Called To Music Podcast

Terence Fisher has been playing music since he was a kid beatboxing on street corners in Shreveport Louisiana. He went to Grambling State for music performance, started producing in 2005, built a YouTube channel and social media following that reaches hundreds of thousands of musicians across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Facebook, and he did it all by just showing up consistently and giving away...

Teel Merrick found his way into worship leading because his youth pastor left him no choice. Fast forward to today — he’s the guy helping worship leaders and volunteers stop drowning in Planning Center so they can actually get to Thursday with margin left. In this conversation Teel and I talk about: How God opened a door through a failed theme park purchase (yes, really) Why practical content beat...

This week three songs showed up in the same day. Three very different experiences with AI music. And together they told a story I wasn't expecting. One made me wish I hadn't heard it because it was so good and so fast. One made me ask what we're even doing this for. And one reminded me exactly what this calling is all about. In this episode I process honestly what I think AI music t...

What if the pressure to sound like the biggest worship churches in the world is actually working against your congregation? In this episode I sit down with Kelsey McGinnis, writer for Christianity Today, professor at Grand View University, and musicologist who studies worship culture from a genuinely unique outside perspective. We talk about the history of worship music, why we're all a littl...

Have you ever felt called to more than one thing in music and had no idea what to do with it? Me too. Let's talk about it. This is the first episode of Called to Music and honestly it might be the most vulnerable thing I've ever recorded. I talk about a season of pulling back, what God showed me in the quiet, and why I believe the pruning seasons in our lives aren't meant to stop us...

In this episode of the CIAS Podcast, I sit down with worship leader and songwriter Charlie Hall. Charlie has been writing worship songs for over 35 years, starting at age 17 when he first found God. He shares how his music has always reflected the rawness of his journey, through depression, aggression, and sin, and how he’s stayed connected to his local church community throughout. We dive into hi...

In this video, I’m breaking down some of my favorite chord shapes for worship—G, C, D, and a few others that really help fill out your sound.  These shapes make it super easy to transition between chords and keep things smooth during worship. Whether you’re leading in a small group or on a bigger stage, these will definitely help you out! Make sure to hit like, subscribe, and join my Facebook grou...

In this episode, I’ll show you the 3 best chord shapes for leading worship on acoustic guitar—G, C, and D.  These simple shapes will help you make smooth transitions between songs, free you from technical distractions, and allow you to focus on worshiping.  I’ll also share tips on using a capo to compliment different keys and how growing as a musician can enhance your worship leading.  Whether you...

In this episode, I share 5 actionable ways to break through creative blocks and find fresh inspiration in your worship songwriting. From changing your environment, to drawing from Scripture, and collaborating with others, these some of the things I talk about that will help you write songs that glorify God and resonate with your congregation. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your thought...

Do you ever feel short on time but still want your worship songs to resonate deeply with your congregation? In this episode, I’m sharing 5 quick yet powerful tips to make every writing session count.  By the end of this episode, you’ll have key essentials to create impactful, spirit-filled worship song s that truly connect with your audience. 🔗 Free Resource: Want to take your songwriting to the...

In this episode, I sit down with Jake Gosselin, founder of Churchfront, to hear about his incredible journey from playing bass in a high school band, to leading worship, and eventually becoming a successful entrepreneur.  Jake shares how he navigated the world of worship leading, pursued music as a career, and even went to seminary with dreams of pastoral ministry. But his story didn’t stop there,...

On this episode of the CIAS Podcast, we’re diving into 10 FREE and effective strategies to help you market your worship music, without breaking the bank. Whether you’re an indie artist, worship leader, or songwriter, these tips will help you get your music heard by the right audience and make a real impact. 🚀 What You’ll Learn: 1.Leverage Social Media - Discover how to use platforms like Instagra...

🎙️ CIAS Podcast Episode #104 In this episode, we’re chatting with the amazing folks from Natural State Music. Haley, Del and Matt share their wild ride in the Christian music world. They all started out in church, passionate about using their talents to worship God. Haley had a tough break after a big label showcase didn’t go as planned and thought she was done with music. But God had other plans....

