Fan Musings:  Off the Pedestal

I've been a fan of someone or another for many years. I've had a lot of fun and many blessings. But I've also made every mistake in the book and learned some hard lessons. These lessons, mistakes and occasional hard-won joys came mostly from the world of pop/rock music fandom, where singers and musicians are often seen as kings and queens, held apart from the rest of us mere mortals. Sadly often by necessity, they are surrounded by bodyguards and people who make sure they never see most of their fan mail.  Many of them either don't have the time or inclination to make the effort to make a connection with their fans. Perhaps because of this distance, I've found that personalities and fans in this realm tend to have some common perceptions about each other.  The people on the stage are seen by fans as larger than life, on a pedestal, their lives and concerns much different than those of us "common folk." 

In  the world of Southern Gospel music, on the other hand, it's a bit different. I have never had so much fun and been so touched all at one time as a fan. I've been introduced to all sorts of new and wonderful singers. I've laughed, cried, had fellowship and prayed for people with whom I never imagined doing so ..mostly online. Here, my God-given purpose and ability for encouraging musicians and expressing it powerfully in writing has been embraced instead of discouraged. These people have put a great level of trust in their fans. In this world, I've gone to artist website guestbooks and wrote how much I liked one song--and more often than not got a response back. I wrote one line of encouragement to a family member of a legendary musician who was ill and I received a warm personal note in response along with a progress report.  Musicians with thousands of people on their mailing lists send regular newsletters which communicate so warmly and personally you would think it was going only to you. They share their lives, families, fishing trips, their successes, and their difficulties. When you respond to these things, they enjoy it.  And this to me is the greatest part of all: because we know of their struggles, we fans get to reach out a hand of support in times of trouble to those who have blessed us so much with their gifts. We have the privilege of being able to give back something in return and not have it turned away. Just like with everyday people, our friends, co-workers and family.

Singers, musicians, it works both ways. Some of you do take care to remind us that you are people like us.  We appreciate that more than you realize. But still, we hope you accept the compliments and accolades as blessings we give to you in return for sharing your gifts and message with us because you truly do deserve them. Not because we see you as greater than us. That's why it means a lot to us when you show up at your tables or meet and greet afterward.  You're tired and have a lot of demands on your time, but that's more than something extra you're giving us. It's also our chance to give back to you in a more direct way. That's why we get excited and the butterflies sometimes fly out of formation when we meet you. Some of us just want to be sure we get it right. Those of you who remember being on the other side of the stage may have had that experience.

I've been fortunate to have had this experience with artists having local and national recognition. Musicians and radio personalities have allowed me to go from admiring fan to friend. I've stood beside them minutes before showtime and airtime as they worried they were not going to be accepted, reassuring them they were not going to let their audiences down.  But here's the important thing to remember: you can only walk through that door if it's open.  It finally started working for me when I learned to keep the primary focus on the gifts and take the cues from the artists on how far beyond this the fan/artist relationship goes. In many ways, this is similar to the "adapt your style" adage you find in the business world.  

Granted, we can run into difficulty when we equate artistic greatness with personal greatness. When I was chasing shallow fan dreams in my teens and early 20s it was all about satisfying myself and feeling important.  When I did, the feeling was fleeting.  It's not just about me getting an autograph or an e-mail from somebody anymore. It's being part of a larger family...the family of God, lifting up one another. Onstage or offstage.

"Treasures In the Tip Jar:The Art of Awesome Fan Support" is Wendy's latest audiobook.

--Wendy V