Interviewed by Kent d Curry
July 9, 2006

I first met Twila LaBar at a College and Career retreat in 2000. She handled the music. I didn’t. We didn’t talk much, but I learned enough to know she was trying to make it in the Christian Music Industry, and that made her ambitious and a bit of a dreamer. Those are always the best people to interview.

So I whined and begged and guilted her into writing some articles for 90&9, as we were then a fledgling ezine trying to make a go of it in the wild and wooly worldwide web. We first introduced her to readers, then she talked about a songwriter’s typical day, discussed the broken dreams that often result from so many people trying to break into the Music Industry, and even offered her Top 5 CCM Albums of all time, an article that still draws many visitors (and argumentative letters) via search engines.

Sadly for us, she then disappeared into her career and marriage, and we were bereft of insight and articles.

Of course I saw her from time to time in Nashville when I was visiting 90&9 staffers/friends who attend the same church, but I no longer had the leverage to weasel some articles out of her.

Then we published our “State of Apostolic Music—How Bad Is It?” cover story. 90&9 received communications from every quarter with every possible viewpoint. (Non-news flash: Apostolics care about music.) Just as the furor was dying down I received a long, passionate email on the subject from one Twila LaBar. She cared about quality worship, she cared how Apostolics presented their music, she cared how our choirs and soloists were perceived, and she hoped everyone else cared as much about every one of these aspects as she did.

Those are always the best people to interview.

Of course, by now she has been quite successful, having been nominated for industry awards, with her songs being recorded (with serious airplay) by Avalon, Vestal Goodman and Michael W. Smith, Dottie Peoples, and many more.

That made the interview even easier.

Whether you care about Christian music, hope to break into the Christian Music Industry, want a glimpse of “behind-the-scenes” Nashville, or wish to improve your church’s musical impact, Twila LaBar has something to say to you.

90&9: You’ve been in the Christian music industry for 11 years now. Why did you come to Nashville back in 1995?
TL: I moved here to pursue songwriting on a professional level. I’ve been writing since I was a child. I started pursuing publishers in Nashville when I was in my 20’s.

90&9: Did you know anyone in the industry at the time?
TL: Yes, I had made several trips to Nashville, to meet with Christian music publishers. A few seemed interested in my music, McSpadden-Smith Music, Word Music, and the former Warner Alliance.

90&9: How were you able to get involved in the industry and prove yourself?
TL: The owner of McSpadden-Smith Music kept encouraging me in my writing and really seemed to take an interest in my songs and the development of my writing career. He signed me to a developmental songwriting deal a few months after I moved here. I kept writing, co-writing, and turning in songs. I had never co-written songs before I moved here so that was a new experience for me. He saw potential in my writing and that was enough encouragement for me to keep trying, writing, and working to learn the craft.

90&9: Would that same process work for newcomers today?
TL: Yes, I believe it does. It really is an industry where relationships are key. First impressions are so important. I wanted to write with some of the top writers when I first moved here but I knew I wasn’t ready. So I had to be patient and wait until I was able to pull my own weight. I think the old saying is true, “You have to pay your dues.” It’s a learning process and I don’t think any writer gets there overnight. Also, tenacity and a willingness to learn are so important. I learned early on that I needed to be like a sponge and soak in as much as I could, to learn from my co-writers and publishers. Ego really has to go out the window. There’s always someone else more talented, more gifted, farther down the road . . . But I believed God called me to be a songwriter. So I kept holding on to the fact that God had a purpose for me to write songs. I wanted to reach a higher level in my writing and I figured out early on that that only comes from studying lyrics, listening to music, and writing with seasoned writers.

90&9: What does a typical workday consist of for a professional songwriter?
TL: There are no typical days but when I write at Brentwood-Benson Music I go in around 10 a.m. and meet with my co-writer. We chat, catch up, and then begin to toss ideas around for songs. Sometimes one of us will have an idea that we feel strongly about and we’ll start discussing lyrical ideas (how we can come up with a fresh perspective or an interesting turn of a phrase). Then one writer will usually go to the piano and we’ll begin to write or come up with a melody.