On this episode, I hang out with producer, brand strategist, professional YouTuber, award winning creative marketing specialist, and the founder of SellMusic.com Adam Ivy, who talks about some REAL truths for indie artists and songwriters. Adam has grown his YouTube channel to over 300K subscribers by helping independent musicians, artists and brands make impact with their music. He shares a wealt...

🎙️ CIAS Podcast Episode #102: Folk Worship Goes Viral with Brice Davis 🎙️ Join us for a laid-back chat with Brice Davis from Jacksonville, Florida. Brice has been on an incredible journey, balancing a full-time job, fatherhood (with two kids and another on the way!), and skyrocketing his music career on social media. Since August of last year, Brice has organically grown his Instagram from 600 fol...

On episode #101 of the CIAS Podcast I sat down with my friend Chase Wagner. Chase is a prominent artist, songwriter, and the Worship Pastor of Grace City Church in Lakeland, FL.  From beginning to know The Lord through music as a teen in Seattle, to moving across the country to found SEU Worship, as well as Grace City Music/Church, he has found encouragement to keep going through His strong faith...

On this celebration episode #100 of the CIAS Podcast I sat down with my friend Chris Lawson Jones from the Wings Distribution Group. Chris has been working professionally in the Christian music industry for over 20 years and shares so much insight and wisdom. We talk through the state of the independent artist and how using a boutique distribution platform like Wings can help set any artist up for...

On this episode of the CIAS Podcast Ross King and I talk about the 4th ingredient in his formula for music industry success- raw talent. Ross says that we are not able to do anything about the amount of raw talent we are given, however we can lean on the other ingredients (work ethic, suck meter, and how are you in a room) to cultivate the raw talent we have. The bad news is that we can’t do anyth...

On this episode of the CIAS podcast Ross King and I talk about the work ethic it takes to go pro. You might be thinking we talk about things like working 100 hour weeks and do whatever you need to to make it happen, but we don’t! We wanted to give you a practical look at how we manage and schedule our time as a professional in the music industry.   So much of being a pro has to do with preparation...

On this episode of the CIAS podcast, Ross King and I dive deep into the importance of how you are in a room. In a music career we will be in MANY different kinds of rooms, so having an understanding of how to be at our best in each situation is critical. We discuss many practical tips on what to do (and what not to do)   Whether you are just getting started, or have been chasing your music dream f...

On the latest episode of the CIAS Podcast I sat down with my good friend and 30 year music industry vet Ross King to discuss developing our personal quality control measure, a.k.a. our "Suck Meter" Knowing what is good, for the target you are aiming for, is critical for success in music. We develop our "suck meter" over time, but there are a few elements to help with that proce...

On this episode I had a great conversation with my friend Kevin Winebarger of Courage Studios. Kevin is a marketer, artist, songwriter, producer and an all around guru in social media and making big impact in the music industry. Kevin has been working in the industry for nearly a decade and has been serving many artists along the way. Kevin took a deep dive into many of his marketing principals on...

  Plugins are one of the most talked about aspects of recording music. There are so many to choose from and SO many companies who make them. Which ones do you need to make pro music? The questions and possibilities are truly endless.   I wanted to walk through the top plugins I use on a daily basis. These are helpful tools and are also versatile and can be used in many different ways. These 23 plu...

  Have you ever got a troll comment?   There are so many positive parts about the internet. It helps us stay connected, share our lives and even create new relationships. But of course there are many negative sides to it as well.   Whether virtually or in "real life" there are going to be people out there who may try to discourage us from chasing after our dreams.    How we let it effect...

     There is so much noise and everyone seems to be trying to capture our attention these days. Social media is an incredible tool, but it can be difficult to figure out how to reach people with our music. Between endless scrolling and short attention spans, what is the secret sauce to finding people who are actually interested in being a part of your music journey?     On this latest episode I d...