NASHVILLE, Tenn. – September 24, 2009 – Christian and Gospel music’s premier artists will gather in Nashville on Monday, Oct. 12 to unite in support of the Gospel Music Association with an exclusive dinner concert at Nashville’s famed Loveless Café.
Five-time Dove Award Producer of the Year Brown Bannister will produce the spectacular evening of entertainment, which will include performances from Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, MercyMe, Natalie Grant, Kirk Franklin, Point of Grace, Fisk Jubilee Singers and The Booth Brothers. Bannister and the artists have all donated their time and expenses to support the GMA.
The Gospel Music Association (GMA) announced today the opportunity for the public to buy tickets to attend this once-in-a-lifetime strolling dinner and show to help the organization which has championed Christian music for more than 45 years. The $1,000 ticket price covers costs to produce the event and a significant tax-deductible donation to the GMA.*
“It’s an honor to join Casting Crowns, Amy, Kirk, MercyMe, and all of the other artists on this lineup, in support of the GMA,” shares industry leader and award winning artist, Michael W. Smith. “This organization has been an incredible support to so many of us as we’ve built our ministries and careers, and we want to do all we can to help ensure a solid platform from which it can operate.”
Tickets are available by calling the GMA office at 615.242.0303, ext. 238. The dinner and show will be from 6:00 – 11:00 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 12 at the Loveless Barn, the new intimate performance venue added to the Loveless Café restaurant on Highway 100 in Nashville.
According to Ed Leonard, chairman of the GMA Board of Directors (and president of Daywind Music), these incredible artists responded immediately to support the “Save the GMA” event created in response to financial needs the GMA has, in part due to the economic recession.
“In a time of restricted sponsorship dollar availability and financial hardships faced by many in our community, the GMA has continued to be there for all of us, offering first class events, tackling important legislative issues and promoting the genre to the world through the Dove Awards. The organization faces financial obstacles that require all of our help to overcome. This dinner concert is a way to not only ensure the viability of GMA in the future, but to have the concert experience of a lifetime,” Leonard said.
Leonard stressed that the special event is intended to do more than just “save the GMA” and that the Board of Directors is committed to building a GMA that is relevant for the future.” “We all believe in the power of Christian and Gospel music to change lives,” he said. “The GMA allows us to join together, setting aside personal agendas, to accomplish things we cannot accomplish separately, to ultimately extend the reach of the good news of the Gospel through music of all styles. That is a mission worth pursuing.”
*The ticket price of $1,000 is reduced by $75.00 per ticket for a net charitable contribution of $925.00 per ticket to the GMA Foundation, a 501(c)3 corporation, Federal ID 62-0783972.
Patrick says:
It may cost a thousand bucks, but the picture of Smitty is priceless.
Ally Simpson says:
I think i feel a stomach ulcer developing after reading that!
anne jackson says:
…
Laura @ Texas in Africa says:
Sigh.
lorenkmiller says:
cost of doing business…don’t be too hard on them we do the same thing every day
jennifer says:
‘“We all believe in the power of Christian and Gospel music to change lives,” he said.’
There’s only One who has the power to change lives.
This article really bothers me…
Beth says:
Jennifer hit the nail on the head.
The article doesn’t mention how many tickets are available for this event. If were only 100 (probably more), that’s still over 2600 kids who could be sponsored for a month through Compassion; 220 kids who could be sponsored for a year; 110 for two years, etc. That’s 4 years of payment for a Child Survival Program project! 4 YEARS of feeding and caring for infants and their mothers.
I’ll plead ignorance too by saying that I don’t have any idea what the GMA does, other than put on the Dove Awards every year. If they ceased to exist, what would be the result? Would the Christian music industry come to a halt? Would the artist’s mentioned in the article stop making music? Is the GMA responsible for the Christian musci industry being what it is? If that’s the case, why isn’t the GMA doing better? Why don’t the artists just donate money to the GMA directly instead of putting on a benefit? I’m not being sarcastic; I really want to know.
Tiffany says:
Well, at least they got the name of the Cafe right.
misty says:
I am with Beth and Jennifer.
