tate music group...promotion that makes sense

My team found an interesting article this week about the state of our country's media in regards to the music industry - TV, Radio, etc. I will post the link below...but the basic idea is that media availability has decreased dramatically because of dominating control by a select number of players. One statistic from the article is that over the past 25 years, media input and control has decreased from over 50 to just 6 major players. That means that you have less opportunities to get your music in front of anyone responsible for making decisions in the media...and even less of a chance of those same people giving you the time to even listen to your music. We know this is the case for radio...since you have one program director (who is usually responsible for multiple stations) playing the music he HAS to play from corporate...and trying to squeeze in some that he actually likes and thinks his audience will like. As an aspiring artist, you have to be willing to put aside the traditional understanding of what "works" in the music industry and be realistic with your expectations. The truth is, these aren't the only hot spots to go to. You can find actual opportunities through many other avenues...if you are willing to think outside the box and be willing to be more organic in your growth as an artist. Since Tate Music Group started...our focus has been to stay ahead of the changing industry and look at new, effective ways to work with our artists and promote their music. There have always been (and will probably always be) the traditional promotion tactics for artists in the upper echelon of the music industry. However, those avenues are rarely open for the new, aspiring artist...so why spend much time and resources there? Across the board, it is imperative that we look at ways to promote music to the people who want to hear it. I think the numbers speak for themselves...and I think artists have more opportunities for exposure and promotion than ever before. They just need to embrace the new norms. That is where our focus is here at Tate Music Group...and we are seeing incredible numbers and opportunities that confirm our correct approach! http://www.trueskool.com/forum/topic/show?id=1464587%3ATopic%3A119281#.T7v4ITsR3cs.facebook

tate music group...beauty itself

Videos are such a great tool for promoting your music...whether traditional music videos or those that are more 'off the wall.' We are such a visual culture and in today's new market...it is so easy to share video and connect to new fans. Not every video will go viral. In fact, few will...but they are still a vital part of the promotion of an active artist. As an artist, you should make time to study, create, and share videos...and if you aren't...the only question I can think of is, "Why?". With all that in mind, I wanted to share this video from Tate Music Group artist, Robin Lees. Her music has a great message and she has such a good sound! Check out this great new video and listen to more of Robin's music here: http://bit.ly/rdqtiN

tate music group...that's what we've been saying

One of the most important (and most common) discussions we have with the artists we work with focuses on the business aspect of music. It makes sense...since this is called the "music business." The thing we most commonly stress is that the music is just the introduction into the industry - the business is what keeps you there.

Like any business, the product being introduced and promoted rises and falls on its quality and the ability of its creator to sell it to the consumer. The music business is no different. As an artist, your music is the product...and the quality of that music is very important. However, even more important is your ability (as the artist/creator) to promote and sell your product - in this case, your CD. You can have incredible songs and share those with an audience - completely captivating them. If that audience, though, isn't able to get your music and similarly recreate those feelings they had when hearing it live...they will forget about you and your music and move on to the next option.

This is why we (TMG) stress the importance of artists having lots of product and merchandise on hand for all your shows and events. It is not only your best point of sale...it is a way to engage with your audience again...and continue to inspire them by providing your music for them to listen and share over and over. That is both great promotion of your art and excellent business strategy - since a $10 CD at your show will end up as $6-$8 directly to you. Multiply that by 60 fans...and again by 50-60 shows per year - and you're starting to make this a career!

Of course, as you can see, the other aspect of selling your product is your ability to engage and captivate your audience. You have to put on a good show and give your audience something to not only be excited about at the time...but talk about to their friends the next day, week, month. This is how you, as an artist, are really just a salesman with a guitar (or piano, or microphone, etc.). I know that doesn't sound very appealing to most artists...but it is the truth about all business. Having the best product means nothing if you can't sell it to your audience. Time and again, I see incredible artists with no fan base and nothing (financially) to show for their work...because they aren't willing to do the 'salesman' role that is needed for this line of work. On the flip side, less musically talented artists can be some of the most popular and highest grossing artists because they have accepted their sales role and actively engage and inspire their audiences to action - which always involves buying their product (CDs, shirts, hats, etc.).

This is foundational to Tate Music Group and our goals for working with artists. We have been saying this for years and we see the most success from our artists that embrace music not only as an art but ultimately as a business.

Here is a video from Tom Jackson (a major promoter in the music business) stressing these same principles.

tate music group...retail and promotional events

When promoting your album...it is imperative to have live interaction events. These can be performance based events - concerts, gigs, tours, etc. Or they can be hybrid events that deal with the promotion of the album through interaction (and possibly some performance) - CD signings, retail/niche promotional opportunities, media appearances, etc. Both are important to the promotion, publicity, and overall sales of the CD!

