Help Give Music Life – Chapter 1 eBook Preview
September 15, 2015
This is an excerpt from chapter 1 of our new eBook “Solve the Puzzle of Copyrights: Six Steps To Learning How To Do Music Right” By Susan Fontaine Godwin. You can download the eBook for free here.
When I first started working in the Christian music industry in the 1980’s, worship songwriters ALL had day jobs. Some were fortunate enough to have church music minister positions, but many were carpenters, sofware programmers and sales reps. I didn’t know one worship songwriter who derived their livelihood from writing music…it was a passion that they kindled at night or whenever they could find time.
When unit sales for popular worship recordings skyrocketed in the mid-1980’s, song royalty payments became a surprising source of income for some writers. I distinctly remember a phone call with the author of “GIVE THANKS”. Through tears he explained how grateful he was to receive a recent royalty check, because it literally put food on the table and paid for repairs to his family’s only car. Henry Smith’s song later rose to #1 on the CCLI charts, and continued to bless his family.
As worship recording royalties grew and the CCLI Church License began to take hold in churches, consistent revenue streams encouraged some writers to take the plunge and devote themselves wholeheartedly to their calling. Great art does not happen accidentally. When music flourishes there is a cultural economic terrain in which songwriters thrive. The next time you buy a church music license, like CCS’s PERFORMmusic License, or pay an invoice for music rights, you may want to take another look at the transaction you’re making. It’s a tremendous opportunity to support songwriters, who in turn will bless your church with new worship songs that proclaim the Gospel, touching and transforming hearts. Churches play a vital role in GIVING MUSIC LIFE.
At the heart of CCS’s mission is education and training. We understand that copyright issues can be complex, confusing and overwhelming for church and ministry leaders, and that’s why we are offering absolutely FREE our new downloadable eBook, “Solve the Puzzle of Copyrights: Six Steps to Learning How to Do Music Right.” Get our free eBook today!
