Take it from someone who is now stepping out on faith BIG TIME on the original music tip! Raise you about $500, and the next time you need them to play flash the 5 benjamins (or fan yourself with them) while you are talking. You will have no problem getting them to participate. OR, have a soloist who is so reputable and noted that most musicians have been dying to work with (again flash the benjamins when you ask them to sing).....MOST OF ALL, know that it's either the benjamins or a chance to work with someone they've always wanted to that will drive them to go ahead and do it.......not some overwhelming, Christ-centered devotion to wanting to help another struggling songwriter "make it". That devotion died in the 70's or 80's. Today it is all about "ME" being discovered as a musician or singer. Helping the little man? I COULD CARE LESS!
Mind you, when your songwriting career takes off and blows up (notice I didn't say IF), all of them will come to you offering to help then....but still it's about wanting to work with you (latch on to your coat tail) because now YOU have some pull to help take them to another level that they haven't acheived yet but really want to!!! Still, it's not about helping you!
But the good news is that if God has in His plan for you to excel and succeed as a songwriter, He will make it happen by any means necessary and in spite of the drama and opposition that you now face. I am saying all of this from experience because I've only had ONE SONG to be recorded in my 33 years of living, which still leaves me as one of the "nobodies" in Memphis.
People hear that we are doing an all-original concert on March 4th with some songs that I wrote and they literally laugh! Yet, I ask God if I should cancel and he keeps saying...."most of these songs have sat in that little blue bag in your closet since 1995, and that's not why I gave them to you. I wanted you to bless my PEOPLE with your music...not the blue bag!" So, I'm pressing on but pulling this off (along with the play and the Dianne concert) are HARD! I know the end result will be worth it!
AS A SIDE NOTE (but still on point) the Musical this past Saturday was a "successful flop" (you have to know my terminology). No one who agreed to do anything did it. Only one choir and two praise dance groups showed up (out of the four choirs who called last week to confirm), our deacons didn't show up to help with anything or unlock the front doors to the church (which I don't have a key to). There was not a minister present to pray, give the benediction, or otherwise. BUT God sent a friend of mine who is an ordained minister to facilitate the service in granddaddy's absence, I jumped through the window of the sound room, opened the door from the inside and turned the mics on since I don't have a key to that either! I went in the kitchen and turned the stove on and started cooking until some choir members got the hint and came back to help (when the program was almost over).....but God did his thing! Yes, I had to work like MAD....but the entire event proved to be an overwhelming success and EVERYONE stayed to the end....and boy did they eat....and we made more than enough money to complete the down payment on our new robes and pay Dianne's deposit, which is why I had the musical to begin with!
It didn't go like I wanted it to, but God's plan was "success"....He didn't say HOW the success would come, and yet it came!
It will be the same way with you. Don't focus on how it's coming....just know that it will come!
(and bump this message back up to the top in about a week, when the play on 2/25 starts to stress me out ....I'll probably need a dose of my own sermon by then! :lol: )