It’s always different. Sometimes I write with lyric writers and I write the music. Other times I write with melody writers who focus on melody and I write the lyric. And sometimes both of us equally contribute lyrical and musical ideas. We’ll take a lunch break around noon. Sometimes I’ll come back to the writing room and continue writing with the same writer until around 5-5:30 p.m. Other days I meet with another writer in the afternoon.

90&9: So how do you end up with these different co-writers/partners?
TL: From time to time publishers will help you connect with other writers. Like I mentioned before it’s really about relationships. It’s so much more enjoyable and productive if you have something in common with your co-writers. It’s all about trusting another writer enough to share your ideas and know they won’t laugh in your face. We have to dare to lay down defenses and be honest and open, to write from the heart. I’ve been blessed to write with some amazing writers and learn from their skill and expertise. I’ve also been blessed to make several great friends along the way.

90&9: If you want to be involved in the Christian music industry must you come to Nashville? Can’t you just stay at home and submit songs or demos?
TL: Publishing companies do not accept unsolicited material. No publisher does. You can’t send songs and expect them to be listened to. I’ve seen box after box of demos that have been sent to publishing companies. They were all thrown away. An aspiring writer needs to cultivate relationships, just like in any other line of work. If a publisher doesn’t know you or has never heard of you or your music then they won’t want to invest any time in hearing your songs. They have so many songs to listen to, day-in day-out, that were written by their own staff writers who have a proven track record. It is true, you don’t have to live here but it would be very difficult to stay connected and know what’s happening from day-to-day if you weren’t here on a regular basis. However, I write with a few very successful writers who live in other states. They make several trips a year to Nashville to co-write and meet with their publishers. One of my co-writers comes here once a month. I think a writer would need to be very proactive in the writer/publisher relationship to prove to their publisher that they are committed and disciplined in their writing, even before being signed to a deal. It might be easy to become distracted and lose focus on writing if you weren’t here.

90&9: I understand you’ve had opportunities to record, but industry/company strictures worked against that. Can you tell us about that?
TL: I wouldn’t say industry/company strictures worked against me. As far as recording, I didn’t quite get that far before it came to a halt. A company was interested in working with me on artist development a year or so before I moved here. After I moved here they asked me to sing background vocals and play keyboard for a very well known singer, a chance to get my feet wet. They were pretty concerned about my appearance (I didn’t look commercial enough). They made suggestions for me to change my appearance in several ways—and I was just going to be the background singer. I knew if I would ever be standing at center stage some day they would expect even more.

I was very excited about the offer but after they explained to me how much I would have to compromise my personal convictions, I knew it would not work. I told them I couldn’t do the shows. That was the end of it. I think they realized, too, that I didn’t want it that badly. I just couldn’t see how it would be worth turning my back on what I had lived for most of my life for a chance of possibly gaining some success as a singer.

I knew I could still have a music ministry, though. I could still reach people with my music. I didn’t need a record deal to do that. I decided to focus totally on writing, as a career. I don’t regret it at all.

90&9: So can Apostolics be successful in Nashville? There have been so many stories about compromise being the only way in or up the ladder of influence…
TL: Yes, I think we can be successful. But I think we have to work harder to achieve credibility. For so many years Pentecostals and Apostolics have been stereotyped and made fun of, portrayed as “backwoods” or less intelligent people. Many think we’re all somewhat crazy if they have had one bad experience in an extremely radical church—or they think we’re all very judgmental if they were condemned by a Pentecostal with a “holier than thou” attitude. I asked myself a question after I moved here, “Why does what I look like have anything to do with what I want to do, write?” It doesn’t. We may not be on the covers of magazines or have our faces splashed across billboards. I believe that fame and success are two different things. We all know that just because millions of people recognize a person’s face does not necessarily mean that person is successful. We’ve seen too many celebrities with broken lives to prove that. By the world’s standards, Pentecostals may never look successful.

