Negotiating with Stan Jones

STAN JONES

Award Winning

Songwriter and Producer

February 19, 2012

By:  Yolanda Clay-Moore

Stan Jones is an award winning songwriter and producer.  In addition to establishing himself in these areas, he is also a gospel Artist.  Stan Jones has won numerous awards including a 2011 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) award.  This award honors the most successful songwriters and publishers in R&B, Hip Hop and Gospel Music.  This particular award was given for writing and producing Brian Courtney Wilson’s hit “All I Need.”  This song spent 92 weeks on the Billboard Hot Gospel Song Chart, breaking the all time record for the longest running current single ever in the history of the Billboard Gospel Charts, which also went on to receive a 2011 GMA Dove Award nomination for Urban Record Song of the year.  In 2010 Billboard year-end charts would name Stan Jones as the #3 Songwriter and #4 Producer of the Year.  He has worked with artists such as:  Yolanda Adams, The Williams Brothers, Marvin Sapp, The Jackson Southernaires and many more.  This doesn’t even touch the surface of his many accomplishments.

Yolanda:  How did you initially negotiate as an artist?

Stan:  My first album was with Blackberry Records and they approached me and asked about what type of deal I was looking for?  I wanted a one album deal so I could make judgments based on the  performance.  I also wanted so many pieces of products, that when sold  I would have 100% ownership.  (He was obviously successful with his negotiations.  I don't think he made demands, only requests.  This is an art form that one must master)  I am currently negotiating with another company. 

Yolanda:  Was negotiating as a producer different than as an artist? And How?

Stan:  As a producer, it's a little bit different.  The only difference is you negotiate a per track deal, because you may not do a whole album.  It is definitely about negotiating, because there are others you are bidding against for the gig.  When you have the privilege to be able to negotiate, is when you have a track record that's believable with  most labels.  A lot of people can say they worked with particular artists, but if they don't have hits, so having a track record of hits definitely creates a demand for you and gives you more negotiating leverage.  If you haven't accomplished this, then there is no negotiating (he laughs).  A successful track record can put you in the negotiating seat.  The world is based upon proof!

Yolanda:  Can a musician have leverage?

Stan:  Being a musician myself, yes a musician can have leverage.  The main thing is loyalty.  Other factors include having character, reliability and dependability.  These are the things producers look for, and are very hard to come by.   There are many musicians with the talent, but they lack the character to be able to work with them.  

Yolanda:  Have you ever been taken advantage of ?  If so, how did it change your negotiating tactics?

Stan:  (He laughs)  Yes I have been taken advantage of.  I have been dealing with this issue the past couple of day (I hear you Lord).  Also when I first got started I was being used.  I allowed myself to be used, because I felt like it would pay off and it did.  You have to stay somewhere.  Stay on the path and keep knocking it down.  I heard someone say, "You can't grow roots if you keep changing soil."  Stay there and fight and continue to grow.  I'm glad I had a mind to stay there.  I'm grateful for those stages.  I now take pride in taking care of my musicians, because I just graduated from there.

Yolanda:  We’ve learned five core concepts in negotiating, what role have any of these played in negotiating deals?

Stan:  (Affiliation) Negotiations are the beginning of relationships.  It's totally better if you can be in that person's presence so they can feel your personality, your spirit and who you are.   They may have a better interest on your behalf and want to help you, rather than just seeing words.  Those are definitely different dynamics in negotiating.  Some executives don't want to take a chance of getting personal and won't meet you, they want to keep it strictly professional.  If the person allows it, definitely take advantage of it.  It becomes more personable. (Autonomy) I can sculpt the things that I want.  I'm not told what to do.  I'm not exclusive to anyone.  There have been attempts to make me exclusive, but that's not what I wanted.  I'm my own boss.  

Yolanda:  How often do you assess your role and where you want to be?  Is it something you think about or does it just happen?

Stan:  I think about it daily, all day, everyday.  I see it before I do it.  I visualize that it can happen and I pursue it. I don't understand how people can be arrogant.  I continuously strive.  When I reach one level, I'm trying to reach another level.  That's why it's hard for me to understand arrogant people.  They are complacent in where they are.  People who are humble are people who are still striving to get higher than where they are.  Sure they have great accomplishments, but they want to go higher. 

Stellar Awards

My Business Inspiration

 My Business Inspiration

The idea of owning a business is appealing to most people, but very few people have the know-how, intestinal fortitude, guidance or courage to actually make it happen.  I always had the desire to have my own business since I was a little girl.  This mainly came from the motivation of my grandfather.  My Grandfather, Elbert “Boy” Stringer was a self-made entrepreneur in a very tough time for black people.  In fact, at that time we had not yet upgraded to even being called black, we were colored.  He was the owner of a grocery store when I came along.  He also owned cattle.  I later learned that he owned a pulpwood company, and a café.  He was a very prominent man in his time. 

