The Save The GMA fundraiser took place on Monday night, and it looks like the event might have gone a long way towards helping to keep the Gospel Music Association on its feet.
According to the press release, the event - which drew 350 people at $1,000 a ticket plus more than 10,000 online viewers - raised more than $350,000.
Billed at the "Concert of the Decade" the Save The GMA fundraiser featured performances from Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, MercyMe, Kirk Franklin, Point of Grace, Jason Crabb, Martha Munizzi, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Natalie Grant, Bernie Herms and the Booth Brothers. Brown Bannister, five-time Dove Award-winning Producer of the Year, produced the concert.
Also appearing onstage as segment hosts were author/pastor David Nasser; Premier Productions President Roy Morgan; and GMA Executive Committee member Eddie DeGarmo (president of EMI CMG Publishing). Special guest U. S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), co-founder of the Congressional Songwriters Caucus, spoke to the importance of the advocacy the Gospel Music Association offers for its members.
All performing artists and show producers donated their time and expenses, and purchased the tickets to the event. (So does that mean that the 350 at the event were mainly artists, presenters and their families? And that all of the money was raised by them?)
Corporate sponsors included World Vision, Compassion International, Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau, SoundExchange, SunTrust Bank, Avenue Bank, Harry Fox Agency, National Music Publishers Association, and Regions Bank. (Look at all of those banks on the list; so that's where the bailout money went!)
But I digress.
GMA Board of Directors chairman and President of Daywind Music, Ed Leonard, told the crowd, "While tonight we've come together to help the GMA navigate through some immediate challenges, this assembly also offers us a unique blessing to renew the commitment to our community, and to build a GMA that is relevant for the future."
Let's hope that this is enough to help the GMA regroup and find a way to make sense of this constantly changing industry. With new technology, the changing definition of Christian music, and the continually blurring lines between the sacred and secular, the support that GMA gives to Christian musicians is more important than ever - as long at it can keep up.
UPDATE 10/27/09: Is GMA closing its doors?
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I agree wholeheartedly with what Keith is saying here. The independent Christian music industry is thriving while the old model is shrinking. That has nothing to do with the economic recession. It has more to do with the changes in technology.
There is one thing I would like to add about GMA membership and what they offer for their membership fee. They give you the ability to vote for the Dove Awards. Therefore, you can be a small part of the rest of the Christian Music Industry that votes. However, I see one small issue with that. Are the fans going to pay $60-$95 per year just so they can vote? I don't think so. So, that means that only the industry is voting for the Dove Awards. Sorry, but the fans are the one's who are paying for the food on the artist's tables and the gas in their bus, not the major label industry.
If the GMA was smart and wanted to recover from this huge deficit, they would need to do more than just have a few fundraising events. They would need to create a new model that 1) allows the fans to vote and 2) allows the independent Christian music artists and bands to be voted on. The independent Christian music industry is much larger right now than the major label industry.
As ye reap . . .
its too little, too late..
I love how the term "new model" is being thrown around as the answer to GMA's woes.
I'll tell you what GMA needs. If they're not going to go away then they need to go back to the "Old Model"... Jesus (you know, the "G" in GMA?)
Did that sound trite?
Seems like the "Save the GMA" event was business as usual with everything and everyone that's led it to where it is now: "So does that mean that the 350 at the event were mainly artists, presenters and their families? And that all of the money was raised by them?"
What they should have done was have a holy convocation - with "corporate" repentance, prayer and fasting. How else does scripture teach us to seek the Father in a situation like that?
Money isn't going to "save" GMA and neither will Jesus. He's never needed a "good old boys club" to represent Him in the musical gifts.
WWJD? That's the wrong question... What Would DAVID Do? That's the question. This prophetic psalmist would:
- have an effective and relevant music ministry that casted out demons and win the hearts of the people
- institute 24/7 prayer, worship and fasting (Tabernacle of David - it's in your Bible)
- Lead a people into the Holy Places
- Make the name of Jesus famous through out the land
That's what David would do and that's the only reason why any of us should even consider a music ministry.
Allan,
Weren't you a part of the CCM industry as a producer?
Didnt you make $$$ off off the CCM industry?
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