How to become a Christian recording artist

Some friends have asked me to compile a list of things you must do to earn a living with Christian music. So below are my personal thoughts on what you need to do to be successful. I warn you that these are my opinions and not the only way to be successful. There are always exceptions to the rule. However, these things have worked for me and so I will share what I know. I’m not sugarcoating anything, so if you’re easily offended, my apologies now. Before we begin, let me dispel some myths.

Myth #1 If I had a record label that supported me, I could dedicate myself full time

So, so, so bad. I have a better idea, max out all your credit cards, take out a huge loan, borrow money from your family and live off of it while building your career in music. What? No buyers? Why not? In effect, that’s exactly what you’re doing with the tag. You are living on money that is not yours. When you’re busting your ass on tour to promote your new CD, guess where the revenue goes? It serves to return that money that they gave you to live. I’m going to say this once, STOP CHASING A BUSINESS! I did it for years. When I finally stopped and focused on making my music my business, the record deal found me. What would be offered to them as a band with no name/no drive will be bullshit anyway. Go out and sell 10,000 copies of your self-produced demo and then we can talk about record deals and whether they make sense. Until then, shut up and play.

Myth #2 I can play Christian churches/events and survive

How can I put this? Christians are cheap! For the most part, Christians will not give you the financial support you need to survive. This will vary by region, but in general, people think ministry = free. Be careful how you present yourself so you don’t get pigeonholed here. You can be a Christian artist as well as a Christian artist. Let the music speak for itself, and when the opportunity presents itself, share what’s on your heart. If you try to present yourself as a Christian artist, you won’t be able to play enough to survive.

The fact is, I can go play 3 hours of cover songs in a bar and make more money than getting a love offering from 200 people. Shocked? Don’t be. It’s sad but true. Be open to play where you are needed, where your message is needed. If churches can’t support themselves financially, how can they support you? Research tells us that 2% of people who attend church actually graduate (the full 10%). Those aren’t the kinds of odds I want to bet the well-being of my family on.

In the top 5 list:

1) Be competent

I once heard Billy Joel say that the reason he’s been successful for so long is that he’s competent. Most musicians aren’t as competent as they can be and therefore fade faster. If singing is your thing, take classes, improve, study, practice! The same can be said of their respective instrument. If you’re only okay to play, being okay isn’t good enough for full time. There are a lot of mediocre musicians who give free concerts that make it harder for you to earn a living. So I know better! be much better. The back half of this is accepting the Truth. If your parents tell you that you’re great, get a second opinion. If strangers come up to you after hearing you play and fawn over your music, now you’re talking!

2) Be unique

There are many good artists out there. What will separate you from the pack? Is it your vocal style? your guitar? There has to be something that makes you be you! Whether it’s using loops, a different tuning, a particular look, or whatever; keep people watching and eager to see what you’re going to do next. A great resource for creating memorable moments is Tom Jackson’s seminars. I have had the course at Tom’s home for 4 years and I go back to it frequently. I build my playlists around his formulas. Guess what, it works! You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, just do your research and study wisely. Find yourself before others find you.

3) Have a great recording

So, you’ve practiced hard, put together a good show, and created moments to remember, now what? If you do these things well enough, others will want to remember too. You need a recording of you. This is the first true key for Full-Time. A good recording will get you gigs, a bad recording won’t. Should you record in your home studio or go to a bigger one? Good question. My experience is that most of us don’t have the talent to create a good recording at home. Keep in mind that good equipment does not equal good recording. You can have all the bells and whistles, but if you don’t know how to use them, you’re wasting money.

I used to have great equipment at home, but I didn’t know shit about how to use it to its full potential. I sold everything and used that money to record with professionals. The results were fantastic and allowed me to have a quality product that was a true representation of what it sounded like. I used that CD to ship to venues and book gigs. There is no doubt that it helped me go full time. A quick word on recording budgets, if you have a budget of $1000 to record, make fewer songs with better production. A great 3 song demo is much more valuable than your average 12 song LP. He will sell many more for $5 each if they are of good quality. The great quality will also catch the attention of people in the industry. Any radio drama prayer, etc. It will only happen if the quality is excellent!

4) Be a publicity hound

You have to take every opportunity to promote yourself. Even the smallest opportunities can lead to bigger and better opportunities to play. I started playing anywhere I could, parties, churches, youth groups, restaurants, charity events, business functions, bars, prisons, you name it and I’ve been there. Have a good brochure to give people. Places like Club Flyers can print you thousands of postcards and posters for very little cost. Use them to give away to everyone at concerts. If there’s another band playing in your area that has the same style as you, go to the concert and hand out your gear as people leave the venue. What?! Commando style? Yes, a complete frontal attack on your potential audience. Don’t be an ass. Use your head, be enthusiastic and invite people to your next concert. Visit your local radio station and offer to play at any event they may have. Many times they have a charity event that they would love to entertain for. You have to go find it. If you can afford it, hire someone like Ariel Hyatt at Ariel Publicity. She does an absolutely amazing job on a 3 month ad campaign for around a thousand dollars. In the advertising world, that’s dirt cheap. She can get you press, reviews, radio shows, and is a wealth of knowledge to help you market yourself. Heck, she even made us play live on Sirius Satellite Radio! One thing’s for sure, if you’re going to wait for opportunities to come your way, you’re not full time material. I am sorry.

5) Think outside the box

This sentence is overused, but it is true. I have done several things that many would never have thought to survive. For example, I played at a Holiday Inn once a month at their restaurant/bar. I played more than 40 cover songs for 3 hours. My arrangement was that I get paid in Priority Points. These internal points are counterfeit money for hotels. Giving you 20-30,000 points is nothing to them. However, it’s 2-3 nights free at any Holiday Inn for you. This is invaluable when you’re out on the road. Limiting expenses is the key to success. For the hotel, it’s free entertainment. For you it is free accommodation.

A win-win situation for everyone. I also played in many cafes in the United States. One of the coffee shops I also played at was a roastery, which is to say, they roast their own beans and make their own brands. I offered to take samples of their coffee to every house I play at and leave them. If the place orders coffee, the roaster covers my lodging and meals for the trip. Pretty sweet, right? Necessity is the mother of invention.

If you really want to make a living acting, all of the above will help you. However, if you’re not willing to risk it all, don’t bother. I don’t want to rain on your parade and I understand that we all have obligations. But if God has placed a true calling on your life, there is nothing that should stand in your way. It is too easy to find excuses. I did it for years. And I was miserable playing part-time and experiencing small successes. Every second that I wasn’t doing what God put on my heart, I felt disobedient. If you don’t feel the same, that same indescribable pain that is in your heart, the pain that affects everything in your life, your work, marriage, relationships, etc.

Full time is not for you. And you know what, that’s cool. Accept the truth if God calls you to a part-time ministry. Get the most out of it. God’s will cannot be forced. But for those of you who know it’s all or nothing. I greet you and pray that God will give you the courage to answer the call and leave all reason behind. I’ll see you on the way!