This really stuck with me, because as I got older I learned that he only had a 1^st grade education.  I saw him sign for deliveries with just an “x” for his name.  Yet he had the ability to learn how to operate all of these businesses successfully without being able to read.  I distinctly remember him checking his inventory and determining what items were selling and what items needed dust removed from them.  After taking a finance class, I now know he was assessing his inventory turnover ratio.  He was the first person to introduce me to finance.  He is the reason I knew how to give change without using the register to calculate it for me.

I guess this is the reason I was determined to have my own business.  My Grandfather left a legacy and I felt obligated to continue it.  I didn’t quite know what area I would pursue, but I knew that one day I would own a business.  My parents instilled music in me with piano lessons when I was young, and then the band.  This was expounded upon when I met the love of my life, Cornelius “CC” Moore, a professional musician.  It was then, that I was able to pursue what I ‘ve dreamed of for years and we created CC Productions.  I now have an obligation to gain the management knowledge needed to strategically position my company for success. 

Charles Hazlewood: Trusting the ensemble

TED.Com is a remarkable website that is devoted to spreading worthy ideas.  It is a non-profit organization that is making a huge impact in the collaboration of design, technology and entertainment.  It offers the top world-changing innovators from around the globe.  This particular post of speaker Charles Hazelwood is very intriguing.  He is an acclaimed conductor and used his profession to illustrate trust.  He begins speaking and prompts violinists to play.  They enter from different areas of the room, creating a surround sound.  This was used as an icebreaker.  Everyone was pleasantly surprised and it unified the audience.

Mr. Hazlewood talks about how important it is for him as a conductor to trust his ensemble.   He even has to trust himself.  He must trust that his instruction during rehearsal was sufficient and that he is exuberating the right body language.  He has to have enough control to direct, but not too much control that the ensemble cannot flow.  He used an excellent example given to him early in his career.  If you hold a bird too tightly, you will crush it, and if you open your hand too wide, it will fly away.  This is a perfect analogy for a conductor to follow.

He spoke of a remarkable experience in South Africa, where he overcame adversity through the power of music, which taught a life lesson about trust.  The choir was comprised of mostly black singers with a handful of whites.  One of the white members was a former South African Police Officer.  Understanding that police were charged to go into the black communities and aggress them, created a lot of intensity in the room.  Mr. Hazlewood overcame this distrust by singing, singing and singing some more.  This process developed trust and blossomed new relationships.

He also revealed a very inspirational project that was developed because of his daughter that suffers from Cerebral Palsy.  ParaOrchestra was created for disabled musicians.  These musicians have the opportunity to do what they love through this initiative.  There was a left-handed pianist that played beautifully and even used humor to tell about his condition, that he was born with one hand.  Some other musicians create music electronically.  One man interviewed was a former trumpet player that was left paralyzed through a road accident.  He expressed the joy he feels creating music and would take the ability to play his trumpet again, over the ability to walk.  This was hard to imagine, but it illustrated how important music is to a person.

The conductor also told of a story of a Prince that declared the musicians’ families were no longer welcome in the castle.  They were sent away.  The conductor illustrated how music was used to show the Prince their anger for his decision.  Conductor Hazlewood directed the ensemble to play a beautiful piece.  Just as you were completely engaged, one by one, members of the ensemble stop playing and walked off the stage, until they all disappeared.  Conductor Hazlewood re-entered the stage and informed the audience that the Prince soon allowed the musicians’ families to return.

This was very inspirational as a musician.  It was very informative and the music played by the Scottish Ensemble made it even more intriguing.  It illustrated how music can be used to develop trust.  It was also thought provoking and challenging.  How are you using your talent to help people or enhance their lives?

namVe

The National Association of musicians, vocalist and entertainers is a very important organization in the music industry.  It offers a comprehensive benefits program to aid those of us working independently.  It provides such benefits as:  Prescription Drugs, Financial Counseling, Health Care Counseling, Roadside Assistance, Dental and Vision Programs, Artist Insurance, Hospital Indemnity, Critical Care, Accidental Coverage, Life Coverage, and an Internet Shopping Mall.  These are invaluable benefits.  The average musician, vocalist or entertainer works independently and does not have these benefits, nor are they able to afford them on their own.  I know numerous uninsured musicians and vocalist that could really benefit from taking advantage of being a member of this organization.  Healthcare costs are astronomical and almost unaffordable on your own.  This organization shows the benefits of being part of a large network.  They are able to offer these benefits because of the numbers they offer to various companies.  They are able to negotiate lower costs for their members.

Every independent musician should have artist insurance. This insures classical instruments and equipment, studio liability, tour coverage and liability, special events, and musical instruments and equipment.  The lack of these benefits could destroy a musician. Just imagine playing independently and there is a power surge that destroys your $3,500 Motif XF8.  The average musician lives paycheck to paycheck in this economy and would not have the money saved to purchase another keyboard or could afford to wait until it was repaired.  I actually know a musician that had the misfortune of this experience.  He has not been able to have it repaired yet.  Fortunately he does have another keyboard, but an instrument of this caliber lets other musicians know that you are knowledgeable of a good instrument, and you care enough to invest in a good instrument.  I guess it shows a certain status as a musician.

