The guitar I play was given to me.
The company gave me an instrument in hopes of selling more. And it works.
But my guitar’s worn out. So I asked for a replacement.
The guitar maker won’t give me one though. Because I’m not on a label anymore. I’m just independent.
I have no marketing team or budget. Very little radio play. No stadium tours. No prospect of award nominations. Nothing that has traditionally been counted as mattering in the music business.
Traditions change.
This week Carlos Whittaker put out his first “CD”. He topped iTunes’ inspirational chart immediately.
How? The internet.
Have you heard of it?
The internet allows one guy with a guitar to communicate to thousands every day. Carlos tweets to 16,000 people daily. He blogs to thousands more.
Yes, I’m just an independent artist.
But I have the internet. The same internet Carlos has.
With the internet I play twice as many shows now than I did when I was on a label.
With the internet I communicate with thousands of people every day.
With the internet I’ve given away thousands of copies of my music.
With the internet my audience has given loads of kids the help they need.
One guy with the internet and a guitar can comfort and be comforted, provoke and be provoked, entertain and be entertained, educate and be educated, love and be loved by a heckuva lot of people.
(And sell some of them a guitar.)
The internet is an audience that is endless. Thanks for the insight Shaun.
Unfortunately this cat is stuck in his safe oak tree and to jump into the new one that is growing leaps and bounds faster is scarry. Someting you could do is have the people inquiring fill out a form that they want more info about the guitar from the manufacture and then mail him the forms.
You could always contact one of the many other guitar makers out there and see if they want to give you a guitar. There are a lot of smaller shops making great guitars that might be happy to have the endorsement of an established independent like you.
I’ll just go buy a guitar or fix up the one I’v got. No biggie.
The point though is that this company and a lot of other folks are still thinking about music, influence and business as if nothing’s changed. And everything has.
I always tell my husband that the internet is a wonderful thing.
Can be a bad thing but… I do like the internet.
ps….I sent you an email through the contact button on here. Do you get them. :~)
I do get them. But I just searched my inbox and didn’t find one from you. Do you mind re-sending it, Misty.
Sorry for the hassle.
Great post, Shaun! I don’t listen to the radio much anyway, but you still get radio play, don’t you? You get a lot of play on my Ipod at least! God Bless!!
Not much, Mike. But it’s getting better.
Thanks for putting me in your little metal box tho.
This was truly inspiring. Thanks for sharing how your perspective has changed. I think we often fail to realize the unharnessed power of the internet and how it could be used for God’s glory.
Times are a changin’ and I’m glad to see and hear and read how if we begin to realize that one person can make a difference that Jesus may actually see everyone hear about Him before I die!
Shaun, for some reason I am not able to reply to your reply. :~)
No hassle. I did resend the message, if you do not get it for some reason please feel free to email me at bookworm614 AT bellsouth.net or would it be better if I send you a message on FB?
Got it. Replied. Thanks, misty.
Great post. I love the way you have used this powerful tool. Carlos & Heather loves you.
You get played on my ipod, cd player etc. though i am little behind on music stuff. being a mom has me behind on keeping up with every single new album that comes out. interesting insight…
A lot of businesses need to take a hard look at their business model and realize the way it’s always been done doesn’t work anymore.
What’s the Internet?
Why does this remind me of Pretty Woman?
“Big Mistake, HUGE.”
wow..I interviewed Carlos for the Integrity Podcast today and he mentioned this post…had to check it out! Tell em you have an mp3 deal…not a record deal. Record deals are sooooo 8-track.
Keep it up!
jamie
I will. Definitely. ; )
“All I’ve got is this red guitar, three chords, and the truth.” — U2
Ah, the always relevant words of St. Bono.
I had the privilege of attending a concert you did in Virginia about two and a half years ago. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard that many sounds come out of a guitar before. No wonder it’s worn out. I would be too.
Man, times have BEEN changin’ for a while now in the music industry and it’s still suprising to hear just how many people/companies are JUST starting to make those changes, or worse…….havn’t yet. HEY YOU……1990 wants it’s business model back!
If I bought you a guitar, would you brand my website in to the top?
I’m just kidding… but I think that would be great advertising. Kind of like NASCAR, only with a with less RPMs and more cynicism.
Man, actually that is a great idea.
So sorry! I meant to say sarcasm, but it came out cynicism… didn’t mean to say that!