Every artist wants to focus on the former (live performance events)...and they should be focused on that. However, the latter (retail/promotional/media events) can often be even more effective from a sales and networking standpoint because of the people you have a chance to interact with. We get notes all the time regarding great niche/promotional events that turn into major performance or media opportunities. I want to share one we received this past week from an artist in Texas:

"Here's a story for ya: I had a CD Signing at Hastings in Victoria, TX the end of January. I sold and signed several CD's. Met some great people and made new fans and friends. Thru this signing I picked up a radio interview from a radio station in Granbury, TX which is about 300 miles from Victoria. The program manager just happened to be there that day. We had the interview and he said check back in a month or two and let him know how it is going, and we'll do another interview. My music is being played on his station. Also thru this signing the store manager asked me to start up an open mic night at the Hardback Coffee Cafe on Thursday nights. I've done this for 3 weeks and they ask me back every week. I've sold several CDs thru this event and I'm gaining friends and fans. Last night I was asked to perform for a Recovery group at a Large Church in Victoria. I've also made other contacts for future gigs.

I want to thank You and TMG for taking an interest in me and my music. You are right, the CD signings aren't like performing; however, we really enjoy them. We've made some great contacts and get to talk about our Ministry and Music. A lady professor from Baylor University asked me to perform at a Memorial Service in the future. I sing Amazing Grace in Cherokee and that's what she wants for her Husbands Memorial... What an honor.

We request to be set up at the entrance of the store. When customers walk in we make eye contact and smile. Our music is playing and we hold out our business card and a refrigerator magnet with Heart of Grace Ministries on it. We don't sell a CD to everyone but we give them something of ourselves every time. Some people ignore us and refuse the grace we extend to them, but they are few."

tate music group...34 Bliss 'learn to fly'

Check out the above Tate Music Group video featuring new TMG artist, 34 Bliss. The video was shot in downtown Oklahoma City and really showcases the attitude and energy of the band. Also, check out this link to read a recent article written about 34 Bliss - from The Blue Water Traveler.

For more info and links, go to our TMG News page.

tate music group...#2 on iTunes

Hard work, great fan support, and strategic planning are the key elements to the early success Tate Music Group and Tiffany Alvord have had with the young YouTube star's newest album, My Dream. Tiffany's album was much anticipated by her more than 600,000 YouTube fans and subscribers...debuting at #2 on iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart.

As her label, Tate Music Group is very excited for Tiffany! We are all well aware, however, of the hard work that really begins now. Tiffany is already in the middle of the promotion and publicity of her new album...including a recent trip to China to appear on a Chinese national television program...and perform as part of a major concert in Shanghai.

Read more about Tiffany's music and her iTunes debut at #2 here. And make sure you go here to check out and buy her new album, My Dream.

tate music group...#2 Trio of the Year

Very exciting news this week - Voices of Glory were awarded the #2 Trio of the Year by the Branson Gospel Singer/Songwriter Association! Great job!

Also, as seen in the photo, Tate Music Group was able to schedule Voices of Glory to perform with another TMG artist, country music legend - Lee Greenwood! What an incredible show and a blessing for all those who heard & saw it!

tate music group...window of opportunity artists

We are very excited about today's 'Window of Opportunity' for 4 of our TMG artists. Justin Cross, Vanessa Vasquez, Reid Perry, His & Hers.

If you have some time...check out the show today on CKCU from 2-3pm. Check out TMG's RadioGirl blog for more info!

tate music group...sondra watkins article

I wanted to share the link to an article written about Tate Music Group artist, Sondra Watkins. Read about Sondra's musical career to this point...and see what she plans on doing with her music and ministry. We are very excited for her!

Check out the article here: http://barrow.patch.com/articles/local-gospel-singers-dream-becomes-reality

tate music group...ICM award update

We are excited that Tate Music Group artist, Voices of Glory, made the top 5 for the Youth In Music Award! What an exciting opportunity for these talented young people! We can't wait to hear them announce their names as the winners of this prestigious award! Good luck!

Youth In Music (tie in category)
Aubree Bullock
Hannah Faith
Matthew Wacaster
McDougal Kids
Renee Spencer
Voices of Glory

tate music group...mariah hostrander in CCM

TMG artist Mariah Hostrander lands a Artist Spotlight on www.ccmmagazine.com!

“Compared to Natalie Merchant but a bit more rockin’, Mariah Hostrander is a praise and worship artist with a folk/pop-rock sound with great worship tunes that many churches will pick up and run with.”

Mariah Hostrander began her singing/songwriting career in 2006 at the age of 13. With influences from BarlowGirl to Paul Baloche, Mariah has captured the muse to deliver a compelling folk-rock sound with well-crafted lyrics that tell life stories easy for most people to appreciate.

