Christian record companies - heroic pioneers or villainous exploiters? Tony Cummings tries to find out.



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Maybe the future for Christian-orientated music lies with secular distribution. Now that a BeBe and CeCe Winans or, even a Caroline Bonnett, are making music of sufficient creative quality that is a definite, though still remote, possibility. What is stopping Christian record companies making more inroads into the mainstream outlets.

The largest problem is lack of radio exposure (discussed last issue). People buy albums by artists they know, and its through radio and TV as much as live concerts that they gain this knowledge.

Having said that, Ward are getting more and more of their product which has sufficient 'sec cred' (Cliff Richard, Amy Grant, Deniece Williams, Harry Secombe, etc. etc.) into the HMV's and Our Prices.

For whatever the difficulties, getting Christian music into the mainstream can work if there is enough belief and venture capitol. At the moment there doesn't seem to be much of either. We can but hope and pray for a better tomorrow. CR

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