I have always been a fan of what is now called Southern soul music, a type of music that developed from what we once called R&B, soul, jazz and blues. Some have hijacked the classification and now associate the artists with hip-hop and rap, but the generations who grew up with these sounds understand what is considered Southern soul and the artists who record the music.
Most of the radio personalities who feature the music are lovers of the category and do everything possible to promote the songs and the entertainers, but it is sad to report that a few hundred across the country are not as willing to do so. I am also confident the owners of these stations do not know or condone the practices of these hustlers.
Payola has been the radio and music industry’s dirty secret for decades. Now in some areas, with some deejays, it is crippling an industry and giving a bad name to a profession that has such a rich and illustrious history.
Payola was an old promotional practice, dating as far back as the 1880s. In the 1950s, payola evolved into music publishers and record labels providing cash, gifts, or royalties to radio station disc jockeys in order to gain airplay, which stimulated record sales
Over a decade ago, FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, who has made payola and deceptive on-air practices a topic, said, “I appreciate broadcasters considering creative ways of getting fresh music to their audiences. I think that getting independent artists on the radio will hopefully be very successful from a business perspective. You know they are going to be trying to make these segments successful, and maybe discover that there is a whole segment of audience interested in hearing independent artists.”
Many new artists and performers do not have an opportunity to be heard if they do not pay cash or offer some other gratuity. There are so many talented men and women who create remarkable music that should be heard and played on these Southern soul stations.
It is not the entire business, but only a handful of hungry deejays. It amazes me how the behaviors of one negative member can have a powerful and often detrimental influence on the entire industry.
Having just a few greedy, egotistical or unqualified individuals around can ruin the performance and reputation of an entire genre, no matter how stellar the artists. Look around any radio station, and chances are you’ll be able to find at least one person whose negative behavior affects the rest of the group to varying degrees.
The announcers who are guilty of this practice should read Maya Angelou, who once said, “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”
Please watch the Bernie Hayes TV program Saturday night at 10 p.m. and Sunday evenings at 5:30 p.m. on NLEC-TV Ch. 24.2. I can be reached by fax at (314) 837-3369, e-mail at berhay@swbell.net or on Twitter @berhay.
