I operate Heir Wave internet radio to give semi-professional and independents a place to be heard on the internet. I understand that this is not for all and I would not expect everyone to listen. Some people just prefer professional groups and that is their right. My actual goal is to give these artists a place to market their music. My hope is that perhaps someone will hear their songs and be blessed. The big time radio industry doesnt understand the ministry side of these artists nor do they care.

Problem was…when they were programming regular “good” music, they’d stop and run down that long list of sponsors for the local show after every two songs or so.

The ad was nearly five minutes long!!!

Fortunately, they finally cut that out.

I’ve heard plenty of groups with more dollars than sense or talent who had no business on a stage–let alone radio. Could they be effective on stage? Sure. I’m sure every single group has people who love their music. And this is taking nothing away from the group’s sincerity. But just because they purchased their way onto a label or could afford a project or were cousins of the producer does not make them WORTHY of anything. It means they have money or knew the right person. Period. It had no correlation to their worthiness to be on radio.

No hard feelings intended, but this is the type of fallacy that has gotten southern gospel radio in this mess to begin with. Too many subpar groups sending songs to radio and radio buying into the notion that they need to play every song on every comp disc sent to them. (And this is probably all being done by a DJ whose discernment of which groups to play or not to play depends on who gave him a free CD or t-shirt at the product table.) And while I do admit that sincerity goes along way with me being able to listen to a group and respect them for who they are, you simply cannot judge sincerity by a song on the radio. You can’t listen to Gold City or the Inspirations or Gaither Vocal Band or McKameys or Booth Brothers or whomever they are and detect whether or not they are sincere or genuine.

And that’s one of the many reasons radio is so off track today, in my opinion. There aren’t enough hours in the day to discuss the subject of southern gospel radio, though! LOL!

By the way, my first introduction to a lot of groups comes via The Gospel Greats and the musical discernment of one of southern gospel radio’s best friends, Paul Heil. I’ve also been introduced to groups by attending their concerts in the area.

It just never occurred to me to listen to amateur hour for finding the next big thing in gospel music, because if they’re playing all local talent, I’ve probably heard them around my area and most likely know the groups and their ministries already. So for me, amateur hour is like a time designated so grandma or cousin Eddie can call in and request their relative singing and then get a big kick out of calling all the neighbors to tune in to hear the “celebrity” in their family over the local airwaves.

And (shock) I sing in a group. I just don’t buy into the misguided notions or get into the ego thing like a lot of others do.

Another station tends to mix the amateur with the professional (and has recently added a third genre: patriotic). I find myself changing stations frequently depending on what’s playing.

A third station (a country station which plays gospel on Sunday mornings before church) mixes professional with a small mix of the good, local amateur groups. I believe any group can submit their CDs for air, but I think the station is a little more stringent on the quality they will allow.

The problem lies not in the local/regional/national debate; it lies solely in what we accept as a “quality recording.” Artists at all levels are so worried about pinching pennies that they cut corners at every turn, resulting in a sub par recording. This isn’t just the smaller acts, but BIG NAME artists are doing this.

I read a review for a CD by a “national group,” saying that it was one of the better projects they’d put out in recent history. I listened to some of that CD, and let me tell you, if that’s the best they have done in the last few years….WHY ARE THEY CONSIDERED A “NATIONAL” GROUP?!

The current state of economic affairs of the country is giving some of the higher level artists some silents nights while giving a boost for many regional groups in the industry.
Some of these lesser known groups are schedules are booked well into the middle of 2009 thanks to the regional talent agencies, showcases and legiminate talent competition in the industry.

I’m not able to listen to AQR much now, but they do play a lot of amateur music, and it never really bothered me – they stayed on key, and I just turned it down when I wasn’t interested.