think they'd have water for the artists somewhere else, and they couldn't get back there anyway even if they wanted to. In fact, no one can really get back there. The place is jam packed. Mark and Lisa have snagged front row seats at a table and saved us seats behind them, which fortunately are on the end near the curtain, so we can sneak out without going down the row.

In front of us is a stage with a mic and a background banner with the GMA logos. To the left is a flat screen plasma TV, to the right a regular TV.

Here's how it works: the TV is on for about 1/2 hour so we can watch the start of the show, and then the volume gets turned off as they start to parade the winners and presenters through. First, they pose for pictures with their Doves. Then they take questions from the press. So while we're there to cover the event, we don't actually get to see the event. We don't hear acceptance speeches, or see performances, or anything.

And for a while, it's fun. When they announce the winner for Modern Rock Song and it's "Control" by MuteMath, I'm glad. I know, you've probably never even heard of MuteMath. That's your loss for sure. Too bad they weren't there to accept the award.

Then the TV is off and the artists start coming through. There's one particular media person who asks questions of every artist - long, in-depth questions that might be best served in an interview setting. I start to wonder if these people did interviews during the week, or use this press time to get what they need.

Hour after hour goes by - artist after artist is paraded across the stage. I'm snapping pictures to go with my journal and stories. I snap a pic of tobyMac that is all goofy and as I try to erase it, I accidentaly erase my entire memory card. Every single picture I took of the entire week is gone. Grrrrr.

We were seated at 5:30, and at 9:10 they're just doing an intermission. The show was supposed to be over by 9:30, and the media done by 10:30, but it's clear that's not going to happen. Mike and Paula leave, and now I'm bored. The only way I could have been more bored is if they made me watch golf. Not because the event is boring (although let's face it, the pressroom is no party). It's because I'm left without anyone to talk with. Mark and Lisa are having the time of their lives. I want to talk with Paula about things like the woman wearing 3" gold heels who can barely walk across stage, and fake tans, and bad outfits.

Then I see Jeremy Thiessen from Downhere, and he's waving to me, so I sneak out through the curtain at the end of my row, and get to meet his lovely fiance, Erin. I ask how he managed to catch her, because she's way out of his league. We have some good laughs, and I'm glad to get out of my seat and talk for a while. Jeremy gets my address so he can send me a wedding invitation - and when I say he doesn't have to do that, he responds, "How else will you know where we're registered?" I love Jeremy. (He sends an email invite, with a note saying, "I already RSVPd for you." Wouldn't he be surprised if I decided to show up?)

I want to leave, but Lisa (who is my ride) and Mark are having fun, and besides they need to wait for friends who are actually in watching the show. It's almost 11 when it's all over, and then Lisa says they're going out to eat before they go back to the hotel. I want to cry - in fact, I do cry. One of the last acts to meet with us is Skillet, one of John's favorite bands. I always think of him when I see Skillet, which got me thinking about how much fun John would have had at GMA, and how he had planned to come with me, and how he could have hung out with LPF the whole time, and what a great experience it would have been for him. But he died in February. I'm tired. I'm sad. I'm GMA-ed out. I went to the Grand Old Opry and all I saw was the press room and bathroom. I want to go back to the hotel.

Fortunately, Lisa and her gang decide to head back towards downtown and they leave me at my hotel, where I find Meg and the boys in our room having pizza and watching TV. Now I feel at home. I put on my pajamas and curl up to talk about the week. This is better.

Oddly enough, much of my GMA experience this week has felt like home. Meg came with me. LPF was with us almost the entire time. I ran into band after band from Rochester, including Anthony, the brother of Chris, who is the lead singer in the band I manage.

I'm still processing the week - I was excited to go. I had thought that it would be a good week for me to network for Elektromat, but without new music and without the band there, there wasn't really any point. Instead, LPF got the benefit of my contacts, which I'm happy about.

I'll continue to post to this GMA journal as I transcribe tapes and sort through the piles of CDs and stuff I brought home. So don't change the dial just yet ... we made some memories and I hope to share some more with you.

GMA: Day Five

2005-04-16T11:48:00.000-04:00

I almost don't even want to do this day. I'm tired. But I can't wait to talk to Randall Goodgame. He's a singer/songwriter who's last album was in part a tribute to Charles Schultz. I'm a big fan of Peanuts - I am Lucy, crabby and bossy yet wise - so I was looking forward to this interview.

Randall Goodgame is a sweet, mild-mannered man who penned many of the songs made famous by Caedmons' Call, including "Share The Well". We talk about Peanuts but as we end I tell him that I don't know if this is a compliment or not, but he reminds me in a way of Garrison Keillor, how he tells stories in song. He bows his head, and I think I've offended him, until he says he's a huge fan of Prairie Home Companion and would love to someday appear on the show. Garrison, are you listening? Book Randall. He's good. He'll fit right in there.

One of my other favorite times was with Ricardo, a Mexican worship artist from AZ. As a kid, he played in the family's mariachi band, and his music is infused with that Mexican flair. When we talk about his kids, his eyes tear up. He tells me a story about how his kids are singing a worship song in the car - they're like 5, 4 and 2 - and he and his wife join in and they're worshipping God in the minivan. Then he tells me he and his wife have thought about adopting a little girl. When I ask if he'll adopt a Mexican baby, he says Mexican, Chinese, it doesn't matter. I comment that that would really be something, wouldn't it? This family of Mexican descent, in America, with a Chinese baby, all worshipping God in the minivan? A living picture of many tribes worshipping together. He tears up and says, "There's a song in there somewhere." I tell him he can have the idea and just thank me on the next album.