Mariah Hostrander’s first full-length project, “Beautiful Scars” was released in 2008, followed by a Christmas single “The Angels Sing” in 2009. Fast forward to 2011 and “Picture It,” impeccably expands her discography with her first national release with Tate Music Group.

Most important to Mariah, “Ultimately, I want to glorify God with the gift He’s given me and I want to reach and inspire people.”

Read the rest of the article here!

Originally posted by TMGRadioGirl - http://tmgradiogirl.tumblr.com/post/9123339976/artist-spotlight-mariah-hostrander

tate music group...ICM award nominees

We are very excited for 2 of our young artists - Abbey Gregory and Voices of Glory - for their Inspirational Country Music Award nomination. They are both nominated in the Youth In Music category...which makes it difficult to hope that one of them wins (which means the other wouldn't). But that is a problem we are happy to deal with! Congratulations to them both! Already winners in our book!

Here is the official press release:

ICM FAITH, FAMILY AND COUNTRY AWARDS: FIRST ROUND CATEGORY NOMINEES FOR THE 17TH ANNUAL INSPIRATIONAL COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS ANNOUNCED FOR PRESENTATION IN NASHVILLE OCTOBER 28TH

SCHERMERHORN SYMPHONY CENTER WILL BE FIRST TIME HOST OF ANNUAL AWARDS EVENT


Nashville, Tenn. (July 31, 2011) – The ICM Faith, Family & Country Awards first round nominees were today announced in Nashville. Presentation of awards in 22 key categories for the 17th Annual Inspirational Country Music Awards Show will be held on Friday, October 28, 2011 in Nashville at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

The ballot, voted on by membership, includes a stellar array of major names in a broad range of categories that include entertainer, artist, new artist, song, songwriter, group, duo, musician, radio personality, radio station, film, and television honors. Major artist nominees for this year’s awards include Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Ronnie Dunn, The Roys, The Band Perry, Josh Turner, Jeff Bates, Randy Travis, Ricky Skaggs, and George Strait. Film honors presentations include a competitive field highlighted by family rated major box office contenders including Toy Story 3, Secretariat, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Trader.

Top 5 finalists in all categories will be announced on August 30th culminating in the October awards presentation announcements.

The 2011 ICM Faith, Family & Country Awards continue as the highpoint finale of Inspirational Country Music Week, an event presented by the Inspirational Country Music Association. This year’s planned schedule will run October 24-28th in Nashville, and as in past years will draw a broad cross section of industry, music fans, broadcast media, and artists in a well-orchestrated showcase of music and seminar related activities.

ICM-Association Executive Director Jason Higgins notes the organization’s ongoing commitment to the Nashville origins of the annual event. “We are very pleased to have the Millennium Maxwell House as the host location of the week’s event, as well as the historic Wildhorse Saloon as a setting for a planned Appreciation Luncheon to be held during ICM Faith, Family & Country Week for media and participants. Combined with the awards presentation for the first time this year being held in the incomparable setting of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center we feel we are showcasing a real commitment to all that makes Nashville ‘Music City’.”

Youth In Music

Abbey Gregory
Aubree Bullock
Calina Boggs
Candy Boggs
Hannah Faith
Matthew Wacaster
McDougal Kids
Renee Spencer
Tommy Brandt II
Voices of Glory

tate music group...a great article

I wanted to share this article that ran in the Madera Tribune out of California. I especially want to direct your attention to the booking efforts and expectations. Driven Cure is correct...you can call hundreds of venues, churches, contacts...but you may just have one that says 'Yes'...and you have to be ready to pounce on that opportunity. Besides, you never know who you will meet at that show.

Here is the article:

Local Christian band tours country, releases second album
By Farin Montanez
The Madera Tribune

Two Chowchilla police officers took a leap of faith last year when they turned in their badges and guns and picked up a bass and a microphone to pursue musical ministry. Ex-officers Heath Middleton and Phil Cheatham — joined by Phil’s son Michael and Michael’s friend Justin Webster — took their contemporary Christian band, Driven Cure, on the road. Together they’ve played in venues across the country and will perform next month at Spirit West Coast — one of the largest Christian music events in the country.

Middleton and the Cheathams led the church band at Passion Driven Ministries in Chowchilla for years before deciding to branch off and become an outreach worship group in 2008. “We had a vision to go from church to church to teach people what worship is about — and what worship is about is a relationship with God,” Middleton said. After throwing around names in the police department’s report writing room, Middleton and Cheatham decided on Driven Cure, Cheatham said. “Jesus is the cure,” he said, to which Webster added, “We are driven to bring people to the cure.” The group aims to take listeners on a musical and spiritual journey with their progressive rock worship style, band members say.

