Dan Macaulay – The Best, Under-Estimated Artists In the Music Business!
Of all the artists I’ve interviewed over the years, none have had such great material, and such little recognition in the Unites States as Dan Macaulay. I discovered Dan through Twitter. I had not heard of him prior to that time. As I listened to his music, I was pleasantly surprised by a multitude of great worship songs.
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s I further researched Dan Macaulay. I discovered he receives a good deal of airplay throughout Canada. He’s been nominated for four Canada Gospel Music Awards, has recorded with Michael W. Smith, is a six-time GMA Canada Covenant Award nominee, and has had six #1 hits on the Canadian charts.
Dan’s current CD titled From You For You, recorded in Nashville Tennessee, has great uplifting music. His songs are well written, contain great arrangements, and demonstrate well-executed dynamics. Dan said, “The title track of my CD, ‘From You For You’, sums up the big picture of what our worship to God looks like. Everything we have is from Him, and what we do with it, as we give it back to Him, is our act of worship. We all are given something different to contribute. It’s all about worship—and it encompasses our whole lives.”
Dan has a very commercial sound. “Live Like You’re Free,” is my favorite song on his current CD. It is fun and worship driven, very similar to his spirit. The title track “From You For You,” has a great chorus; it is one of those songs you can’t help getting pulled into the melody. I wanted to sing along even without knowing the lyrics yet. “Breathe in Me,” written by Michael W. Smith, and on which Michael played and produced, shares Dan’s emotional delivery mixed with Michael’s sage piano arrangement.
Dan was named as a finalist in the 2011 John Lennon Song Writing Competition. As he has won several major national contests, I was curious if this has affected his career, so I asked him, do contests help new artists? He responded, “Any time you get an opportunity to jump into a contest or win an award, it will help to pad your resume and separate you from the pack, take that opportunity. You may get great feedback. I have received feedback and critiques from top industry professionals which has made me a better songwriter. Don’t have unrealistic expectations. It doesn’t alter the course of your career, but it is a great growing and learning experience, especially for the little money it takes to enter them. I recommend it.”
I told Dan how surprised I was he didn’t have the success he deserved outside of Canada. He laughed and explained he is content where God has him. I would be extremely impatient sitting on his talent and song repertoire; however, his heart and mind are properly set for God’s path and blessing.
Please visit Dan’s website and give a listen to his recent CD. He has several songs for you to add to your Contemporary Christian music collection!
Some times it’s all about the money. A national station like KLove won’t play unsigned artists or help new artists to market. It’s a shame. If your signed and if you have hundreds of thousands of dollars you can get air time. If Klove and other Christian radio stations would have an independent/new artist segments to their airtime they would help the very industry they live on. Sorry for the rant but I love this guy and I’ve never heard anyone dislike his music.
Dear Skip,
KLOVE is all about national artists only. I too worked as a Christian Recording artist. I received airplay all throughout the globe, quite a bit in Canada. Due to the politics of the US recording industry, many of the “Reporting Radio Stations” in the U.S. are afraid to touch unknown, or up and coming artists.
Here is how it worked for me in the secular industry years ago. A local radio station plays a local artist, a major artist like Bon Jovi has a new release. The record company rep goes to a competitive station and offers back stage passes and free CD’s, which radio station do the Bon Jovi fans listen to if they want tickets to a sold out show?
The Christian recording industry is very similar to its secular partners when it comes to business. Perhaps I will do an article on this subject and go in-depth at a later date. Thanks for the comment!