I also had a blast with Stellar Kart. When I show up, one of the guys is wearing a Hilton Hotel bathrobe over his clothes because he thinks this interview is for TV. I take a picture to compensate. I learn that you can get arrested for fishing in the ceee-ment pond, even if you're the pastor's kid, and that "general studies" is the musicians' college major of choice.

I meet up with Mike and Paula to get ready for the Doves. They insist on driving me to the Grand Old Opry, but I don't want them to drive me home because it's out of their way to come back. But Mike, who treats me like part of the family, insists. Otherwise, I'd have to buy a shuttle ticket for $10 (how's that for ridiculous - they invite media to the Doves and then make us pay $10 to get there?). Anyway, I decide to ride home with another media person coming back to the hotel.

I'm going to put the Doves in a separate post ... read on ...

GMA: Day Four

2005-04-16T10:38:00.000-04:00

Again, I'm hitting only highlights:

My day starts off very weird. I have an interview with Sarah Kelly in the Gotee suite on the 24th floor of the Renaissance Hotel. To get there, someone has to come down and bring you up because it's a key card floor. So I'm waiting and waiting and waiting and finally I get some guy to let me in via the stairs. So I climb a flight only to find that Sarah's in a meeting and running a little late. When she does come in, she's gorgeous and sweet and we are talking about her music schools, and growing up. The theme of our conversation is that her record deal is way down on her list of priorities, and that if God took it away she wouldn't care, because she has so many other things that are more important to her.

About 10 minutes into the conversaton, the hotel room door opens and a man sticks his head in. Sarah screams, jumps up with a "Can I just give him a hug?" and rushes over to him. I'm left sitting at the table while she engages in an excited conversation with the people who have just come in. After a few minutes, I just pack up my stuff and head out the door. Sarah's manager apologizes, and as I'm almost out Sarah asks if I want to finish the interview. I say no, I have what I need - and I do, because she gave me a great 10 minutes - but the truth is I feel like the kid who has to sit alone at lunch because no one will talk to them. Turns out the guy was tobyMac (see how clueless I am - I don't even recognize the guy when he's at his own label's suite).

I know it might seem like Sarah was rude, and I guess if you look at it purely from a media perspective it is. But the truth is that she's probably the most honest artist I saw all week. She'd just finished telling me that she doesn't care about record sales, or a record deal. She says she's about serving, not selling - and folks, GMA week is all about selling. She was a girl who felt left out her whole life, and now she's found a home at Gotee. Sarah gave me 10 minutes of honest, heartfelt, undivided attention, but she made it clear that media attention is low on her list of priorities. I can't compete with tobyMac, nor do I want to. I appreciate her honesty - there were probably a lot of other artists who would have liked to jump up out of their seats and flee from interviews.

I'm at the hotel restaurant waiting for my next interview when I run into Matt Hammitt from Sanctus Real. Another one of those artists I just adore for their humility and grace. We talk for a while about what the last year has been like for the band, given their rapid success. I am always astounded when artists take time to talk to me like a friend, instead of some random media person. I've interviewed them a few times, and I love that they remember me.

Lunch with comedian Bob Nelson. I'm excited, because my sister and I used to watch him all the time on HBO back in college. I wish I had an hour with him, because he was so interesting. He told me that while he was saved in 1992, he only now feels led to promote himself to the Christian community because he only just realized he had a purpose. When I ask him if it really took 13 years to find his purpose, he elaborates. Good story.

Quick time to catch up with Starfield. Their drummer Johnny has left the band because he's a homebody and they explain that life on the road is tough. Filling in is the nephew of an newspaper publisher I know, and when I tell Tim to give Gordy a hug from his aunt Mavis, he's astounded that I know them. I get around, I tell him. As I leave, Tim tells me to drop him an email once in a while. I give him my card and tell him to keep in touch. It's a weird thing as media. I don't want to overstep a boundary, but at the same time, I've made some great friends with artists (think Tinman Jones) and appreciate relationships that can grow from industry stuff.

I meet up with Glenn and Jeremy from Downhere to catch up. I've just missed the Canadian party (how, I don't know. I write for a Canadian paper, asked specifically for Canadian artists to interview and didn't get an invite? Somebody get on that for next year, ok?) They load my bag up with Canadian candy (how 'bout those Aero bars?) and we chat about what's happened since Word released them from their contract a month after they won a Dove award. They're still plugging away, and are in talks with another label. Jeremy's getting married, and says he wishes I could meet his fiance Erin.

I do my interview with The Wedding, and at first, they're a bit quiet. They're still young, and I think this media frenzy is a bit overwhelming. But when I ask them for the best piece of advice they've ever gotten from their parents, they get excited, and conversation starts to flow easily. They clearly love their parents, who should be very proud of them. They're good kids, and I want to give them all a hug and tell them not to worry about this media hype.

At 5:30 I head to Buffalo Billiards for a Word thing, casual food, chit chat, informal hang out time with the Word artists. I meet Mark Weber as I'm going in, and he says he felt out of place - I can understand. At things like this, the artists tend to hang out together, the media who come together hang out together, and Mark really doesn't know anyone. So I convince him to come back in with me and he gets talking to publicist Matt Williams while I eat and talk to one of my favorite people, Rich Guider, who is now head of publicity for Word. While we chat, Nic Gonzales comes by a few times to banter about his dog Curtis. Otherwise, it's a great time to meet Matt and chat with Rich.