Seriously… this article makes me very sad.
Thomas says:
How did they come up with the thousand dollars per seat figure? I am trying to think of someone I know who could even afford to go to this dinner. I guess that it is not meant for the everyday common working person.
Just plain sad….
jennifer says:
Agreed, Beth. And continuing from earlier… this is just a tangent theory…
Isn’t worship meant for God… not us? I can’t see how the person who says that Christian music changes lives can believe that worship (music, particularly, considering the article is about an organization centered around Christian music) is meant to please God, not us.
I’m a musician in a church orquestra and struggle alot about focusing on worshiping God and not on my own talents or ambition. God had to (and continues to) break me for my preconceptions on musical worship. I tend to focus too much on making music and what songs and styles I like, rather than focusing on Who the worship is for.
And from what I’ve heard, I’m not alone. The people in the orquestra with me have felt, or are feeling, that way about worship.As a result, our director prays each week as we are about to play that the Lord keeps us focused on Him, what He wants to say about Himself in lyrics of songs, that what we do is not a “production,” but a calling to worship Him who is truly worthy of worship and hear His voice, and continue to worship beyond the sanctuary and come into next Sunday’s service STILL worshiping.
…I’ve also heard of people walk out of church saying things like, “well, the music just didn’t really bless me today.” (Um, when was worship meant to bless us?)…
Theory: Is this why the Christian music industry seems to be falling apart? Have we forgotten Who is truly worthy of worship? Are we worshipping just the music? When we are singing in church, are we thinking, “is what I’m doing pleasing God? Am I doing this wholeheartedly, or am I faking this? Am I coming into worship already worshipping? Do I really mean what I am singing, and am I singing it for God, not for myself?”
Shaun Groves says:
I didn’t expect or try to elicit this response.
I don’t think the folks who wrote this announcement up at GMA believe (or would even imply) that music changes people’s lives INSTEAD OF God. Geez.
I guess I expected talk about the plight of the music business, how we got here and where we’re going (It doesn’t look so good).
My fault, because of the original title I think. Changed that.
benstewart says:
Shaun, can you explain a little more about some of the things the GMA does for artists by “…offering first class events, tackling important legislative issues and promoting the genre to the world…?”
As an independent artist how does the GMA affect your career, ministry, life?
Shaun Groves says:
You know, Becky asked me the same thing when she read this release. The GMA hold regional “Academy” events to teach aspiring songwriters and artists and to allow them to be critiqued (if they choose) by industry professionals. At the national level they used to hold Seminar In The Rockies (at Estes Park, CO) for the same reason – now held in Nashville annually. I referred beginning writers and performers to these as good introductions to the craft of writing and performing. The GMA, in my opinion, doesn’t have an event that benefits experienced indie writers and artists at this time.
One legislative issue tackled was music piracy. Not sure what the GMA contribution to policy was but I know they worked with the RIAA and others to combat piracy. The GMA studied the problem, researched whether there was a difference between the rate of piracy among Christians and non-Christians (nope) and what kinds of messages/programs would be most effective in stopping Christians from stealing music. Then they launch the “Million Wrongs Don’t Make It Right” campaign with Toby Mac, Stacie Orrico and I as spokespeople.
The GMA also puts on Gospel Music Week, which, until the last couple years, was heavily attended by artists and other industry folks – a one stop gathering of the entire industry. There were educational tracks there for promoters, radio professionals, retailers and indie artists. And signed artists could knock out a lot of press opps in one week, and perform for all the industry gatekeepers all at once. The event, along with the Dove Awards at the end of it every year, partly exist to raise awareness that Christian music exists and that it is more diverse and of a better quality than one might think.
I’m not sure that the industry we’re evolving into needs the GMA in it’s present form – as much as I love my friends there. But I think the GMA served the industry we once had well.
btw, I very much like John Styll, GMA’s president, and I think those of you I know would too. For one thing, he sponsors a few dozen Compassion kids and shines the spotlight on Compassion every chance he gets. He’s not a everybody-look-at-me leader. He’s humble and about advancing the industry, not his own recognition. He allows for a diverse set of voices at industry events: He’s given me a platform alongside signed artists and opposing viewpoints in the past. He’s not for a homogenous industry. He seems to truly champion diversity of style and thought – something the industry and the Church needs, in my opinion.
