“I’m intimidated by the fear of being average”
The young woman who made that statement is an example of someone who is definitely NOT infected with Copycat Syndrome. A few years ago, along with thousands of other unknowns, she and her family quietly moved to the Nashville area with the belief that her talent would rise above the thousands of other hopefuls moving into town at the same time. She certainly succeeded. I’m not taking anything away from her talent, but I believe her great success has a lot to do with the attitude expressed in that statement.
She wasn’t going to copy anyone, and she wasn’t going to settle for being average. Her name? Taylor Swift. Even if you don’t know much about her music, you certainly know her name.
Thousands of people never make it in the music industry because they copy others, and settle for sounding like someone else instead of finding their own voice, their own sound, their own style.
“Exactly Like Taylor Swift”
Because of her phenomenal success, I can guarantee you that all over town as you read this, young hopefuls are trying to impress a seasoned record company executive by claiming to write songs and sing “exactly like Taylor Swift.” And they will hear the “Gospel Truth” when they are firmly rejected. “We already have a Taylor Swift. Give me someone original. Give me someone creative.” “Creativity”, what a lovely word. It is, unfortunately, absent from the vocabulary of most Southern Gospel artists.
Southern Gospel Music is the only music genre where you can say to an artist, “You sound just like “so and so”, and have that statement received as a compliment… “Wow, you really think so, omigosh, that’s such an honor, we love that group, we sing all their songs, I’m overwhelmed. Thank You, Thank You!” Copycat Syndrome is reaching epidemic proportions and may soon wipe SGM off the face of the music map if we don’t do something about it.
With few exceptions, most other music genres usually only have one (1) of each artist.
For example, nearly 30 years after their last public appearance as a group, Sweden’s ABBA remains as the gold standard for pop music. They are credited with selling over 375 million records worldwide.
There has only been one (1) ABBA. No one else sounds like that.
There are countless other examples; Bon Jovi, The Eagles, Backstreet Boys, Black Eyed Peas, Sheryl Crow, Beyonce, Josh Groban, Ray Stevens, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Jonas Brothers, Norah Jones, Barry Manilow, NSYNC, Lionel Ritchie, Tammy Wynette, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Ray Price, Johnny Mathis, John Conley, Oak Ridge Boys, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Alabama, Diamond Rio, Statler Brothers, The Judds, Billy Joel, and on and on and on. The list is almost endless. When you hear these artists, you know immediately who they are and to whom you are listening. You know it’s Ray Price. You know it’s Norah Jones. You know it’s Gaither Vocal Band, or the Booth Brothers. Why? They are ORIGINALS.
All of these artists have had, or are having very successful careers, and they all have one thing in common… they each have their own unique sound. There is only one (1) of each artist. Furthermore, they don’t get lazy. Lee Ann Womack says it best, “I think you can have moderate success by copying something else, but if you really want to knock it out of the park, you have to do something different and take chances.”
“TURN YOUR RADIO OFF”……
……is what SGM seems to be telling it’s followers.
You can turn on the radio and listen to SGM for hours (which I have done) and, except for the few truly professional artists, everything sounds the same. All the songs have the same sound, same styles, same arrangements (if you can call them arrangements). You can go from one song to the next and the only thing different is the name of the group.
Why is this so? Because it’s easier to copy than to create.
As soon as one artist comes up with an interesting idea, everyone jumps on the bandwagon.
It used to be stacking voices, now it’s adding a reprise. That means after you’ve screamed your way through 2 or 3 choruses with a high ending, there is a drum pickup and you punish the audience with 2 or 3 more choruses with an even higher ending.
Here is an interesting question worthy of discussion. How many high choruses does it take to knock an audience unconscious? Here’s an even more interesting question: How many listeners are simply turning their radio dials away from the Southern Gospel stations?
Is it any wonder that attendance and sales are way down for SGM? Low attendance and sales are sure signs of an industry infected with Copycat Syndrome. You may protest, “It’s the economy, it’s the economy.” Exactly. People don’t have as much money to spend as they used to, so they want to spend it on something new, something unique and fresh and WORTH the sacrifice of spending money on gas, tickets, parking, babysitters and the rest.