As I leave, I run into Meg and LPF and then stop to talk to Ben and Aaron from By The Tree. I introduce them to LPF, and while Ben and I talk about his beautiful girlfriend, Aaron gives LPF a good lesson in being grounded in the industry. I am so appreciative for that - Aaron took about 15 mintues to talk to this band he doesn't know, introduced by a media person he barely knows, to shed some light on the industry to an up and coming band. I love those guys.

We decide to hit showcases tonight at Club NV so while LPF goes to their accomodations (ie: the van) to dump off their laptop, Meg and I get ice cream at Mikes Ice Cream Fountain and run into John Paone from 4 Nights in October festival. I don't know him but have heard about him through Kathleen Burke, ApologetiX publicist, so I introduce myself. He convinces us to go to Graham Central to see a band while we wait for LPF. Graham Central is across the street from Club NV, so we all spend the night going back and forth to watch bands.

Going into Graham Central, the bouncer asks for ID. Meg's underage so he marks her hand with a giant "X", and when I tell him I don't have any ID he starts to give me attitude about how I need it. "Listen," I tell him. "I'm 40 years old. Do you want to mark my hand underage?" He shrugs and lets me in with the grown ups. I wish he'd marked my hand.

I see some good bands - The Kry, Benjamin Del Shreve, Fusebox and Detour 180. I also see some bands that hurt my ears. Were they bad? I don't know, really. In their genre, they might be the hottest thing going. But I'm a sucker for good melodies and poetic lyrics.

Kevin shows up at 10:30, even though I've told him already I'm done at midnight, and at 11:30 Meg and I are headed back to the hotel. He tries to convince us to stay out all night since he did it Sunday. I laugh. I'm not as influenced by peer pressure as he obviously is. Besides, there isn't anything to do tonight.

Meg and I get back to the hotel and Jeremy is there. He'd left earlier because he wasn't feeling well, and when we come in he's sprawled out on the bed eating snacks and watching TV. We end up talking until almost 1 am (I feel bad sending him to the van, but they're used to it, they say). For a long time, LPF struggled with that Christian band image - it's tough to want to play in the secular venue with that label. But Jeremy was explaining that they've grown to understand that there just isn't any way around it, and they really don't want to avoid it. "We're Christians, we play in a band," he says. "That's just the truth, so why try to run from it? It's who we are." Well said.

GMA: Day Three

2005-04-16T10:17:00.000-04:00

So these posts are going to be less detailed, because now things get crazy. Between interviews and showcases things are kicked into high gear. The lobby and cafe are buzzing, people milling all around. The line for coffee is enormous. I run into Jeremy Camp in the lobby and am astounded that he remembers me from our interiview the week before.

Until I listen to all of the tapes, I won't even be able to tell you what I talked about with the artists I interviewed, the week was that much of a blur. But a few moments stand out:

My first interview is with John David Webster, and he's a peach. We talk about most everything, from music to the church to kids to the commercializtion of Christ. Check this guy out. He's a good singer, and cute as pie.

I meet with Inhabited, a new rock band on Fervent. Brother and sister Marcus and Sara and three other guys. Sara is calm and Marcus is a bundle of energy, the guys are super nice and I run into them repeatedly throughout the week. Each time they go out of their way to say "hi". Sara even introduces me to her mom when we meet up in the ladies room. Can't really put my finger on it, but I like these guys a lot.

I meet with By The Tree, who spend a lot of time talking about how much they love their church. At the end, I tell them about Jaime and her search for a church, and Chuck is kind enough to tell me to have her visit them. He even gives me their card with his personal email and tells me to have her contact them when she's coming so they can meet her and welcome her. When I give her the card later, she tells me that she's going to be doing some shows with them. Coincidence? Maybe. But she's beautiful, he's single, and I think he's tall enough ...

George Huff, from American Idol, was hilarious. He calls me Miss Joanne, which is from his southern upbringing. He said he'd get whipped if he called me anything else. George has an amazing amount of energy and at one point in our interview gets so excited he actually jumps up and does a lap around the room and into the bathroom, where I hear him say, "I was going to go all the way around the suite but the door's locked."

Nic Gonzalez from Salvador and I talk about how he's a neat freak, how they are known for leaving people behind at rest stops, and how he has an imaginary weiner dog named Curtis.

Building 429 - we chat casually about how we're tired, and when I mention that I was at a showcase at The Muse for a band from home, one of the guys writes the band's name down and says he wants to check them out later. When I say the guys are here and have CDs with them, he says he'd like one. The next day, the guys in LPF see him in the hallway, introduce themselves and give him a CD. The guys in Building 429 are gracious, kind, humble guys. The real deal. Their name comes from the verse in Ephesians 4:29 that talks about building each other up. They embody that verse for sure.

I'm waiting for the elevator to head downstairs, and when the doors open, Jeremy Camp is in there with his guitar. He actually gives me a hug and chats like we're friends. He's such a humble, sweet guy.

