Survival of The Christian Indie Artist
Wait before we start let me just say this; the runner that sprints from the line is usually out of wind halfway through the race.
Thomas Ware Interview Part I
Question: How long have you been recording Christian music & what has been your experience?
Thomas Ware: I've been recoding Christian music now for 5yrs as an indie artist or should I say (without a record deal). I'm originally from Groveland Florida. Being from a small town and coming to Orlando, one of the first things that I noticed was that there was a lot of clicks/sub-groups. There were one set of artists that worked together and then there was another set of artists that worked together. Ironically they were all claiming Christianity but, that’s another topic. Anyway I immediately came to the knowledge of a real competition between artists. Never the less, I wasn't really focused on become a member of a certain click or even being known among the artists. I hardly thought I was anything special enough to fit in anyway, which has been the story of my life so my focus was more towards reaching people with a message that pointed people to Christ and not me or my affiliations.
Question: With that being said, what would you say is important for the Christian artists to focus on mostly?
Thomas Ware: There are several areas that a Christian artist should pay attention to; 1) Integrity; we should be an example of the songs we sing. 2) It should always be ministry first and artistry second. 3) A dollar amount should not be the determining factor of our service. 4) We should pay as much attention to who we attach our ministry to, as we do with do anything that’s of great worth to us. 5) Always remember that we can easily be replaced.
Question: You have accomplished a lot of coverage with your music in different circles from the US, UK, Australia, and even Africa. What would you say has kept you able to survive without the labels so far? & would you sign with a label?
Thomas Ware: I would say the one thing that has kept me here so long would be that my ambition is not a blind ambition, it's a sober one. If I were just looking for riches or fame, I would have quit a long time ago but, I am very satisfied with the testimonies of the lives that have been touched and changed by what God is doing through me. As far as labels go, yes I would sign with a label; that would only mean more exposure to Christ.