NAMVE also is an advocate for issues in the music industry, such as budget cuts for Art Programs and Funding, Health Care, Social Security, and Medicare. These are all issues that will have a huge impact on our industry and it is important to have a voice.  Musicians, vocalist, and entertainers have the same concerns and face the same issues as other working Americans.  However, it is even more crucial because if you work independently, you are not paying into Social Security and not eligible for Medicare, unless you have an eligible spouse or another type of job on the side. 

The average musician, vocalist and entertainer do not have steady work.  They are working diligently to sell themselves to have more bookings.  They may travel from city to city, or state-to-state, and some even travel out of the country, completely on their own.  This organization can provide invaluable assistance and has inspired me to create a local organization to help the people I know.

Images 

Katt Williams

I had the opportunity to attend a comedy show last night, in the great city of Jackson, MS.  I was very surprised and elated, because we very rarely get these types of headliners.  I’m not sure if it’s because of the negative image that is etched in people’s mind of our past, or if they think we’re so far behind in time, that we don’t know who they are.  Whatever the reason, I am grateful we were chosen.

                                             Google Images

Katt Williams is one of the most renowned comedians of this time.  He is known for making light of the truth of things that aren’t usually spoken about.  His trademark is his style.  He dresses somewhat like a “pimp” and wears his hair permed, and it’s usually the prettiest in the building.  I had the privilege of being center stage on the second row of the venue.  Katt was in rare form.  He entered the stage and immediately jumped off and ran around the venue, getting up-close and personal with the audience.  He had a very nice black and purple silk blazer, black silk pants, and some gray Nike tennis shoes that lit up like Sketchers.  Ironically we did not see his signature hair.  Instead he wore a purple fury Kangol hat. 

His show was just as ironic as his well-manicured hair being covered.  He spoke in duration about the tragic death of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson and his predator, Dr. Conrad Murray.  He couldn’t quite fathom the idea of paying a doctor $150,000 per month to administer a drug that according to the defense, Michael Jackson was able to administer to himself.  It just didn’t add up to him.  He also spoke about how America is slowly wiping out its enemies, with the deaths of Sadam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, and Khadafy.  An idea that seemed impossible ten years ago. 

Katt is also known for making light of a favorite pass-time, smoking marijuana.  This time the only mention of smoking was when he was comparing religions and said it went along great with meditation like certain religions.  In his religious comparisons, with one eyebrow raised, he endorsed Jesus Christ!  He also spoke about homosexuality being in the bible, but he excused the lesbians, because they weren’t mentioned in the bible.  He told of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and how homosexuality was being practiced in both of those cities and God burned them both down.  Katt also spoke adamantly that the apocalypse is coming in 2012.  He warned everyone to find a significant other, and get their finances in order, a strong resemblance to Y2K.

The show was funny, but it had a political and almost spiritual undertone that made us laugh, but think as well.  It wasn’t the usual weed-smoking, permed hair, pimp-style dressing Katt that preceded him.  He made us realize he does believe in a purpose and he has decided to use the stage as his platform.  I enjoyed it!

Sunday's Best Le'Andria Johnson

                                                                                               Music World Gospel

Reading the articles Gospel stardom a bumpy road for Le'Andria Johnson written by Jonathan Landrum and Sunday Best's Le'Andria Johnson has a Testimony by Bob Marovich, gives you a depiction of the life of an upcoming gospel artist, but it also took me back in time.  Le’Andria Johnson was the winner of a BET series called Sunday Best, hosted by Kirk Franklin and had a panel of gospel Grammy award winning legends, Mary Mary and Donnie McClurkin.  The season that Le’Andria was on Tina Campbell was out having a baby, so Yolanda Adams took her place.  I actually had an opportunity to attend several tapings during that season.  I attended the taping for a friend, Dathan Thigpen, who actually made it to the finals.  I did not realize what a blessing it would be to attend.  This particular season another contestant, 80 year old Elder Goldwire, electrified the stage, as well.  This made it a very tough competition.

Le’Andria stood out.  There was something on the inside of her that drew you in.  You could always tell that she was singing her story.  She would ignite the crowd and the judges to the point where taping would have to stop and the people would just have to praise God.  She not only had the stage presence, but the honesty the sincerity and the humbleness was all over her.  I was there to support my friend, but she quickly made me a fan.  This admiration only grew after hearing her story. 

She arrived at the audition wearing socks and flip-flops.  She described the other contestants were dressed up and she literally wore what she had.  She was a twice-divorced, single mother of three, who had struggled financially to the point of foreclosure.  She didn’t even have a car to get to the auditions.  A close friend encouraged her and the rest is history.  She is human and has struggles like the rest of us, but she is still striving to achieve.  She has lost a great deal, but slowly gaining so much more.  Her new album "The Awakening of Le'Andria Johnson" was released mid-September and has topped Billboard’s Gospel Album Charts for the fourth time in the last five weeks.  If you ever have an opportunity to see her live, please do.  You will be blessed!