The Save The GMA fundraiser took place on Monday night, and it looks like the event might have gone a long way towards helping to keep the Gospel Music Association on its feet.
According to the press release, the event – which drew 350 people at $1,000 a ticket plus more than 10,000 online viewers – raised more than $350,000.
Billed at the “Concert of the Decade” the Save The GMA fundraiser featured performances from Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, MercyMe, Kirk Franklin, Point of Grace, Jason Crabb, Martha Munizzi, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Natalie Grant, Bernie Herms and the Booth Brothers. Brown Bannister, five-time Dove Award-winning Producer of the Year, produced the concert.

Also appearing onstage as segment hosts were author/pastor David Nasser; Premier Productions President Roy Morgan; and GMA Executive Committee member Eddie DeGarmo (president of EMI CMG Publishing). Special guest U. S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), co-founder of the Congressional Songwriters Caucus, spoke to the importance of the advocacy the Gospel Music Association offers for its members.
All performing artists and show producers donated their time and expenses, and purchased the tickets to the event. (So does that mean that the 350 at the event were mainly artists, presenters and their families? And that all of the money was raised by them?)
Corporate sponsors included World Vision, Compassion International, Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau, SoundExchange, SunTrust Bank, Avenue Bank, Harry Fox Agency, National Music Publishers Association, and Regions Bank. (Look at all of those banks on the list; so that’s where the bailout money went!)
But I digress.
GMA Board of Directors chairman and President of Daywind Music, Ed Leonard, told the crowd, “While tonight we’ve come together to help the GMA navigate through some immediate challenges, this assembly also offers us a unique blessing to renew the commitment to our community, and to build a GMA that is relevant for the future.”
Let’s hope that this is enough to help the GMA regroup and find a way to make sense of this constantly changing industry. With new technology, the changing definition of Christian music, and the continually blurring lines between the sacred and secular, the support that GMA gives to Christian musicians is more important than ever – as long at it can keep up.
UPDATE 10/27/09: Is GMA closing its doors?
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