Music for Charity
by Jonathon Dewveall
In today’s new socially conscious America it seems every popular musician has a cause to support. Whether it’s Coldplay and their support of fair trade or Bono and his support of, well, just about anything, more and more artists are using their music to promote whatever cause they feel strongly about. Since this is supposed to be a blog about music business, I decided that the following question should be asked. How will supporting a charity benefit your music career? The answer, of course, is who cares?
First of all, I suppose I should take the time to let you know a little about me. My wife and I perform together under the name Dewveall. A huge part of our music career is dedicated to educating people about the extreme need for clean water in developing countries. We even donate all of the money we receive from our newest album to the cause. That was not an easy decision. It makes for a very interesting touring experience when we can’t even profit on album sales, but that’s not why we do it. We do it because providing a mother of seven in Rwanda with a well to draw clean water from is far more important to us.
I’m not saying that supporting a charity won’t benefit your music career, though. In fact, there are many benefits to it. For one, it can help you expand your audience. By being outspoken about a particular cause, other people who feel strongly about the same cause could be drawn to your music. Also, involvement with a charity may lead to press opportunities that otherwise may have passed you by. And, of course, there are tax benefits if you are giving financially. None of these things, however, should be the deciding factor about whether or not you choose to support a cause.
Instead, your convictions and your passion should govern your decision to be outspoken. A friend of mine in Nashville started an organization that raises money for planting trees. His enthusiasm about trees is so intense we can’t even drive through town together without him pointing out all of the trees his organization has planted and how beautiful they are looking. That is the kind of passion this sort of thing requires—a contagious, determined passion.
If you lack passion for the cause you support, everyone will notice. Those benefits mentioned earlier will just backfire, and people will eventually see through you and realize that you’re only involved for your own benefit. That is the last place you want your career to go.
I’m not writing this to discourage artists from being outspoken about a cause. By all means, hook up with a charity and do what you can to save the world. All I’m saying is don’t do it because it will look good in your press kit. Instead, choose to save the world because the world needs saving.
Jonathon Dewveall
www.dewveall.com
by Jonathon Dewveall
In today’s new socially conscious America it seems every popular musician has a cause to support. Whether it’s Coldplay and their support of fair trade or Bono and his support of, well, just about anything, more and more artists are using their music to promote whatever cause they feel strongly about. Since this is supposed to be a blog about music business, I decided that the following question should be asked. How will supporting a charity benefit your music career? The answer, of course, is who cares?
First of all, I suppose I should take the time to let you know a little about me. My wife and I perform together under the name Dewveall. A huge part of our music career is dedicated to educating people about the extreme need for clean water in developing countries. We even donate all of the money we receive from our newest album to the cause. That was not an easy decision. It makes for a very interesting touring experience when we can’t even profit on album sales, but that’s not why we do it. We do it because providing a mother of seven in Rwanda with a well to draw clean water from is far more important to us.
I’m not saying that supporting a charity won’t benefit your music career, though. In fact, there are many benefits to it. For one, it can help you expand your audience. By being outspoken about a particular cause, other people who feel strongly about the same cause could be drawn to your music. Also, involvement with a charity may lead to press opportunities that otherwise may have passed you by. And, of course, there are tax benefits if you are giving financially. None of these things, however, should be the deciding factor about whether or not you choose to support a cause.
Instead, your convictions and your passion should govern your decision to be outspoken. A friend of mine in Nashville started an organization that raises money for planting trees. His enthusiasm about trees is so intense we can’t even drive through town together without him pointing out all of the trees his organization has planted and how beautiful they are looking. That is the kind of passion this sort of thing requires—a contagious, determined passion.
If you lack passion for the cause you support, everyone will notice. Those benefits mentioned earlier will just backfire, and people will eventually see through you and realize that you’re only involved for your own benefit. That is the last place you want your career to go.
I’m not writing this to discourage artists from being outspoken about a cause. By all means, hook up with a charity and do what you can to save the world. All I’m saying is don’t do it because it will look good in your press kit. Instead, choose to save the world because the world needs saving.
Jonathon Dewveall
www.dewveall.com
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