Evidently artists like Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, Bill Gaither and many others were worth the money to the average music fan. They all appeared before sellout crowds in 2011.
Apparently the thousands upon thousands of fans who attended these concerts haven’t heard about the poor economy.
I remind you of one of my quotes, “ YOU CAN’T HIDE A BONFIRE UNDER A BUSHEL.”
That means when you have something that is good, really good, people will want it. You can’t hide it - they will find it. And when you have something that is bad, really bad, they will stay away by the thousands.
From what I’m observing, we should release the following press statement defining our industry, “Southern Gospel Music, where every artist sounds alike, because…it’s easier to copy than to create.”
H.G. Wells cautions “The path of least resistance is the path of the loser”
Most (nearly every) artists in SGM follow the path of least resistance. That is, they listen to what others are doing and copy it.
SGM is rife with studios that are inadequate, producers who can’t read a music chart, radio promoters who are untrained and, in some cases dishonest, artists making $4,000 recordings with little or no thought to arrangements, style or lyric content and radio stations that will take all the above and send it out to the world – a world which is increasingly turning off Southern Gospel Music.
THE CURE FOR COPYCAT SYNDROME
First of all, Southern gospel Music has a message that the world NEEDS to hear. We cannot continue to devalue our music. We have a duty, a calling, to spread the Gospel in song, and a responsibility to our Heavenly Father to keep the standard high.
Listen folks, all of you SG artists, pay attention to what Uncle Nick has to say. I know what you want…a successful ministry, a bus, appearance on the main stage at NQC, a song on the charts, a booking agent, good attendance, a full datebook, and good flat rates and offerings. I know this because I was once where you are and I had the same desires you do, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting all those things.
I’ll give you the bad news first…YOU WILL NEVER, EVER, IN A MILLION YEARS, ACHIEVE THOSE DREAMS BY BEING A COPYCAT!
Here is the good news…IT IS POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE ALL YOUR DREAMS.
There is no “magic bullet” that will propel you to the top of SGM, but there is a pathway that will get you there. It requires a bit of talent, hard work, and a solid game plan.
If you will provide the talent and hard work, I have the game plan. I will gladly share it with you. There is no fee or charge. Just contact me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
I will make this disclaimer…Please don’t contact me if you are not serious. I am currently working with a roster of artists that includes “newbies” (people who are just starting) and professionals at the top of their game. They all have one thing in common...they are serious about their careers. That is my only requirement.
You don’t have to belong to this club of copycat losers…you can choose to take control of your own career. Get off the sinking ship and join those of us committed to quality and a professional representation of SGM.
YOU CAN DO IT!
As always, I welcome your comments,
God Bless You,
Nick Bruno
Author: Nick Bruno
| Author's Website: http://www.nickbruno.com/
Written: 01/01/2012
| 
Category: The Gospel Truth
Comments: 4
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Brother Nick:
Great article. I agree with your point of view on this subject.
I Worked A Number Of Years With A Artist (Vocalist) Who Had All THe Sound Qualities And Technique Of Marty Robbins.All Of The Major Recording Companies Told Him He Sounded Too Much Like Marty Robbins And They Were Not Looklng For Another Marty Robbins! What A Wasted Oppotunity For A Talented Singer.
SoundMan
I agree with all that has been said. Now don't misunderstand, I loved the Cathedrals, the Gaithers, etc, but I think their music has somewhat taken away the message. Might be better to hear an old country church choir sing The Old Rugged Cross, followed by a good sermon, with a good message. Even the TV evangelists have gotten out of hand, why do preachers have to shout, too many theatrics. Maybe we just need to go to our community church, get involved, let our lives revolve around the church and our family, not the TV. My Grandfather was a United Brethren preacher and Bishop. When he preached, he preached. Unfortunately I never heard him, but I have heard of him, and the "old" church.
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