Dave's Top Eight

1. Jerry Reed...Revisited by Darrell Toney (reviewed 6/07) (5 Stars)
2. Sounds Like Sunday by Janet Paschal (reviewed 5/07) (5 Stars)
3. True To The Call by Kingdom Heirs (reviewed 3/07) (4 1/2 Stars)
4. Revival by Gold City (reviewed 10/06) (4 1/2 Stars)
5. Get Away Jordan by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound (reviewed 2/07) (4 1/2 Stars)
6. Breakin' Chains by Three Bridges (reviewed 5/07) (4 1/2 Stars)
7. Big Sky by The Isaacs (reviewed 4/07)
8. Skywriting by Mercy's Well (reviewed 7/07)

Click title to purchase at CBD.com...click artist name to read Dave's Review. A CD will automatically fall out of the Top Eight after twelve months if no CD surpasses it before then.

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September 26, 2006

Is This "Stealing?"

Situation: An established group needs to fill a hole in their lineup, and they'd like to be able to announce that a new singer has been hired at the same time they anounce their current member is leaving. They approach a hot new talent who happens to be a member of another group. They haven't advertised an opening in their organization, but they tell him the job could be his at certain rate of pay if he's interested.

Question: Was that a bad thing for the group to do?

Many would say, "Yes"...especially group owners whose groups are often referred to as "farm teams." They'd say one gospel group shouldn't "steal" group members from another.

The response of others would be, "No"...it was a business decision that not only benefits the group with the larger name, but also benefits the young singer who...let's face it...was traveling way too much for his sanity and for not nearly enough pay. And in theory, it also benefits the fans who get to hear a new mix that hopefully improves the overall quality of the group.

Here's my take...
When I'm approached by a potential new employer, there's no obligation to provide my current employer with a blow by blow report of the interview process.

However, once I DO decide to take a new job, I tell my current employer as soon as I've accepted the new job and then I offer to work a fair notice...good communication is key. Telling them I'm leaving as soon as I know I'm leaving and offering to work the notice is where my obligation begins and ends. Whether I initiated contact or my new employer inititiated contact is totally irrelevant.

The same thing goes for preachers changing churches. If they do their job as long as they are at the first church and work a fair notice before they leave to go to the new church, what's the beef if their new church approached them or they approached the church first? Why would it be any different in a Southern Gospel group?

That being said, I do believe a "fair notice" varies considerably depending on the job. If you're at McDonalds, one week is probably more than plenty, but in a Southern Gospel group, I think we're talking more in terms of several weeks (and even as much as two or three months if the group you're leaving has just released a new CD with your voice and face on it).

Unfortunately, this sort of situation often creates hurt for a number of people...the group that hires the replacement singer gets a reputation for "breaking up" groups that pay less...the other group's product sales suffer if the singer didn't work a fair notice...the singer gets a bad rap if he isn't totally up-front with his previous employer and sometimes gets a bad rap even if he is...he may keep it secret from his employer for a while after he's decided to take the new job offer, maybe at his new group's request, both of which are wrong. Even if he IS forthcoming about the situation, he may still get fired from his previous group to pre-empt his new employer's announcement about his transition (which is also wrong).

It's a situation that comes up all too frequently with Southern Gospel groups. I'd be interested to know how some of you readers feel about the issue...it would also be interesting to hear the opinions of some group members and/or group owners on this issue...whether you agree or disagree with my observations, I think it would make for an interesting discussion.

Turnover happens all the time in this industry. If it hasn't happened in your group for a while, it probably will come sooner than later, so when it happens, act like grown-ups.

Or perhaps a better way of putting it is a quote attributed (but so far unconfirmed by me) to Sherriff Taylor..."Y'all act like you got some smarts."

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posted by David Bruce Murray @ 7:41:00 PM


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