Milwaukee’s First Gospel Podcast is Building a National Following

By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.

For some time, singer, songwriter and gospel artist manager Bridget Price had been toying with the idea of starting a gospel music podcast.

“My family’s background is very musical,” Price explained. “My cousin, Christopher Wiley, is a musician and producer and he is also a gospel rapper. One of my cousins sings with India.Arie, and I have another cousin who sings with Fred Hammond.”

But it was during a Stellar Awards event that Price, from Milwaukee, officially received the message. “I heard the word speak to me and tell me to begin it,” Price said. “I prayed about it a lot, did a lot of research and learned it would be the first gospel podcast in Wisconsin.”

The need for a new music vehicle for independent gospel artists wasn’t lost on Price and Wiley. “It’s been really tough for the artists that we’ve launched, getting their music heard,” Price said. “Chris and I had talked about working together for many years, and decided we would come together to get the music out there on a higher platform.”

Price and Wiley put their business management degrees to work in developing marketing and outreach strategies for what has become Speak Music Radio. Foremost among those strategies was the skillful use of social networking, such as Twitter and Facebook. There is so much that people can do when it comes to social media, especially because “young people love the Internet, so social networking is ideal.” For example, it’s not just Twitter and Facebook that can help people with their social networking but also things like Instagram can have a big impact on your social networking. If you don’t have an Instagram for your blog, then it might be a good idea to get one. You can even get free instagram followers to help give it a little bit of a boost when you first start. It doesn’t just stop there though, as with all social media, you need to make sure that your presence is known and that you post great content. Make sure that you keep your audience interested.
Realistically if you’re looking at how to start a podcast, networking and connections will be your best friend once you’ve managed to record your first podcast, due to the want in trying to get it heard by as many people as possible.

Speaking of youth, the team also brought on eighteen-year-old Mariah Webb, one of the youngest female co-hosts in gospel radio.

It took some months to assemble, but Speak Music Radio posted its first podcast earlier this month.

Price explained that their podcasts offer a variety of religious music genres, from hip hop gospel and gospel rap to quartet, contemporary and CCM. “You really don’t see CCM and gospel mixing together,” she said. “We’re trying to bridge the gap between gospel and CCM, and bring different cultures with different musical interests together.”

Early material for Speak Music Radio came easily: from local artists, especially those with which Price and Wiley have been associated. “We are well connected with a lot of underground artists here in Milwaukee, in Chicago, Atlanta and different places,” Price said. “For example, I was working with an artist from American Idol, her name is Tiffany Engibous. My praise and worship leader, Mark Harris, just finished a single. They responded very quickly.”

Price noted that the advantages of Internet radio are the ability to blend together various religious music styles in ways terrestrial radio does not, and to showcase artists not being played elsewhere. The networking capabilities Speak Music Radio offers are also beneficial. “I was just speaking with one of the artists,” Price explained. “I played his music and he’s already connected himself with another artist in his own city and he’s going to start working with her. He wants her to sing on his new record.”

What specific artists are garnering interest? “Speak Music Radio is generating lot of buzz for Ashley Washington out of Chicago, and for my brother Corey Webb. He’s from Atlanta and people love his music. The number one person getting buzz is Vaughn Phoenix, who is also out of Atlanta and is Pastor William Murphy’s music director at his church [The Dream Center Church of Atlanta].”

The response to Speak Music Radio thus far “has been phenomenal! I was looking at the tracker, and we have had more than 3,000 hits on the website since April 19, from about 36 different regions. The four top states are Wisconsin, Illinois, Georgia and California. Mississippi and New York are also rising. Our listeners are from many different places.”

While early marketing activities have targeted the church, specifically Christian Faith Fellowship Church in Milwaukee (where Price is a member), social networking and word-of-mouth, Speak Music Radio plans to increase its visibility by attending gospel and other music festivals with the hopes of streaming live and interviewing artists on site.

A new podcast is posted every Sunday morning at 12:00 a.m. For more information, go to www.speakmusicradio.com.