The reality is people aren’t moved by a person’s good looks or high fashion. They are moved by truth and a message of hope. I feel success for me is writing a song that draws people to Jesus. It’s an added blessing if the Lord allows it to be on the radio or on a chart. Chart topping songs, accolades, and awards are all nice and make us feel like our hard work is paying off but they don’t really measure success, in my opinion.

Some have been accused of compromising to climb a ladder to success. We tend to single out musicians or singers who do this. A lot of people compromise their integrity and morals to get ahead in business. I don’t think anyone trades what they really value for success. If some folks compromise their beliefs I would wonder if their beliefs were deeply held to begin with. Only God knows the heart. That is just my personal opinion. I don’t mean to point a finger at anyone or condemn anyone with that statement. I just think we hold on to what we truly treasure.

90&9: Are you optimistic this situation will change someday?
TL: I’m hopeful and optimistic that Pentecostals will become more aware of the fact that people are watching and listening to us, even if we don’t realize it. They watch and listen to see how we respond when a high profile person from our movement leaves for whatever reason. I think people want to know if we are “for real.” A line in a song that some of my friends wrote a while back states the truth, “....they must know us by our love...” Our lives really do speak louder than our words. I’m hopeful and optimistic that we will continue to love people even if we don’t understand choices they make. I don’t see the industry standards changing any time soon, as far as “marketing appeal” goes but I know people are hungry for hope and they are longing to hear a message of unconditional love. As long as people are empty, hurting, lost, and broken there will always be a need for great songs that minister to people. They won’t care who wrote the song (whether they are Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist or whatever denomination they may be from). This is our chance to be the ones to reach them with our music. PERSONAL SUCCESS

90&9: Having said all that, you’ve had a good number of your songs recorded by mainstream Christian artists. Please share some of the artists that have recorded your songs.
TL: Dottie Peoples—“Inseperable,” Avalon—“Orphans of God,” Charles Billingsley—“Believe,” Alicia Williamson—“Faith For This Moment.” Babbie Mason—“No One Else,” Evelyn Turrentine Agee—“Greater,” Vestal Goodman & Michael W. Smith—“Everybody Needs Jesus,”

Vicki Yohe—“Almighty,” “Nobody Knows Me Better,” I Simply Love You,” “Sweet Sound in the Sanctuary, Joyce Martin—“Big God,” Karen Peck and New River—“Get About God’s Business.” “All for the Glory of Christ,” Inseperable,” The Talley Trio—“The Hand of God,” Jeff & Sheri Easter—“Guilty,” Kim Hopper—“The Cross Said it All,”

Mike Bowling—“Moving On,” Lauren Talley—“Almighty,” “Hope & Pray,” CrossWay—“Walk on Water Kind of Day,” “In the Time That Remains,” “Oh My, My,” Riches In Glory,” “That’s the Kind of God That He Is,” Legacy V—“Storms I Never See” are a few.

Also, The Florida Boys, LordSong, BASIX, The McKameys, Hope’s Call, The Hoskins Family, Brian Free & Assurance are a few of my cuts.

90&9: I understand your song was the radio single for Avalon this past Spring? Was that exciting or no big deal?
TL: It is the current single now. I am an Avalon fan so I was honored that they recorded my song. My publisher played it for me several months before the CD was released. It was pretty exciting for me. I thought they did a great job of delivering the song. It was the day before my birthday so that was a great birthday present.

90&9: Have there been other artists who chose your song as their radio single?
TL: Yes, Vicki Yohe—“I Simply Love You,” Charles Billingsley—“Believe,” Alicia Williamsom—“Faith for This Moment,” Jeff & Sheri Easter—“Guilty,” CrossWay—“Walk on Water Kind of Day” and “Oh My, My,” The Hoskins Family—“Somebody’s Praying Right Now,” Hope’s Call—“Halfway,” The Lesters—“Family Tree” and “The Hand of God,” Lauren Talley—“Almighty,” Karen Peck and New River—“Get About God’s Business,” Kim Hopper—“The Cross Said it All” are a few.