By dinner time, I haven't eaten a thing all day and I'm starting to get cranky. LPF has decided to stay for the week, they're having so much fun, and are sleeping in their van in the parking lot next to the hotel. While we can't share our room to sleep, Meg and I have given them a room key so they can come in and shower or hang out. I talked to my husband and he agrees that I need to take the boys out to eat, so we head back to Big River for some more of that asiago artichoke dip. It's a big group - me, Meg, LPF and Suzie but not her band. They have a showcase that night and are back at their hotel resting up.

Althought I'd love to go see Exit the Ordinary, we decide to hit the Tooth and Nail Showcase because it's closer, and I am completely exhausted. I mean, I can hardly keep my eyes open or balance on my own two feet. We run into Lisa Leone and Kristina from Kingdom Bound who are scoping out bands for the 2006 festival. We catch a few songs, and then I have to head back to the hotel. Meg comes with me and as we leave, I look at the time. It feels like it's 2 am. It's only 10:30 PM. I'm asleep by midnight.

GMA: Day Two

2005-04-16T09:24:00.000-04:00

Sunday is generally quiet for me. Meg has seminar tracks - and some field trip to who knows where - but my goal is to plant myself at the cafe and meet up with friends.

I can't wait to see Mike and Paula Parker, the couple responsible for getting me into this business of music writing. They're coming over later, but for now Meg and I are eating these great breakfast sandwiches and just chilling out.

Then I get a call from Mike, bassist for LastPageFirst. They're a band I used to do publicity work for back in Rochester. They're doing a showcase on Sunday night and we agreed to meet up and hang out. They come to the cafe and before long Mike and Paula are there as well.

I've also made arrangements to catch up with Suzie Tower. I've worked with her mom at Ultimate Challenge for two years, and she asked if I would meet up with Suzie since it's her first year. Suzie manages a band called Exit the Ordinary, and soon they are also joining us at the table. Meg leaves for her field trip, and we spend the next several hours just hanging out and talking.

1:00 PM - I have my first interview of GMA week, with the band Circleslide. They're giving out the coolest press kits - a vinyl LP. I tell them it's the coolest thing, but how am I supposed to get it home? The band is very sweet, and I enjoy my time with them. Good interview to start the week. Back to the table to kill some time.

At 1:45 I meet up with Dennis Disney to meet artist Jaime Jamgochian. She's a stunningly pretty redhead with an awesome personality. We hit it off immediately and start chatting about her life as a single, her work with teenagers, and her move to Nashville and search for a church. We also talk about how hard it is for her to meet men, because she's about 5'11". I hope she keeps in touch.

3:00 PM - my next interview is with Keith Mohr of Indieheaven.com. I'm looking forward to this one because I have an idea for an article on the state of indie music. While I wait for him to show up, I chat with Jonah and Cain from Detour 180, one of my favorite bands. Surprisingly, Cain remembers me from our first GMA two years ago. Keith Mohr is a no-show but it was good to catch up with Detour. I'll see them again at our interview.

4:30 PM - McCain Guitar Pull. This is unquestionably the highlight of the week, and I've invited Meg, Kevin and the guys in LPF (Jeremy, Mike, Nate and James) to come. Seated in a circle on chairs are Warren Barfield, Chris Rice, John David Webster, Ashley Cleveland, Ricardo, and Sarah Hart. Seated on the floor are all of us media folks and guests. Each artist takes a turn singing an acoustic song (we go around the circle three times!) and then Ricardo and Ashley lead us in a worship song and hymn. Lynn McCain understands that getting to the heart of the artist is really what Christian music should be about. It's what helps make her one of the best in the business.

7:00 PM - LPF heads off to The Muse to get ready for their 11:40 PM showcase and by 8:00 PM Meg, Kevin and I head to Rocketown. Kevin has already informed us that he can't make it to LPF's showcase because he has to work in the morning. He's a substitute teacher, so I tell him he doesn't technically have to go to work if he doesn't want to.

Rocketown is packed. There's free chicken wings, and several showcases going on at once in the various stages around the club. As we come in, guys from Thehungr are passing out their new CD - which is ironic because Word of Mouth Records is doing a showcase of their bands, and Thehungr was recently released from their contract with Word of Mouth. Coincidence that Thehungr picked that night pass out CDs? Not likely.

The first show we catch is Manic Drive, formerly known as One Cross. The band is usually comprised of brothers Michael (guitar) and Shawn Cavallo (drums/lead vocals) and their dad Mike (keyboards) and a rotating parade of bass players. But tonight, Mike is not on stage. Instead, two of the guys from Justified are filling in on drums and bass, Michael's on guitar, and Shawn is out front on lead vocals. It's a great look for them - they look like a real rock band and it fits their new name. They tell me later it's the first time they ever tried that. I like it.

While we're waiting for some other bands, we go sit outside and Kevin reminds us that he has to leave soon because he has to work in the morning. We go inside to catch The Wedding, the new band signed to Rambler Records. They're good, and I'm glad I caught the show because I have an interview with them later in the week. The kids back home had seen the band and said they didn't care for them - it must have been a fluke show because on this night they were good.

I have one question: what's the deal with rockers wearing girls jeans? At my interview later in the week, the guys in The Wedding tell me it's because they're made with spandex so they're stretchy. Let's 'em move around easier. Talking to Jeremy from LPF later I mention that someone ought to design rock star pants with spandex and cotton, and he explains that Diesel makes them - at $700 a pair. Girls jeans are cheaper. He says a lot of bands wear 'em. Maybe I'm just getting old, but guys wearing girls hip huggers is weird.

