GMA’s alternative to cancelled industry music conference ‘scaled back’ but ‘more ministry-focused’

The crowds were smaller and the schedule lighter, but those who last month attended the annual celebration of the threatened Gospel Music Association (GMA), gave mixed reviews regarding the organization’s rebranded showcase.

Held April 19-21, Dove Awards Week was GMA’s alternative to what traditionally had been GMA Music Week—cancelled at the end of last year. The conference part of the Music Week—which included the Christian Music Retail Conference and music industry leadership workshops, and once drew thousands to Nashville—had faced shrinking attendance in recent years and will be retooled for 2011, GMA said.

Dove Awards Week—centered on the 41st Annual Gospel Music Association Dove Awards ceremony, April 21—included events such as Broadcast Music Inc. and American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers award dinners.

Ed Leonard, GMA board chairman and Daywind Music Group president, said that he was pleased with Dove Awards Week, which drew approximately 3,000 people for the prize-giving evening. He told Christian Retailing that the association had made steps to refocus its efforts on building “a community of creative people and people that support them in an effort to celebrate and promote the gospel through music.”

“We had an artist nominee luncheon, something we’ve never done before,” said Leonard. “We’re better together then we are apart, and we really tried to honor the nominees during that time but also sow back into them since they’re always out there sowing into others.”

Al Andrews—founder and director of Porter’s Call, a ministry geared toward supporting recording artists and their families—spoke at the luncheon and offered encouragement to the artists in attendance.

Greg Bays—chairman of the Christian Music Trade Association, an affiliate organization of GMA—said that although the usual industry conference was not held, several key accounts met with artists and labels/distribution companies, and attended the Dove Awards.

“The most frequent comment I heard from accounts and distribution staff was, ‘This may not be a typical GMA Week, but I’m as busy as I have ever been,’” Bays told Christian Retailing. “I don’t know that the week was literally ‘as busy as ever,’ but my calendar was certainly packed with key account meetings, artist showcases and related events all week.

“The pace of the week was different—not necessarily better or worse—from prior years,” he added. “This change of pace seemed to allow the accounts that participated to get more time to connect with the artists they met. It allowed accounts and suppliers to have more strategic dialog, more time to discuss creative ideas on how to grow the business—expanding the reach of Christian and gospel music.”

Lori Lenz—president of Biscuit Media Group, a Nashville public relations firm—only brought two of the artists she represents for Dove Awards Week, which she called “completely different.”

“It’s so scaled back,” she said. “There’s a lot of media that just haven’t come this year or they’re here for just a short time. It’s been a lot more challenging to book interviews and also in getting the artists motivated to come. There’s not a lack of interest, but there’s a lack of events they can play off of, so the value is perceived differently.”

HearItFirst.com President Mark Adkinson said his online Christian music company did not have to rent a suite to shoot artist video interviews. “It’s very strange not to be downtown and not having a ton of meetings,” said Adkinson. “We’re probably not as busy as we were last year, but we’re still doing a lot of interviews.”

Brian Mayes, president of Nashville Publicity Group, said his agency was nearly as busy as it had been in previous years when GMA Music Week was held.

“Everybody kept saying, ‘What is it like to have GMA week off?’, and I said, ‘I didn’t,’” Mayes said. “We were getting calls from media outlets that were coming to the Dove Awards anyway, so we set up the media suite. The media that mattered were there, and we were booked non-stop, six artists deep every 15 minutes just about every day.”

Nashville Publicity Group also organized The Dog and Pony Show, a musical showcase that has been a staple during GMA Music Week in the past.

“There was no conference to draw from, no foot traffic and we were a little nervous going in, wondering if we could pull this off,” Mayes said. “But our attendance was right on track with previous years, with over 400 in attendance.”

Mark Hall—lead singer of Casting Crowns, who won Artist of the Year during the Dove Awards—said he hoped what he saw at the artist nominee luncheon is what he sees from GMA in the future. “There was encouragement, family, a ministry to artists,” said Hall. “That’s what this group needs to be doing, pouring into people who pour into the world. I believe if that’s where GMA is headed, that will be a great thing. And if it never ends in a big, three-day massive conference, maybe that’s good. We’re heading in the right direction.”

Southern Gospel artist Karen Peck with the group New River agreed. “I think this year has been focused more toward the artists, trying to meet the artists’ needs, to encourage the artist,” she said. “I think everyone seems more ministry-focused.

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