The band signed with Oklahoma-based label Tate Music Group in January 2009 and released its first album, Astray No More, that fall. “Lyrically it’s straightforward Christian music that you would hear in church,” said Webster, the band’s lead guitarist. “Heath, the main vocalist, wrote all the songs. We just kind of threw together what we had and got it out there.” The band took more time to perfect its sophomore album, Message, which will be relased August 9. “It’s more metaphorical,’ Webster said. “The albums share the same themes, but the second was a collaborative writing effort.” One of the underlying themes was inspired by a worshiper’s testimony, Phil Cheatham said. “He said he made a mess out of his life, but God made a message,” he said. “God can always use what looks like a rough or tough situation and make it into a message that can benefit that person or other people,” Webster added.

Driven Cure spends much of its time touring — as far east as Nashville and as far west as Hawaii — and the remainder of its time serving as the worship band at Good News Ministries in Madera. “Last April we all resigned from our employments to pursue full-time music ministry,” said Webster, a former construction worker.
Although it has sometimes been difficult adjusting to widely flexible schedules and financial uncertainty — and trying to find a niche in a music industry that is ever evolving — the band members say their passion for music and for God make it all worthwhile. “We don’t want to be doing anything other than this,” Webster said.

The band books its own tours, and will perform “anywhere they’ll let us,” Phil Cheatham said. “We can call 600 venues and 599 of them might say ‘no’ and one person will say yes and we’ll jump on it.” “We play everywhere from as tiny as a little 10-people church to coffee shops to music festivals to as big as the main stage at Spirit West Coast,” said Micheal Cheatham, the band’s drummer and a former marketing student at UC Merced.

Spirit West Coast is a big step for the band, members say. Last year Driven Cure had to “pay to play” at the event, which means their fans had to purchase a certain number of tickets for the group to be able to perform. “We ended up doing more than $10,000 in ticket sales and they put us on the Air One mainstage,” Webster said.
This year the event’s organizer booked the band to play two concerts at the three-day festival, held at the Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey.

The band is also in the midst of the Igniting the Body Tour — a worship tour featuring Driven Cure and Good News Ministries’ pastor Eddie Gallegos. Tour information can be found on the band’s website, DrivenCure.com.

tate music group...voices of glory music video

I just wanted to share this video for Voices of Glory's song, "You Untie My Wings." They are a very hard working...and incredibly talented group of young people. Enjoy!

tate music group...voices of glory win diamond award

Tate Music Group wants to give a huge congratulations to VOG - Voices of Glory - for winning the 2011 Diamond Award for 'Sunrise Artist'...which is also the award for Favorite Rising Artist! What an incredible accomplishment for this group of very talented and driven young people.

Theirs is an incredible story of faith, talent, and God's perfect timing! Tate Music Group is excited to partner with VOG and their music! We know this is still the beginning of what this incredibly talented group of siblings will win in their careers!

Check out Voices of Glory here - http://www.tatemusicgroup.com/epk/?id=12141

See more from the 2011 Diamond Awards here - http://www.southerngospeltimes.com/NewsItem.aspx?id=1071

tate music group...incredible driven cure video

This is a follow up to my last post. You have to check out this video of Driven Cure's drummer, Michael Cheatam.

Remember to check out more from Driven Cure at TateMusicGroup.com and on YouTube.

tate music group...driven cure tour video

What a great video to show the dedication and time it takes in this industry! These are some of the hardest working artists we know...and we love them! Great music and a great display of the joy an artist (or band) can have by doing what they love to do - playing music!

Check out the video and see more from Driven Cure here - http://www.tatemusicgroup.com/epk/?id=15260

tate music group...artists at big ticket festival

We are very excited about 2 of Tate Music Group's own - Medisin Wheel and Saving Marion - playing at this year's Big Ticket Festival in Ionia, Michigan. They will be sharing the stage with many other great artists - major and independent - including Skillet, Sanctus Real, and Remedy Drive. What an incredible opportunity to share their music!

Medisin Wheel will be performing on Friday, June 24th at 4PM. You can find out more about this band here - http://www.tatemusicgroup.com/epk/?id=13528

Saving Marion will be performing on Saturday, June 25th at 5:30PM. You can find out more about this band here - http://www.tatemusicgroup.com/epk/?id=13570

tate music group...driven cure interview

I wanted to share this link to the Christian Music Jukebox interview with Tate Music Group recording artists, Driven Cure. Read it and then check out more from Driven Cure.

EPK - http://www.tatemusicgroup.com/epk/?id=15260

Link to interview - http://christianmusicjukebox.com/2011/05/exclusive-interview-with-the-band-driven-cure/

tate music group...artists at Alive11 festival (pt 2)

Congratulations to all 3 of our Tate Music Group artists who made the Top 5 - Abbey Gregory, Changing Pace, and Thirty-Nine Thoughts! They will each play a set on Wednesday, June 22nd. Best of luck to all 3! They are all winners!

You can check more out about it here - www.alive.org/newartist.aspx