Since LPF doesn't go on until 11:30, and it's only 10 we head up to The Rhythm Kitchen, about 8 or 9 blocks from Rocketown and the opposite direction of The Muse. But Meg and I want to catch Downhere and Kevin's car is parked nearby, so he decides to walk up with us and then head home. Except that when we get there, he comes in the club for a minute. I run into Marc from Downhere who tells me the schedule is running about 45 mins. behind and when I find Kevin and Meg to tell them, Kevin is staring with his mouth open at the solo artist currently on stage - a gray haired man with a guitar.

"We're in the prescence of a living legend," Kevin says.

"Really? Who is that?" I ask.

"Are you kidding me? That's Phil Keaggy!"

"Who's Phil Keaggy?"

Kevin looks at me like I have two heads. "Only the greatest guitar player alive. When Rolling Stone asked Eric Clapton how it felt to be the greatest guitar player in the world, he said I don't know, ask Phil Keaggy."

So what do I know? But I gotta admit - it was amazing watching him. It was like the guitar was a living, breathing thing in his hands and he was coaxing it to sing.

At 11:00 it's time to head to The Muse and Kevin informs us that he's not going to work the next day. He says that before he died he wanted to see Phil Keaggy and since I brought him there he'd come to see LPF. Kevin drives us, which is good because The Muse is a mile or so away in a not too nice section of town. Kevin goes past the venue and turns onto the expressway instead of into the parking lot, taking us around Nashville on a tour of the major construction sites until we can find an exit.

OK, how to describe The Muse? Would it be enough to say that it's the filthiest place I've ever been in? Compared with the The Rhythm Kitchen, which is a nice place with tablecloths and waitresses and great decor, this place is an insult to the senses. It gets worse when the next band (I won't even mention their names) takes the stage and assaults us with a tidal wave of noise. I can't believe my ears aren't bleeding. Compared with what we just saw with Phil Keaggy, the whole thing should have been outlawed. We go out into the "coffee shop" section to wait out the barrage of noise but are afraid to sit on any of the furniture or touch anything. It's that dirty. The bathroom is vile, and the toilet seat is covered in band stickers.

Then it's LPF's turn and Meg and I head right in front of the stage to give the guys support and sing along. Not difficult since there's a total of 8 people in the whole place, including the other bands. But LPF rises to the challenge and plays a great show. That's one thing that I love about them: they play every show like it's the most important show they've ever done.

As we leave, Kevin says it was amazing and he's glad he stayed.

As for the filth of the venue, the long walks, the late night, missing work? Kevin gives us the catch phrase of the week:

"We're making memories."

GMA: Day One

2005-04-16T09:14:00.000-04:00

11:00 AM - Meg and I get to the airport with loads of time to spare. Rochester is generally easy to get through, but you never know. I've been there when it's empty and within minutes the security line is out the door. We grab a Happy Meal and play with our Buzz Lightyear toys while we talk about our expectations for GMA Week. We're in agreement that we're excited but not really sure why. I had hoped to use my time there to network for the band I manage, but their new songs aren't done. I had several industry people asking for new music, and some contacts with booking people but without materials it really isn't going to be worth the time. I'm bummed, but that's the way things go in this industry. It's just a shame, since I'm right there in the heart of it, but I know God works it all out.

1:00 PM - or is it 12:00 PM? Is Detroit in Central Time? Don't rely on your cell phone's world clock because it might not recognize daylight savings time. Detroit airport has a cool tram you can ride for a while to kill time and watch the spitting fountain.

3:59 PM - our plane touches down in Nasvhille and we're allowed to turn on our cell phones. My finger isn't even off the power button when my phone rings. It's Mark Weber, a writer and publicist from Buffalo that I've convinced to come to GMA Week. His flight got in at 12:30 and he's already bored. Not surprised. Not much goes on Saturday.

6:00ish PM - We're checked in, and Meg and I have met up with my friend Kevin Sparkman, formerly of Tinman Jones. In the half hour it took for us to get from the airport, Mark has found a new friend and is no longer bored. He goes to dinner with Jen, and Meg, Kevin and I head down to Big River for some dinner (get the asiago cheese, artichoke and crab dip appetizer) and talk about all sorts of stuff.

Back to the hotel, we meet up again with Mark and settle in upstairs at the third floor cafe, which is closed. It's quiet and we spend a couple of hours discussing the merits of the label "Christian music", and the criteria for falling into that genre. We don't come to an definite answers. Sorry. But it's good to sit and talk, and to get other people's perspectives on the industry.

It's a quiet night, but I know it's the calm before the storm. While the hotel is quiet now, in 24 hours it'll be a madhouse.

GMA word of the day: FRANTIC

2005-04-08T19:32:00.000-04:00

oksoihaveabout100thingstodobeforeileaveinthemorning
andimnotevenpackedandihavetostilldomydaughters
taxesandiwassupposedtomeetthebandtogetsomecdsof
thenewsongsbutmattscellphoneisoutofrangesoileft100
messagesbutdidntknowifhecouldstillmeetandiknewi
couldnntmaketheshowsoihopedtodriveoutandgetthem
butijusttalkedtohimandhesgoingtogivemegthecdsbutnow
iwonthavenewmusictobringbecauseicantburnanybut
ohwelltheyknew2monthsagowheniwasleavingbutatleast
igotmyarticleturnedintothechristianexaminerandidid
somenotesforthe30interviewsihavethisweekbuticantwait
toseepaulaandmikeandkevinandmegandiaregoingtohave
somuchfunandihopeigettoseejeremycampandjoshhavens
becauseihadsuchagoodchatwiththemlast
weekbutnowihavetodoaloadofwashandpack.