90&9: How does that process work? How does your song end up in Avalon’s hands and then they say, “That’s the one we’re going to sing!”
TL: My publisher really believed in the song. My co-writer (Joel Lindsey), and I played it for her and she loved it. The demo was completed in a week. My publisher played it for the A&R Director of Sparrow Records, for Avalon, the following Monday. He really liked it and put the song “on hold.” The next day Avalon had a song meeting and he played it for them and they connected with the song immediately. They all agreed that it had to be on the CD. They recorded it a few weeks later.

90&9: Time out! What’s an A&R Director?
TL: A&R Director stands for Artist and Repertoire Director. This person is involved with many aspects of an artist’s career, from song selection to production of a CD. They work closely with the artist, to help deliver the heart and soul of an artist’s music, ministry, and message. Most of the time songs are pitched to the A&R Director. If that person believes in a song he/she will pass it on to the artist.

90&9: You’ve been nominated for several industry awards. Among them, the Songwriter of the Year for the 2003 Diamond Awards, for Southern Gospel Song of the Year and Progressive Song of the Year for the 2005 Southern Gospel News Awards. Tell us how that felt to be nominated.
TL: I think my family was more excited than I was about the nominations. These particular awards events are not big gala affairs like the Christian Music Awards, formerly known as the Dove Awards, but it’s still nice to know that people are connecting with my music and would be kind enough to throw my name into the hat. It is an honor.

90&9: Is there a big awards banquet you get to attend and give “thank you” speeches at or how do you find out who eventually wins these awards?
TL: Those awards events aren’t banquets. They were more like a presentation event. I was nominated but didn’t win so I didn’t give a speech. I attended the ceremonies and it was fun to see my co-writers and friends be recognized.  

90&9: Do you have any other songs being recorded at present?
TL: Everything I write is under contract with my publisher, whether it’s recorded or not. I’m in an exclusive agreement with my publisher. Calvin Hunt is recording three of my songs on an upcoming project. The Inspirations just recorded one of my songs, Amazed just recorded two of my songs, and Legacy V just recorded one of my songs on a live CD/DVD recording.

Currently Sandi Patty and Point of Grace have holds on two of my songs. I’ve learned that a song can be on hold for as long as a year and still get dropped at the last minute. So I’m hopeful they will record the songs but won’t know for sure until their projects are finished.

SECRETS OF SONGWRITING
90&9: How do you train to be a songwriter? How do you hone your skills – read poetry? Walk in the woods? Do cartwheels in malls?
TL: I write, read, pray, listen to music, write, pray, study lyrics, listen to music, write, read, pray, listen to music, pray, write....... I just keep the wheels turning.

I try to stay current with what’s happening in many musical genres, I study lyrics of songs that move me and those that don’t. I constantly rewrite and rewrite. I don’t put a song to rest until I’m really satisfied that I have done my best with the lyric and melody. I also receive constructive criticism from my publisher.

When I’m feeling like the well is running a little dry I get away from it for a day or two and work on other things, producing, demos . . . or I’ll take a drive, go fishing, relax.

90&9: Okay, you “study lyrics.” What does that mean?
TL: I analyze lyrics, the meter, the rhyme scheme, the pictures that have been painted with words, the tension, the release; when I hear a great song I will immediately look to see who wrote the song. (I’ll look on the CD liner notes or search online). I will also search for other songs written by that writer. I’m not only a fan of certain artists, I’m a big fan of several song writers.

90&9: So it’s not a case of God just giving you the lyrics and then you’re ready to record?
TL: No, not at all. I used to write like that—or rather, I thought God gave me the song and it was finished. But now I go back and read those lyrics and cringe. I heard an interesting statement several years ago, in response to someone saying the Lord had given them a song. A very successful songwriter replied, “If Jesus wrote that one He would have written a much better song.” I had to laugh.

I have learned that God does give the gifts and the inspiration but He calls us to put the tools He gives us into action. He wants us to hone those skills. Just like a carpenter can’t build a house if he stands around and holds the hammer. He has to put it to work, use his skills, bring in other tools, to construct a house. He has to follow a blueprint to achieve the goal of a beautiful new home. Sounds corny but it applies to songwriting.

