The Story Celebrating Six Decades of Hits
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THE STORY Celebrating Six Decades of Hits ESTABLISHED 1951 WORD: THE STORY Celebrating Six Decades of Hits WRITTEN BY DEBORAH EVANS PRICE Designed by Roy Roper, wideyedesign © Copyright 2011 Word Music, a division of Word Music Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. CONTENTS In the Beginning 6 Word Grows through Publishing and New Label Ventures 10 Diversification Is Key 12 Word Sells to ABC 15 Changing Tides 17 Building a Dynasty 19 Taking Jesus to the World, Word Artists Impact Mainstream Culture 23 New Ownership, New Ventures, New Artists Define Word in the ‘90s 25 New Millenium, New Music 31 Warner & Curb Take the Reins 35 Fervent Records Aquired by Word 38 Word’s 60th Year 43 Looking Toward the Future 47 WORD: THE STORY At THE INTERSECTION OF MUSIC AND MINISTRY, WORD RECORDS HAS STOOD AS A PILLAR OF THE CHRISTIAN MUSIC COMMUNITY FOR 60 YEARS. Pioneering the way, the company has introduced such talented artists as EVIE, THE HAPPY GOODMANS, RUSS TAFF, AMY GRANT, POINT OF GRACE, CINDY MORGAN, JACI VELASQUEZ, MARK SCHULTZ, BARLOWGIRL, GROUP 1 CREW, BIG DADDY WEAVE, FRANCESCA BATTISTELLI, SIDEWALK PROPHETS, CHRIS AUGUST and DARA MACLEAN. Decade after decade, as the life-changing music of their artists infused the church and permeated culture, Word Records staffers have worked diligently to help spread the gospel of JESUS CHRIST. Word’s history includes a number of groundbreaking achievements—from launching the Family Record Club, the first direct response record club for Christian consumers, to Word’s pioneering deal with A&M Records that exploded Amy Grant’s career and earned the first platinum album in contemporary Christian music. Yet behind every No. 1 hit single, successful church musical and Dove Award-winning album, there has always been a tightly woven network of artists, songwriters, producers, sales people, record promoters and marketing executives working as a family to impact the world for the glory of God. THIS IS THEIR STORY. 5 IN THE BEGINNING ord was founded in 1951 by Jarrell iron. McCracken had been asked McCracken, a Baylor University student, to speak at a church youth rally Wwho had been working at Waco’s and his faith, love of sports and KWTX radio as a sportscaster. McCracken launched public speaking ability coalesced the company with one recording, “The Game as he wrote and delivered “THE of Life,” a GAME OF LIFE.” play-by-play JARRELL account of MCCRACKEN an imaginary foot- started getting requests from people looking ball game with Jesus to purchase “The Game of Life,” so the Baylor and Satan coaching, student paid $70 to have 100 copies printed as good and evil on 78 rpm records. A friend suggested he battled on the grid- put WORD on the label, the name of the Jarrell McCracken (holding shovel) and the Word management team break ground on the new Word building in Waco, Texas. IN THE BEGINNING WORD: THE STORY and then giving them the freedom to do their best work. “Back in those days Word had maybe 15 employees total—that’s all—and it was a very, very small kind of deal. Now, of course, it’s become quite a big deal.” KURT KAISER was known for his ability to discover and nurture new talent. “One of the people that I found was a girl named Evie,” he says of Evie Tornquist, who became one of Christian music’s first major artists. “I got a tape of her sing- ing when she was in high school mythical radio station used in the story, and I thought to myself, ‘What and WORD RECORDS was born. do I want with a high school The first artist on the label was FRANK BOggS, kid?’ But she was really good.” a friend of McCracken’s who was a seminary student at the He signed the young art- time. In 1952, as McCracken struggled to get the fledgling ist, who proceeded to have an label off the ground, he met a young accountant named impact beyond typical Christian MARVIN NORCROSS, who became a partner in music circles. “I remember one Word for $1,000. McCracken’s vision combined with Nor- time we did a prayer breakfast in cross’ business savvy was a winning combination. The two Washington D.C. when Presi- entrepreneurs soon expanded into the music distribution dent Ford was in office,” Kaiser business, taking on product from continues. “EVIE said to me, a jazz label, a classical ‘What do