Phew. I'm really overloaded, you know? Is it time to leave already? Seems like just yesterday I was looking at a blank calendar and thinking about how far away GMA was!

GMA thought: when it all works

2005-04-06T13:12:00.000-04:00

Quick post today: at GMA, I'm meeting up with the guys from LastPageFirst, a rock band from Rochester that I worked with doing publicity for a few years until last summer when we both moved on to other projects. They remain treasured friends, and I'm one of their biggest cheerleaders.

Last year, they joined the Extreme Tour, which took them all over the east coast pretty much at their own expense, but they figured it was an opportunity to tour they might not get for a a long time. That tour turned into another tour, and now a showcase at The Muse on Sunday night. See how hard work pays off?

Can I brag a little bit about how proud I am of these guys? The new CD is fantastic - they sound much closer to their live show, which is incredible. I can't wait to see them on stage in Nashville. Check 'em out at www.lastpagefirst.com

----------

Side note: how can I have had an interview cancel and still end up with 30 interviews?

GMA thought: Doves on TV

2005-04-04T18:41:00.000-04:00

One thing that I've always been confused about: why the Dove Awards are given out in April, but not televised until June. Why not just broadcast them live? There's no danger of something inappropriate being said on live TV, right? And wouldn't you want to create a stir about the winners, get people in front of their TV sets to see who wins artist of the year? Do people actually watch an awards show months after they already know who won? And if so, I wonder why? I mean, what kind of ratings would the Oscars get if they broadcast the show a month after the list of winners was published? Are people watching to see who wins a Dove, or to see the performances?

These are questions that keep me up at night.

GMA thought: why Christian concerts rock

2005-04-03T14:58:00.000-04:00

I've been to my share of rock concerts in my lifetime. At the risk of dating (and embarrassing myself), I won't list them all. But suffice it to say that they're not always the most wholesome experiences. I remember being at a concert back in the 80s, with the guy in front of me tripping on LSD, then vomiting violently before passing out for the whole show. The entire arena smelled like pot, and while I wasn't a partaker in the chemical festivities, there's no question that the atmosphere lent itself to general debauchery.

Over the past few years I've been to loads of Christian concerts during Kingdom Bound at Six Flags, and have loved the crowds of families who come to enjoy the amusement park and music. But last night I went to see Monk & Neagle, The Afters, Jeremy Camp and Mercy Me at a local college, and I was struck for the first time by both the similarities and differences between mainstream rock concerts and Christian rock concerts.

Like many big name concerts, last night's was top quality. I mean, it was a no-holds-barred, first-rate show, with awesome stage production, lighting and video. The sound was great, and the music on par with any mainstream act. Maybe that's because this is stuff that you are hearing on the radio right now, not some whimpy church music kept in the Christian bubble. The After's latest single, "Beautiful Love", is being played on mainstream radio all over the country, and has been picked up by American Airlines for their May promotion. Mercy Me's success with "I Can Only Imagine" has helped make them a mainstream success. Anyone walking off the street would have enjoyed the show from a purely musical and technical aspect, and probably would have been able to sing along with a few songs.

The difference, of course, was the atmosphere. No cussing, no rowdiness, no alcohol or drugs. No half-naked back up dancers or suggestive lyrics. The place was packed with adults, college students, teens and kids - more than 3,000 of them, and not one fight, no making out in the bleachers, nothing that you wouldn't want your kids to see.

All of the bands took time to share in varying degrees the gospel of Christ. Mercy Me is a sponsor of Compassion International, and founders of the Go Foundation, so there was a call to reach out to the world through humanitarian aid and missions. You couldn't leave the show without knowing exactly the artists' motivations for being on stage night after night, and that sincerity of heart inspired the audience to follow in their footsteps.

Which I guess is much like a regular rock concert. When the musicians are onstage singing about sex, drugs and general immorality, you shouldn't be surprised to find the audience rife with the same.

All of which goes to show that some guys with guitars really do have the power to change the world - for good or bad.

GMA thought: filling my dance card

2005-03-22T15:47:00.000-05:00

This afternoon, I got an email from one of the publicists, asking if she can move an interview to accomodate the band's lunch showcase.

"Let me check," I tell her, and it's on flipping through the schedule to see if her time is free that I realize I have scheduled an impossibility: an interview that ends at 1:30, the next one starts at 1:30 and ends at 2:00, with one following at 2:00. The problem: the middle interview is at a different hotel, four blocks away. There's no way I can make it there and back in time unless I can transport myself ala Captain Kirk.

So I reschedule publicist #1, and then contact publicist #2 and explain that our interview time's not going to work. That's probably better for the band, since they would be just getting out of a luncheon showcase and only one member would have met with me. We spend the next half hour going back and forth to find a good time and meeting location.

As soon as that's finished, publicist #1 emails back that the band's showcase has been changed again, and she has to move the interview again.