It’s more than just rhyming a few words and humming a tune that just comes to us. It’s about constructing a meaningful lyric and conveying a message that will reach out and pull listeners in. It takes work. Sometimes it falls into place very quickly but other times it is a slow process.

With all of that said, I do believe there are songs that are written just for the writer, not meant for masses of people to hear . . . perhaps for a personal worship time for the writer, almost like a one-on-one conversation with God. Other songs are meant for specific times or audiences.

90&9: As a songwriter, how do you keep from plagiarizing other people’s songs?
TL: I constantly listen to new and old music. There are only 12 notes to play with in a melody, so it is a challenge to find new melodic intervals that don’t copy a popular song. I try to be careful about that. If I’m writing something that starts to sound like something else, I’ll move away from that melody and try something totally different.

90&9: What’s your advice on understanding the market? Are there some genres of Christian music (Southern Gospel, etc) more conducive to an Apostolic vocabulary (“Holy Ghost”) than others?
TL: There are several genres within the Christian music market. I would recommend that an aspiring writer should study all genres of Christian music, even if they don’t care for a particular style. I have noticed that some Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, Inspirational, and Traditional Gospel music seems to be pretty timeless. You can pull a quartet song from 1978 and compare it with one from last year and they may sound very similar. Some may call that “dated.” To the fans and audiences of that style of music, it’s just what they want to hear. So, who’s to say it’s not “classic Southern Gospel?” Of course there are progressive artists in those genres who take musical chances and dare to be somewhat edgy. CCM (AC, CHR, Christian Rock, and Contemporary Gospel), seems to follow secular music styles as they shift.I think Pentecostal terms are more accepted in song lyrics in Southern Gospel or Traditional Gospel. You will occasionally hear a Southern Gospel song with “Holy Ghost” in the lyric. Maybe more so in Traditional Gospel. The lyrics in these genres are usually more story driven, testimonial, or describing biblical accounts. So that would make the lyrics more “Pentecostal friendly.” CCM is more poetic, at times, and tends to be introspective (if it’s not a worship song). Southern Gospel is a little lighter, lyrically speaking.

SONGWRITING EXCELLENCE 90&9: What does “excellence in your craft” mean to you?
TL: Being creative enough to find new ways to tell an old story, being musical enough to write a hauntingly singable melody, being smart enough to know that the lyric probably needs a rewrite, being patient enough to keep writing, being wise enough to know that God is in control and He will use the song as He sees fit, being sensitive enough to write a song that will reach out to many people without compromising the message, being hopeful enough to keep believing that God will bless my hard work, being brave enough to pour my heart out on a page, being tenacious enough to keep writing when someone passes on my song...

90&9: Why do so few people—even in the industry—achieve that?
TL: I think some settle for average or okay lyrics. They don’t have a passion to grow as writers . . . or perhaps they don’t have the drive to keep trying, to keep rewriting and rewriting.

90&9: Does the “business” end of the industry often create compromises in excellence?
TL: I haven’t really seen that. I think it’s the opposite. The industry is looking for the best songs. At times we may wonder what the industry is thinking by releasing songs that may not appeal to our tastes. But overall, I think the industry is searching and listening for songs that will impact the listener. (Of course, in every genre we could single out songs that would be a contradiction to that statement.)

These days many songs are written or co-written by the artists. I’ve heard of artists sticking to their guns, wanting to record a song when the label didn’t approve of the song. The artist prevailed and the song was a hit. The music business is a business. Sometimes it hits the mark, other times it misses. From my experience, most people I know really are interested in finding quality songs that listeners will want to hear again and again.

90&9: To your mind, what characterizes a poorly written song?
TL: A song with no structure, random thoughts . . . from one line to the next, unmemorable melody, overuse of cliches, six or seven verses that tell every specific detail of a story, long chorus, lyrics that never point to the title of the song, grammatical errors, news reporting type of lyric, no creativity.

