One of our InspireSong attendees, Tony Chung, summed up his thoughts on InspireSong and the wonderful creative community who come together to Create With the Creator!
There’s something to be said about finding your tribe, or what I humourously like to think of as getting around people who share your particular kind of crazy. Jeff Goins, in his book “Real Artists Don’t Starve”, shares thoughts on how “The Starving Artist works alone. The Thriving Artist Collaborates with others.” I can think of no other place where I found that type of connection than at InspireSong.
And for this reason alone, I will gladly invest my time, dollars, and energy to meet up with neighbours from around the world who share my love for promoting Jesus through heartfelt song; who dedicate their lives to honing their skills and reaching the audience that the Lord has already prepared in advance for them to reach.
Some of our friends met people who change their lives: songs professionally recorded and produced, publishing and distribution agreements signed, collaborative performing events and even tours… the possibilities are endless. Through the open mic nights and late night song circles I saw incredible growth in my friends’ musical and writing skills over the past year. One friend reached the requirements to register three songs for royalty collection on CCLI.
While InspireSong started as a conversation between Derek Brown at Crossroads Church – Aspen Glenwood and Beyond and Keith Mohr of Indieheaven, the event took on a life of its own. Sure, leading songwriters and worship leaders like Matthew West and Benji and Jenna Cowartattend, as well as industry experts Paul Herman and Jonathan Mason got the ball rolling in 2016.
But each year brings new ideas and new challenges. God chooses who He wants to be there. Pray for InspireSong 2018, already in the planning stages. I’m sure that God chooses you to attend next year.
This year I had the pleasure of introducing my wife to my creative family (at least the ones who could make it), and her life opened to the creative possibilities in front of her, thanks to one Larry Allen French—and she’s not even a songwriter!!
To the team at Crossroads: Rebecca Ragan, Sarah Payne, Whitney Hewitt, Billy Linn, Chris May, Dan Bosko, Billy Garaffa, Steve Woodrow, Curt Larson, Tami Frances Word, and anyone else I missed… thank you so much from the very depths of my soul.
My heart is aching that I had to go home—but, I WILL BE BACK!!!