Essential Records celebrates 10 years

Known as the label home for top-selling artists like Jars of Clay and Third Day, Essential Records celebrates its 10-year anniversary. To mark the occasion, the label has developed "Essential Hits 10," a trade-and consumer-friendly campaign to be realized in partnership with retail, radio, media, and Internet entities. Founded by Essential Records' President Robert Beeson in 1992 for the purpose of pursuing relevant music, Essential Records is a crossroads for conventionally divergent ideas, marking the spot where unique artistry meets commercial appeal and building community meets business success.

Over the last decade, Essential has grown from a staff of one, Beeson, to an efficient team of 15. Battling a competitive corporate market, the label has experienced 15-20 percent growth over the last two to three years and in 2001 claimed the fourth largest Christian retail market share, according to SoundScan. Simultaneously, the label is a profitable entity in the diversified portfolio of Provident Music Group, a division of the New York-based Zomba Music Group.

"In reflecting over the past 10 years, we are humbled and overwhelmed at the successes that have come our way," shares Beeson. "Our team has worked incredibly hard, and dreamed amazing dreams, but overall, God has simply bestowed wonderful gifts upon us. More than anything, we are so proud to be associated with a family of artists creating truly exceptional music, and impacting the world with viable ministry."

The "Essential Hits 10" campaign tagline, "It's not only possible... it's Essential," captures the entrepreneurial spirit of the record company and sets the effort's tone as the print promotion rolls out to consumers with the April issue of CCM Magazine. As the Essential community reflects on its decade-long journey, readers will get an insiders' tour of the label in a 14-page special advertising section. The advertorial features a biographical sketch of the label, favorite memories from current artists and an insightful timeline tracing the art that blazed the trail for the label.

Next, Essential Records will take the "Essential Hits 10" campaign to Gospel Music Week 2002 (April 21-25), the Christian music industry's annual convention in Nashville. During the function, the label will unveil the "Essential Hits 10" retail campaign, including a CD developed for promotional purposes. The Essential Hits 10 CD features 10 #1 songs from Essential's catalog-including "Flood" (Jars of Clay), "There You Go" (Caedmon's Call), "One of These Days" (FFH), "I've Always Loved You" (Third Day), "God Shaped Hole" (Plumb), and "Dress Me Up" (Eric Champion) -- plus bonus cuts from new artists Paul Colman Trio and Sarah Sadler.

Also during the convention, the Provident Music Group's Wednesday-evening showcase will include appearances by Jars of Clay, Third Day, Caedmon's Call, and others from Essential's roster. The concert will take place at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium on April 24 at 7:30PM.

On July 2, the label will introduce the Essential Hits 10 CD nationally to the general public as a retail companion to Provident Music Distribution's "Sizzlin' Summer CD Sale" campaign, which runs through August 26. As a featured product in the summer promotion, the CD will be positioned alongside 12 select back-product titles priced at $9.97. Titles include If I Left the Zoo (Jars of Clay), Time (Third Day), Long Line of Leavers, (Caedmon's Call) and This Is Your Time (Reunion Records' Michael W. Smith). The "Essential Hits 10" campaign will extend into the summer festival promotion season. Radio and Internet promotions will also launch around the July 2 street date. Details are forthcoming.

The balance of anniversary year includes: the U.S. launch of Australia's most successful independent group, Paul Colman Trio (May 21), now on tour with Third Day; a new studio project from True Vibe (August 20); the debut release from singer/songwriter Sarah Sadler (September 10); and following on the heels of a successful spring tour with Third Day, a new studio project from Bebo Norman (September 10). Tying up the year-long celebration will be another distinguished record from the City On A Hill series. Bowing September 24, City On A Hill - Christmas will demonstrate community by marking the joyful season of promises in music. Producer Steve Hindalong will return to helm the project, along with co-producer and writer Marc Byrd.

For Beeson, the wealth of tidings unfolding during Essential's 10-year anniversary are somewhat confounding.

"The thread that sort of runs through our story is that we never really knew what we were doing," Beeson says. "We just went for it with dreams, hopes and aspirations. And no one told us we couldn't do it." The label's one-of-a-kind way to nurture creative, uplifting music was conceived in Costa Mesa, CA, a music community known in 1992 for seeking relevant, cutting-edge Christian music -- and deeply rooted in Jesus Music, the genesis of today's Christian music. Cultivating the youth market through rock and alternative music, Essential's roster then included Uthanda (fronted by Beeson) and guitarist Lanny Cordola, among others.

The fledgling West Coast label became an iconoclastic member of the Nashville Christian music establishment when Beeson struck a partnership with Jim Van Hook in 1993. "When Brentwood Music was considering moving into artistry after almost 15 years as a successful concept music company, we looked for a partner that would share our vision for expansion and growth," says Van Hook, chairman of the Provident Music Group today. "Robert Beeson was an intensely creative individual with a background in niche marketing and promotions. Although it appeared to be an unusual partnership, I could sense Robert had the vision to develop a strong label."

The pursuit of relevant music lead quickly to the signing of pop act Imagine This in 1994. It also set the stage for the dramatic signing coup of the then-unknown Greenville College band Jars of Clay. With the blockbuster success of the Adrian Belew-produced single "Flood," the foursome's self-titled debut record began a career path that now includes more than 5 million in career record sales, multiple Grammy Awards, dozens of Dove nominations and 14 #1 radio singles. To critical acclaim and on the heels of a two-hour pay-per-view event, Jars of Clay recently released The Eleventh Hour and has embarked on a 50-city tour.

"From the beginning," Beeson explains, "this label has been about creating an environment for artists to know they have the freedom to let their art sing and know that our involvement with them is a partnership."

Further illustrating its success at marrying art and commerce, Essential's roster includes rock band Third Day, which struck gold last year with Offerings: A Worship Album. Reigning as the Dove Awards' Group of the Year and Artist of the Year -- the latter the Christian music industry's highest peer-awarded honor --Third Day is on tour in support of its 2001 release Come Together. Other top label acts include Caedmon's Call, FFH, and True Vibe.

Essential Records has also birthed several chart-topping concept album series, including the award-winning City On A Hill series, which has topped Christian music's album sales chart as City On A Hill - Songs of Worship and Praise (2000) and City On A Hill - Sing Alleluia (2002). A City On A Hill spin-off series, Our God of Wonders, launches next month.

The 10-year old imprint is also home to Watershed Records, formed in 1999. The brainchild of Caedmon's Call frontman Cliff Young, Watershed's roster includes singer-songwriter acts Bebo Norman and Andrew Peterson. Its mission is to work alongside already hardworking indie acts to help them find a broader audience.

"From here, I'd like to see us grow," says Brian Mitchell, vice president and general manager of Essential, speaking of the label's future, "and we're on track for that to happen."

"But no matter how much we grow, the honest spirit we've created of pursuing relevant music must remain," Beeson says. "And we must not squelch our growing sense of community.

"Community has meant everything to this label," says Beeson. "In this age of broken homes and broken relationships, people want to belong. I believe that everyone at Essential -- artists and staff -- belongs and knows where they fit in."