school to go to or anything like that for the top
end of the music business.
Nowadays you’ve got all these schools and
programs that are designed for all different
genres of music, to teach people performance,
to teach people audio engineering, copyright
law, you can get a degree in music business
from Belmont University, which is a private
school. You’ve got all this time invested in
teaching all the nuts and bolts of the business
so to speak, and what they’re not teaching is
the whole relationship thing. I think everyone
on this call can point to situations, projects,
highlights, low points, anything in their life
that really stands out… centers around a
relationship. Whether that’s a relationship with
God or Jesus Christ, or a relationship with a
parent, or a friend, or loved one. Some of the
most important ones that come along are the
people you’re not related to, friends you make
along the way. Relationships are the foundation
of not only the music business, but it’s the
essence of life, it’s what keeps us all going on
a day to day basis, whether you’re in the music
Mark Hornsby
business or a professional athlete, or you work
[Russ Taff] I think one of the first things that Growing up the way that I did, love was in the business world, it’s the DNA of everything
comes to mind is grace, and knowing what He performance, what could you do for me? If I do I think.
has done in my life, and being reminded of that this and I do this will you love me? If you take keeps me from pointing my finger at anybody. that into your adult life it’s crippling, because [WM] Mark, one of my favorite things about
And it keeps me open and allows me to embrace you don’t trust. When you see yourself in a Believe is that there are actual liner notes, and
people. When you start seeing yourself the way negative light and you’re so afraid people are I noticed that you and Sweetwater owner/
you think God sees you, you realize that you are going to find out who you are and that you’re founder Chuck Surack are the executive
worthy and you are worthwhile, and you matter. not worthy, and all of these other adjectives that producers on this disc. All this begs to ask, how
When you can see yourself that way you can let go with that, it keeps you hiding. But when you did this all come together?
others in and deal with whatever comes. When can be truthful and honest, “This is who I am, you know in your heart who you are you can love me or don’t love me”, you can walk into [Mark] Russ and I agree on everything, that’s
be open with people, and even when negative relationships with arms wide open. how this whole thing started. A couple years
signals come your way you know who you are
ago, we do these recording master classes
and you can allow people not to be perfect, you [WM] Mark, the music industry is all about at Sweetwater where people come in and we
can allow people their own struggle and let it relationships, what do relationships mean to bring in an artist, and we do this with multiple
be what it is. When Christ really redeems you you? genres of music not just Worship, but Jazz, and
and you see yourself as He sees you and you
Blues, and Pop music, that kind of thing.
are living a life of confidence in that relationship, [Mark Hornsby] Relationships are everything. it frees you to be friends with others. For most When you talk about the music business, and I was on the phone with a mutual friend of Russ
of my life I felt inadequate, and I felt like I had today’s music business as we all know is a lot and mine, Tom Hemby, who played on this
to perform all the time in friendships to make different than it was ten years ago, twenty years record, a very talented guitar player in Nashville.
everybody like me. And not knowing that I’m ago, thirty years ago, even back when Russ got Tom had come up here and played on a bunch
just loved and allowing myself to be loved. his start with The Imperials. There never was a of sessions and has been involved in what we
January 2019
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