Why I Lead

People ask me from time to time if I look for talent. They ask if I ever approach artists who I find interesting and ask to work with them. They wonder if I make “back-end” deals with artists to make sure I get a piece of the action once they get going.

Eric with Pedro Simoes

And to each of these I answer, absolutely not. They look at me quizzically, wondering why in the wide world of sports would I ignore the way it’s been done in the music business for the past century? It’s lunacy! Don’t I know the way to make it big in music is to find a talent and ride it for all it’s worth?

Well, I’m sorry. That just doesn't appeal to me.

And this is the part where most readers drop off…oh well, he’s not going to help me get signed, make me a star, or become the next big thing. On to the next Google search!

For me, it’s about leading music artists and songwriters. It’s about helping them grow, walking through the development process together, and watching them blossom for years and years.

“Leaders are meant to help others become the people God created them to be. They are called to discover the hidden, encourage the uncertain, develop the untrained, and empower the powerless.” – John C. Maxwell

I have been and still am a songwriter (and sometimes artist). I know what it’s like to hope, pray, and dream of finding people to work with that will not just understand what I am trying to do, but happily assist me and want to see me succeed. And not just for the money, but for the joy of working towards quality.

The players, designers, and engineers I work with that have been doing this for 20 or more years are not just fans of quality, it’s all they know. And I LOVE being able to offer that to the people I lead. It’s one thing to listen and consult, it’s another to offer the kind of quality that you really can’t get anywhere else.

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.” - Steve Jobs 

People want quality. When they hear their song in their head it sounds like the radio, but that’s not always what they get when they go down the street to dude’s house with the cool setup in his basement. (And I know, I used to be dude in his basement!)

Instead the musicianship, creativity, and experience that the folks we have at our disposal help in the very leading I want to do. And it is why I don’t have to only work with the diamonds in the rough that just need a good demo and a hot 8x10 to get noticed. Anyone who has a song to sing or write is worthy in my book to get the absolute highest quality service and sound for their ministry.

“Good leadership consists of showing average people how to do the work of superior people.” - John D. Rockefeller 

Friends, don’t be afraid of your mediocrity, God isn’t. It’s a starting point. You don’t start at the end result. You come with the talent you have, and grow it from there. And everyone starts at the beginning!

So, I’m kind of cool with my role. I feel like I have helped hundreds of artists start, grow, and find their own version of success, and I have found mine too.

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” - John Quincy Adams 

Have a great week!

EC

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Eric Copeland is president of Creative Soul, a company that helps Christian artists develop and follow their creative dream. For more info, check out http://www.CreativeSoulOnline.com. For more on Eric Copeland, his music and mission, check out http://www.EricCopelandMusic.com

A Conversation with Music Producer Eric Copeland

From a recent interview with MACKIE, a Christian Entertainment News Magazine. 

MACKIE:  How Long have you been involved in the entertainment business?

EC:   Well, I used to go to dances my father played when I was a kid and watch his band. Also, I was in church choirs and marching bands that traveled extensively as a teen. But I have been doing gigs professionally (both live and studio) since I was 18. In my early 20s I lived in Chicago and worked in several bands and with vocalists, but it wasn’t until the early 1990s that I began to work seriously as a producer for artists. Since then it has been a steady build of our music production and artist development business now known as Creative Soul.

MACKIE:   When did you know that you wanted to be in this business and what was your motivation?

EC:   I was always creative, and just naturally made stuff, whether it was songs, stories, comics, drawings, or what have you. I don’t think I ever really knew what a “music producer” was until the 90s though when I met another producer who worked in the Christian music business, and I began to see that someone could do this for a living. Since I started seriously writing songs at 13, my goal was to become a working songwriter. I now realize that dream, inside of my production business for clients.

MACKIE:   Who has helped you along the way and inspired you the most?

EC:   The aforementioned producer helped and mentored me very much. I've had many great mentors here in Nashville too. I truly believe in the mentor/apprentice mode and mentor several young producers now myself. My parents were both musicians, and completely understood my passions and goals, so they were a great help. My wife of 23 years though has probably been my most faithful supporter though, as well as challenging me to keep things real and pay attention to my home life and family, and not just “the music business”.

MACKIE:   What are some of the highlights of your career so far?

EC:   Highlights continue daily. Since I work with independent artists, every project and ministry we assist is a highlight. We've seen countless lives touched and saved from the work we do for artists. To be honest, the ability to be here in this point in my life, making a good living in this work after 20 years while others are trying to find work is probably the greatest blessing. I also have been blessed to pursue personal projects recently that have done quite well.

MACKIE:   Have you received any special awards or achievements?

EC:   We have received a few awards here and there, including a national Telly, and many of our artists have received awards from various contests. But our greatest achievements are what we create every day. We consider each album that we finish, each ministry we help establish, and each creative artist we help grow our finest achievements.

MACKIE:   Do you have any special events, shows/gigs coming up?

EC:   We are working on a very special project called “We Are Creative Soul” that features 15 of our artists and is a celebration of what we do here in Nashville. We are co-producing it  with legendary producer Phil Naish (Steve Curtis Chapman, Point of Grace), and it is a very big project with a bunch of new music. It will be a audio, video, and graphic project and should be completed in the next few months. We’re really looking forward to it.

MACKIE:   Where do you see yourself in the next 5 or 10 years?

EC:   I would imagine I will be close to where I am now, still serving artists and growing ministries. However, I also know that moving into higher realms of creating is my personal goal. New personal projects, books, and developing ideas has always been my passion. Creative Soul is running more smoothly, and I could see one day handing the reins to someone to continue this work and putting my entire focus on new creative projects. But I love teaching, coaching, and leading, so that will likely be part of the next life also.

MACKIE:   What would you like your legacy to be?

EC:   I think we have already been instrumental in leading the new industry of independent Christian artists, helping establish a new music business order. No longer is the only way to be a working, worldwide ministry  to get “signed” to a label deal. Artists can follow God’s lead and get started, and make a very high end project and promote it to the world, and that is what we help people do.

MACKIE:   Do you have other interests?

EC:   I also write fiction, and am an avid sports fan, especially basketball. I play, watch, write about, think about and crave basketball. Love the NBA, but get it honestly since I was born and raised in the hotbed of college basketball, Lexington, Kentucky, home of the Kentucky Wildcats. I also love to read, play PS3, and watch entirely too much TV.

MACKIE:   Any special words of encouragement or advice for our readers?

EC:   No matter what your dream is, no matter what the longings of your creative soul, work tirelessly to achieve them. Spend time working on your creative talents, no matter what anyone says or does to discourage you. God gave us these gifts to use for His glory, and we have a responsibility to use them in that way.

If you can’t do it yourself, find someone to mentor you, to talk to, and to guide you. Talk with your pastor, your creative friends, or come talk to us. But go after it. You probably already feel the Holy Spirit telling you, leading you, and prodding you to do this. It’s not about fame or fortune, but doing God’s work through the talents He has given you.

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For more on Eric Copeland, see his personal website at EricCopelandMusic.com or his Christian music production and artist development site CreativeSoulOnline.com

MACKIE, Christian Entertainment News Magazine is a division of Taylor Bear Productions, a DOLERN Media company.

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