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The Bible of the Gospel Music Industry

Knowledge is power. In order to achieve in the music industry, a person not only needs to be talented, but knowledgeable of the business of music. Gospel music is no different. Luckily, there is a yearly publication that outlines all of the business associated with the Gospel Music industry.

The Gospel Music Round-Up is sold for $20 plus shipping and it is worth every penny! This well organized magazine is known as “The Bible” of the Gospel Music industry, and rightfully so. It breaks down pertinent information such as:
– Album sales and buyer trends
– Upcoming music releases
– Industry events where new artists can get discovered
– Detailed list of radio stations (including program directors)
– Top entertainment lawyers
– Plus, valuable tips and tricks of the trade

You can advertise in this release as well. This is a good opportunity to be seen by numerous readers. They accept advertisements for various entities such as recording artists, management agencies and entertainment lawyers. The prices may seem a bit much for an independent artist, but if you have the funds then it is a good investment.

I advise anyone interested in working within the Gospel Music sector to purchase and study this yearly publication. I have personally used it for the past two years and have gained connections to events for the artists that I manage.

This publication does a great job of showcasing Gospel Music as not just ministry, but as a business. As with any entertainment venture, it’s not just about the art, but also about the work and logistics. For example, it highlights The Gospel Music Association as one of the premiere entities that an aspiring Gospel artist should join. Membership into this organization gives access to awards ceremonies, workshops and networking events.

It is also important to know the buying trends and sales history of Gospel music. While physical album sales of Gospel music was down in 2012 compared to 2011, digital downloads are up according to The Nielsen Company for the same time period.

It is important to educate yourself in order to succeed. These resources are great stepping-stones in the right direction. This is a great example of the Power of Gospel Music!

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Baton Rouge native, Letrece Griffin, lights up every room she enters. With a flair for high fashion, bright colors, a golden smile, and a positive attitude, Griffin offers a welcoming sense of genuine openness and experience beyond her years. She is a mentor, a writer of many trades, and a marketing and branding expert who serves in a variety of roles, including a few independent ventures, passion projects, contracts, and a full-time career in marketing. She is currently the Chief of Communications & Family Engagement for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System where she leads a team that produces all district-wide marketing collateral, events, and community engagement efforts.

Griffin also previously served as the Marketing Specialist for the extremely popular Knock Knock Children’s Museum, where she was responsible for day-to-day operations, including developing and increasing awareness about programming, creative content, and managing an internship program for which she is lauded as bringing to the museum. A child at heart, she is also a part of the reason why adults have the special opportunity to attend the museum childfree and play during Grown-ups at Play – an idea she wholeheartedly supports and expertly markets to sell-out runs each time. Her innovative ideas, ability to dream big, and work hard have all been attributed to the museum’s continued success.

She also flexes her media muscle as an Executive Producer for Melanin3 Media. In this work, she has produced the documentaries “Shades of Her: A Commentary on Colorism” and “The Side Effect: The Kirt Thibodeaux Story,” as well as music videos for PJ Morton and Michael Dixon. She has secured shooting locations, cast, dancers, interviewees, makeup artists, wardrobe specialists, set production/filming schedule, and hosted relevant events to complement projects, such as a run of free screenings and discussion groups for “Shades of Her,” throughout East Baton Rouge Parish libraries. She has also worked for the past three years as the Director of Operations for the IRAA Awards – a Baton Rouge-based awards ceremony weekend set to honor independent gospel artists. She also lends her services as the social media and marketing consultant for Southern University’s Human Jukebox.

But Griffin’s work doesn’t stop there. In her spare time, she is a creative mastermind seeking to change the world one market at a time. She has certainly exceeded some pretty lofty goals and collected lots of accolades in the process. She has been featured in a variety of publications highlighting her work as an independent marketing and branding consultant and author, including [225], Greater Baton Rouge Business Report, and The Rouge Collection. She has been an honoree, both nationally and locally, of several noteworthy awards, including Women Doing It Big (2022, Newark, NJ), Greater Baton Rouge Business Report 40 Under 40 (2019, Baton Rouge, LA), Woman of Wonder (2019, Houston, TX), which celebrates women in the southern region who excel in their respective fields; Baton Rouge Black Professionals 40 Under 40 (2015, Baton Rouge); Top Branding Experts on Twitter (2014, EC Branding); and Manager of the Year (2013, One Accord DJ Alliance), among countless other honors.

She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., in which she has served as a Regional Leadership Team Member, Journalist for the Southwest Region, and volunteers through the sorority’s many community efforts that advocate for mentorship, health and wellness, and social activism. Griffin is also a charter member of The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. – Metropolitan Baton Rouge Chapter, in which she served as Director of Publicity and Communications from 2016 to 2018. She has volunteered extensively in the civic organization’s community efforts, including hurricane relief, and mentoring through the BR Grow Girls initiative – which was recognized by Essence Magazine in the summer of 2019. Outside of organizational volunteer work, Griffin has given of herself to Outstanding Mature Girlz – also recognized by Essence Magazine this past summer – where she has facilitated workshops on self-esteem and youth entrepreneurship at the program’s annual conference. Griffin’s other outreach efforts include assisting communities with food insecurity through Top Box Foods, venue and participant coordination for a concert to benefit It Takes a Village, and hosting a women’s entrepreneur showcase for The Write Philosofher.

Griffin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication from Loyola University and a Master of Science degree in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University. And while she is one busy woman, she always makes time to continue working towards the things she loves, which includes sharing her knowledge and experiences to help grow a giving and learning community. She is the author of two books, “The Write Way: A 21-Day Interactive Journey to Self-Love and Awareness” (2017) and “The G Code: 15 Keys to Successful Marketing & Branding” (2019), and one workbook, “The G Code Glow-Up: A Marketing & Branding Workbook” (2020). Her writing has been awarded both internationally and locally. Griffin’s “G Code” book series was acknowledged as a 2022 Book Fest Award winner and 2020 International Book Award finalist. She was also recognized as BR Parent Magazine’s 2020 Favorite Local Author. Griffin is excited to experience continued growth, leadership training, opportunities, and invaluable experiences that she can extend to others.