All in a day's scheduling at GMA. I started with Monday and Tuesday completely filled, with Wednesday open. Now, I'm blocked on Wednesday from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm straight through. Monday is blocked in hours timeslots with at least an hour inbetween, with the longest block two hours with a quick walk to the other hotel. Tuesday,which was jam packed, now has a wide open space in the middle of the day.

I can't imagine how the publicists keep all of this together.

For me, the problem is that I love to meet the artists, and I love to chat about their families, their hobbies, their lives outside of music. Unfortunately, there's only so many hours in a GMA day, and it's requires a well-rehearsed dance to fit it all in.

New adds:
Stephen Baldwin
Bob Nelson
Keith Mohr of Indieheaven.com
Billy Buchanan of Fusebox
Stellar Kart

GMA thought for the day: Be careful what you complain about

2005-03-17T09:19:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, I mentioned that my interview list was very short now that the Dove awards were moved to Wednesday night. I think I even commented on how few artists were scheduling interviews on Wednesday, which left my Monday and Tuesday booked, my Wednesday free, and my artist list at about 14 interviews.

Lo and behold, after a flurry of emails and phone calls about changes and artist availability that left my completely packed Tuesday looking pretty open and my Wednesday morning booked solid, I now have 25 interviews scheduled! And even more interesting, I don't think I'd cancel a one of 'em if I could (which I can, but I probably won't). I'm looking forward to them all.

New to the list:
John David Webster
George Huff (from American Idol)
Nic Gonzales, Salvador
Building 429
The Wedding
Ricardo
The Kry
Lost Anthem
Keith Mohr, of Indieheaven.com
Billy Buchanan, Fusebox

GMA thought for the day: don't judge a CD by it's genre

2005-03-15T15:07:00.000-05:00

I admit that I have a bit of a bias when it comes to covering music. If you knew how many "praise" or "worship" CDs I get in, you'd gag. After a while, it becomes a little redundant, you know? When the praise CDs come in, they go into one pile and pretty much stay there. How many renditions of the same old praise songs can you listen to?

But as I'm getting ready for my GMA interviews, I've had to pull out some of that music from artists I'm meeting with. One of the acts I'm looking forward to meeting with is By The Tree. I've really liked the last two CDs - that kind of pop rock that makes you want to roll the windows down and sing along. I loved meeting with them at GMA - they're funny and make the interview time fly by. Then their "Hold You High" CD came out last year - a worship CD. There's been a trend lately of established artists doing worship CDs, like it's something to check off before they can move on to the next project. Sigh. The BTT worship CD went into the pile and has been there since last May.

Bad Joanne.

Today I dug the CD out so I could prepare for the upcoming interview and realized that I've been letting my bias keep me from hearing some great music. I know, I know, you can't judge a CD by it's genre. So shoot me. I'm sorry.

Obviously it's my loss, because I've played the CD four times today while I've been working on my column. I admit I'm not in love with their arrangement of "It Is Well With My Soul"; that's one of my favorite hymns and really only sounds good when it's done old-style. But the rest of the album is great. "Hold You High" kicks off the album with energy. But "Your Beloved", "Let Glory Fall" and "Jesus Washed" are amazing.

My point? It's a humbling day when you have to get over yourself. Makes me wonder what else I've missed in the ever growing pile of worship CDs that has taken over my office.

GMA: It's about the friendships

2005-03-12T00:28:00.000-05:00

So here's the thing. The first year I went to GMA, interviews were conducted Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Dove awards were on Thursday. I had three full days of interviews (the first year I scheduled 26!). Then last year, they changed the date of the Doves, so that interviews were being scheduled on Mondays and Tuesdays, with the Doves on Wednesday night.

The problem is that God didn't change the number of hours in a day, so the opportunity to schedule interviews was cut by 1/3. Add to that the fact that I learned not to schedule interviews one right after another - when you have one at the Renaissance Hotel followed immediately by one at the Hilton three blocks away, that can be a problem - and I'm down to 14 or so interviews. In addition, the labels and pr firms seem to be doing less luncheons and dinners & showcases (either that, or I'm off the guest lists). I actually have the whole day on Wednesday free.

Not that I'm complaining, really. I hate transcribing tapes, so the less interviews I do, the less tapes I have to transcribe. But my time is filling up and I still have a few artists I'd like to chat with.

But it's not really about the interviews for me anyway. One of the things I'm most looking forward to is meeting up with friends. Here's a good (long winded) story:

My first year at GMA, I met the band Tinman Jones. I didn't have an interview scheduled with them. A friend introduced me to their manager - he was standing with a couple of guys in the band, and cornered me by asking, "Hey, do you want to interview these guys tomorrow?" Um ... OK? ... What was I going to say with them standing right there! So I did the interview, and ran into them again a few times during the week. ("Hi, how's it going?" "Good, and you?" "Good. Well, nice seeing you!" "You too!" There is a good story about Don that takes place in a restaurant but you had to be there for it to be funny.) We do a couple of emails during the year just to say hi and keep in touch. (You know how it is - you kind of connect with someone, but as media, you have to be careful not to overstep any boundaries by bugging people, so if the artist emails you to say hi, you can email back. You can have that tip for free.)

When I was doing scheduling for last year's interviews, we planned to meet later in the week, but on the first night of GMA we ran into each other at a showcase. We ended up spending a lot of time together throughout the week, and developed a friendship. But I did miss their showcase. Twice. And I'd promised that I would see them play. (And yes, I really did run in heels all the way to Rocketown in 80 degree weather only to come in as they were walking offstage.)