Jason says:
Wow. $1,000? Really? I wish I had that kind of money laying around for an event like this. I feel blessed if I have $100 at the end of a month. (Of course, that goes to paying off debts but still…)
Jennifer & Beth…back in 1994 I was an anti-Christian, anti-God, everything-that-has-to-do-with-Christians-sucks worldly person. I wanted NOTHING to do with God. Then one night at 3am I saw a PFR video on TV and thought it was the first Christian band I’d heard that didn’t suck. I got their CDs. I started listening to other Christian rock bands. I accepted Christ a few months later.
When they said it had the power to change lives they weren’t talking about it saving anyone. They were talking about how it could reach out to people like me and draw them to the one who changes lives. In essence, the music did change my life because without hearing it I wouldn’t have opened myself up to Christianity and changed my mind on God.
jennifer says:
Wow, that is an incredible testimony! I apologize for my incredibly insensitive comment previously posted about the director. I retract what I said. I assumed far too much without knowing really anything about the GMA other than what I read in this article. It’s my fault I didn’t find out more about the GMA before writing that comment. Again, I’m so sorry.
Kathleen Taylor says:
Is GMA not a champion for getting our Christian music out there? Of course there is One who has all power but so many are reached through music.
My Christian music is an integral part of my Christian walk. There is nothing more powerful than singing and worshipping in spirit and in truth. So many people are reached by Christian music. Music is so powerful that God had the musicians go out *in front* of the soldiers when they went to war in the OT.
Shaun Groves says:
Was that because music is so powerful? Or because the soldiers didn’t like the musicians? ; )
Jason says:
Have you ever heard hundreds of trumpet players trying to play the same note at the same time? The soldiers KNEW the other army would be shooting at them to shut ’em up! 😉
Jeff says:
Stay tuned on this guys. There’s about to be another announcement here in the next few days. Its getting really interesting… in a good way!
Gaetano says:
I, for one, hope the GMA is saved to some degree.. As a local Church Concert Promoter, I couldn’t do what I do, and have done, without my involvment with GMA Music Week. The week itself didn’t do it, but the association with others and the training that was provided there did.
John Styll has stepped down as President of GMA, very potentially due to financial concerns of the GMA… and I hear that GMA Music Week lost money these last 2 years. So if this event can bring out those that can, and will, afford $1k to keep GMA afloat, then I, for one, am happy. Some of us little guys do benefit from the Association and gain much support from those that are the bigger guys.
While I have already seen this via GMAil and other GMA communications, I do appreciate that Shaun posted this article… We should all have some concern as to where the music industry is headed… with or without the GMA.. -G
Joseph Souder says:
Wow…what a list of hypocrites I see.
Americans complaining about the price of anything is ridiculous. We pay $2 or more for a cup of coffee on our way to work instead of brewing it at home, we waste electricity, water, and gasoline. We want what we want, when we want it. And we are going to complain about the price of a ticket for a charitable event?
If you can’t afford it, fine. But don’t complain about it. How silly. As for “the money could go to other charitable causes.” How much money do you think has been raised for charitable causes by the GMA and it’s supporters? A whole lot more than this dinner took in.
The part of the article that SHOULD ALARM US, is not someone providing a concert and setting a price that we aren’t happy with. It’s their price to set. It’s within their authority. STEALING someone else’s music isn’t in anyone’s authority, yet, this is a widely accepted CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
David said: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Regard, in this verse, means to prefer. If you prefer to live in a lifestyle of sin over fellowship with Christ, He does not hear you. If you live a lifestyle of STEALING, then you either a) aren’t saved, or b) have no fellowship with Jesus Christ.
So, sadly, so many Christians sacrifice real, honest, close fellowship with the Saviour because they’d rather STEAL music.