90&9: To your mind, what characterizes a well-written song?
TL: First, a lyric and melody that moves me. Also, a song that pulls me in, with the first line, that holds my attention while the verse progresses, drives towards the hook, and pays off in the chorus, soaring melody on chorus, contrasting meters in verses and chorus. A song that paints a picture, makes you feel the emotion of the story, a concise lyric.

90&9: What are some characteristics of an immortal song?
TL: A meaningful, well crafted, heartfelt, lyric that rides on a beautiful or singable melody. Immortal songs usually have universal appeal, most everyone can relate to it or connect with the lyric. (“Amazing Grace” is an example of this.)  

90&9: Can you name some immortal Christian songs and share any insights you see from the craft standpoint?
TL: “How Great Thou Art” is one of the most recorded and highest regarded songs in all of Christian music. Part of the lyric is Old English. That seems to express the writer’s reverence for God in a more powerful way. The writer’s thoughts of wonder are very descriptive and written in short, simplistic phrases. The chorus is two lines long, then repeated, with no rhyme scheme but it works wonderfully. The verse melody begins on the fifth note in the scale and it stays within a six note range, with repetitious intervals. Then when the chorus begins it starts on the fifth note in the scale again and climbs. It is a beautiful release and answer to the verse melody.

90&9: Any songs from the last 10-15 years jump out as possible “immortals”?
TL: “How Great Is Our God,” “Lord I Lift Your Name on High,” “Open the Eyes of My Heart,” “In Christ Alone,” “Awesome God.”

Usually CCM songs don’t have the longevity that Praise and Worship or Inspirational songs do. Songs live on through the church, not just radio. The biggest radio hit of today may not be around in 10-20 years but a great worship or inspirational song will probably live on.

REAL LIFE
90&9: How do you merge your duties as Music Director at First United Pentecostal Church in Nashville, TN with industry responsibilities? Is it a help or a hindrance?
TL: It’s a juggling act. I work on music most days of the week (from songwriting to demos to choir music). It’s a help, in some ways, being Music Director of my church, because I hear what people are listening to, what they want to hear on the radio. I can also try out a song on them from time to time, to see if it will have appeal.

90&9: As a music director and industry veteran, from your sampling around the country, what do most church music directors do right?
TL: Most music directors want their music to be fresh and relevant. Most incorporate songs of many genres to appeal to a broader audience with differing tastes in music. I think most music directors truly have a heart to create an atmosphere of worship, to lead people into God’s presence with music.

90&9: What could they do better?
TL: Maybe be more realistic about the levels of abilities and skill that our musicians and singers have. We’re all tempted to jump on board and teach our choir the latest hit Gospel song by Kirk Franklin, Israel Houghton, Byron Cage, or other well-known Gospel artists (who have hired professional musicians and singers to play on their recordings). At times we try to do the exact arrangements, note for note. I think we might need to take a step back and listen at times. If we can’t pull it off, let’s choose another song that would better suit our musicians and singers—or re-arrange the song, put it in a lower key to make it more singable for the average 40 voice choir of untrained singers. We have loads of talent in our churches but most musicians, choir members, and singers don’t sing or play professionally on a daily basis, as studio work. Rather than our music copy or mimic what popular artists or groups we could try to be more creative and original with our church music. We can adapt songs to fit our group of musicians or singers.

90&9: How do stay spiritually fresh? What does your personal devotion consist of?
TL: I read, pray, meditate. Music is my instant connection to God so I worship with music, singing and playing, when I’m alone in His presence.

90&9: What’s on your career horizon?
TL: I have a couple more years to go on my writing deal. I hope to remain with my publisher, renew my contract, and continue writing. I also hope to grow my production company, producing demos and CDs for independent artists and other songwriters. I’m very blessed to have the opportunity to do what I love to do, write and produce. I pray that all of my efforts bring God glory.

© 2006, ninetyandnine.com

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Kent Curry is an executive editor at ninetyandnine.com.

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