So two months later, when they're coming through Rochester, they call and ask if we can book them for a show at our church. (They remembered that I had promised I would see a show and they were holding me to it.) Enter John Sharpe, who took it upon himself to make that show happen so his band Set Apart could open (gotta love that initiative). We all fall in love with the band (in fact, John's family housed the band on that trip), and a real friendship is born. Now we're emailing all the time.

Two months later, Tinman plans to come through town again (and John's band is opening again), but the Tinman fun bus breaks down in PA and they call to cancel the show (there is much weeping on both sides of the phone line, as we are looking forward to not just a show, but to seeing old friends). They'd had a long, rough couple of weeks, had to cancel a couple of shows, and were on the verge of meltdown. So our church does the only thing we can do: we decide to go and get them, and bring them to Rochester. I drove to PA and followed the bus back to Rochester while the folks at home made arrangements to house the band (John's family has moved to NJ by this time) and get the bus fixed.

The guys in the band spent 5 days with various folks from church. John and I, along with Dan from the DIG Project, took them to Toronto & Niagara Falls for a day (complete with border patrol stops, car searches, and some ... um ... interesting? ... photos of Dan found in the glove compartment of his wife's car). The bus gets fixed, the guys get to rest, they do our show, and head home. But forget that they're a band. Now they're family. Literally. A month or two later, when the band announces they are done touring and moving on to other adventures, there is much weeping among the youth at PCC.

But we all keep in touch. At least twice a week, I talk to someone in the band. Don and his wife & son even came to spend a week with us last November so Don could go hunting with my husband. Kevin is meeting me in Nashville for dinner (or lunch or both - surprise!). When John died, it was comforting to me to hear from them and to share that connection.

My point? GMA isn't about the interviews for me. There are real friendships made there. And even though most of them don't end up as personal as my one with the guys in Tinman, it's nice to see my publicist friends, to catch up with artists you've interviewed before and who actually remember your name (Sanctus Real, Andrew Carlton, Tim from Starfield), and to see real friends that I only get to hug once a year, like Mike and Paula Parker. Instead of writing about some stranger, you're talking about your friends and family. For me, that's much more rewarding than blathering about some CD put out by someone you've never met.

But I'm rambling. What you probably want to know is who I'm interviewing this year. The list so far:

Inhabited
Out of Eden
Alathea
By The Tree
Seventh Day Slumber
Sarah Kelly
Peculiar People
Thousand Foot Krutch
Margaret Becker
Ashley Cleveland*
Carried Away
Bobby Bishop
Randell Goodgame
The Kry
Lost Anthem

Waiting to hear back about:
Todd Agnew
Jars of Clay
Starfield

Never hear of some of these artists? Me either. But that's what I love -meeting new artists on their way up and watching them grow.

In any event, that's all the GMA news that's fit to print. Airline tickets are booked, hotel is booked, interviews are booked. Meg and I are excited.

(* note: OK, so this one was scheduled by accident. The woman doing the interview scheduling for her pr firm and I both thought Ashley Cleveland was Canadian, and I have a request from a Canadian paper for Canadian artists. Turns out she's not, but I think she's going to have a great story so I'm keeping the interview.)

Getting ready for GMA 2005

2005-03-08T11:27:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that a year has passed and it's time to start getting ready for Gospel Music Week in Nashville. Actually, past the time to get ready. I've been getting interview schedules for weeks now, but I haven't been able to actually bring myself to schedule a thing.

See, a couple of weeks ago, a very dear friend, John, was killed in a strange, sudden and tragic accident. He was only 21, but our family has known him for years. We watched him grow up, saw him go from a kid with an interest in music to a bona fide musician in a band with a real future in music. He worked with me doing band promotion, helped me keep up with the new acts, tossed around publicity ideas, even came up with the Wonder Dog logo. I took him everywhere I could, introduced him to artists I thought could help him in his career. And this year, he'd hoped to come to Nashville with us for GMA week. We have some musician friends down there, so he would have had a place to stay. I wanted to introduce him to some of his music "idols", if you'll permit me to use that word. He was like a sponge, soaking up everything he learned, making the most of meeting other people in the industry. But he also helped me. Kept me humble, helped me understand music I just didn't get, kept me working sometimes, because often my motive for doing something was more because it would help John than because I got anything out of it. His death has hit me pretty hard, and I'm struggling to work through the grief while still working.

I've considered not going to GMA. Doing interviews with the newest Christian boy band or up-and-coming rocker seems a little trivial when you think about it in the bigger scheme of things. Thankfully, John was a devout Christian, with a true passion for music and Christ. And at his memorial service, that was evident from start to finish. When people need to hear about Jesus, does anyone care if Third Day has a new CD?

When you think about ... yes. It's been a couple of weeks now, but it's becoming clearer to me that music is way to spread the gospel. Reaching people with the message of Jesus through culturally relevant music kind of makes you a music missionary - or musicianary.

So I've started scheduling interviews, looking for artists with a passion to share Christ through culturally relevant music. Not worship, per se, because that's for the church. But music for the masses, music with a message. I'm also scheduling with Canadian artists, and up and coming artists with a good story to tell.

Stay tuned - so far, I'm meeting with Out of Eden, Sarah Kelly, and Carried Away. I'll keep you posted on interviews, and share the behind the scenes stuff on Christian music industry's biggest week.