I say to him? And I said, ‘You music company and a might say children’s record label. something like, “Kids my age are re- As the 1950s drew ally interested in what you are doing to a close and Word was and are praying for you.” So she said nearing its 10th anni- that and by the time she sang her versary, McCracken first song, she had the President right expanded the company’s team by hiring a young musician from Chicago. “I came to Word in ’59,” recalls in the palm Kurt Kaiser, who would remain of her hand. with the company for 33 years. She was “Jarrell McCracken came to Chicago and visited me. I fin- amazing. ished graduate school at Northwest University and moved She had to Waco right after that because he really needed someone that ability. to do A&R, which is what I did.” That was McCracken had a gift for employing the right people very rare.” Evie receives a gold record from the Word Records staff. 7 WORD: THE STORY IN THE BEGINNING During Though he was an award- his tenure with winning producer and savvy Word, Kaiser executive, Kaiser also con- worked with a tinued to exercise his cre- variety of art- ative muscle as a songwriter. ists, including He and his friend RALPH THE MIKE CARMICHAEL wrote C U R B several musicals geared to- CONGRE- ward church youth. Their GATION, Burl Ives, Anita Bryant, Carol Lawrence, Ray first offering,Tell It Like It Price, TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD and many others. Is, included the now clas- “I worked with Wayne Newton and all kinds of people. It sic song “Pass It On.” The was a challenge,” musical sold Kaiser recalls. 2,500 copies, “But it was always selling out the first run, and then completely great fun. Most of sold out its second run of 100,000 copies. these people were Kaiser and Carmichael also penned such raised in church, additional musicals as Natural High and I’m so they knew all Here, God’s Here, Now We Can Start. the hymns. Burl Kaiser, who was awarded a special Life- Ives knew all the time Achievement Award in 1992 from the verses, the third, American Society of Composers, Authors fourth and fifth and Publishers (ASCAP), says the success verses. He knew of the musicals taught him an important them all. Record- lesson. “I remember one night I was all by ing for Word gave Tennessee Ernie Ford and Kurt Kaiser in the studio. myself in Cincinnati in my motel room,” he those guys like says. “Back in those days it was black and Burl Ives a chance to harken back to their roots, which white TV and I saw 100,000 people singing my song ‘Pass was a really big thing.” It On.’ I recognized then that God can take anything He Two of Kaiser’s favorites among the many artists he wants and use it how He wants to.” produced are Ken Medema and GEORGE BEVERLY Kaiser was not only an inspiration to audiences, but to SHEA. “Ken’s an incredible pianist and a great singer,” young executives he mentored within the company. “When Kaiser says of Medema. “He came into my office one day in I first came to Word, Kurt was there and was still making Waco and he sat down at my piano. He extraordinary music,” says LOREN BALMAN, who started playing and I started crying, so joined Word in 1984 and became president of Word Label I got some of the other people around and they reacted the same way.” FAVORITE WORD SONG Kaiser and Shea remain good I love Julie Miller’s “Jesus Loves friends. “I’m honored to know him,” You,” but my favorite goes all the he says of the legendary 102-year-old way back to Larry Norman and the singer, who has been part of the Rev. song “If God Is My Father.” That Billy Graham’s ministry for decades. was prior to me being at Word but, Kaiser rose through the ranks if you go back and listen from a at Word from Director of A&R to musical standpoint to the craft of Vice President and Director of Music. the song and to what he actually said and what it called us to, that’s one of my all-time favorite songs. ~ Loren Balman 8 IN THE BEGINNING WORD: THE STORY Group during his 18 years with the company. “Kurt was so He was like a daddy to so many of them, but there was a cool. He was an immense talent from a music standpoint gentleness about him that you listened when he spoke. Of and a very forward thinking man, and yet when I came course, I was a fan of Kurt Kaiser’s. I was really intimidated to Word in my late 20’s, he was so encouraging.