NASHVILLE, TN. (Top 40 Charts/ Rick Hendrix Official Website) -
Music promoter Rick Hendrix was honored this week with his 251st Platinum Album Award for his work on Mariah Carey's 'Charmbracelet' project that has sold over one million copies. Hendrix has become the face of music promoters and the man that invented the "positive music" format. To date, Hendrix and his positive music convictions have helped artists sell over a quarter of a billion albums and placed over 6,000 positive and faith based songs across the airwaves in all genres of modern day American radio.
The latest statistic show 2,965 of Hendrix' songs have charted, and 164 have risen all the way to the coveted number one position. This North American man and his company RickHendrix.com have managed songs for American Idol and artists including Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, Bette Midler, Mariah Carey, and George Strait. Hendrix has also promoted the Oscar winning project 'Prince of Egypt' and the iconic 'Passion of the Christ'. His artists have won over 250 Grammy's, and he has personally been nominated for 11 Dove Awards. Hendrix skills don't stop at promoting, his passions also include writing songs. Hendrix has written over 2,000 songs including three number ones and over a dozen top 40 singles.
"These numbers are amazing, and a testament of Gods grace and care for me," said Hendrix. "Always, from when I was a kid, this is what I wanted to do. My faith opened doors for me when I was still in the proverbial short pants, really. Looking back, every step led me here, and leads me on today. When I was homeless, I promised God to always lift real people up, and to never stop pushing a positive message. A lot of faith went up form that ole box I called home when I was homeless." Hendrix keeps a box in his office to remind him where he came from.
Rick Hendrix, a 34-year-old North Carolina man, has defeated the odds and gone from living as a homeless high school dropout to the owner and head of the industry's largest music promotions company, the Rick Hendrix Company. Formed in 1990 in the back of a 1977 Chevy station wagon, the music promotion company now bolsters offices in Beverly Hills, Calif., Chicago, Ill., Washington, D.C, Hickory, N.C., and Nashville, Tenn.
"Failure was my education, and opposition was my drive, my faith, long hours and unceasing love for people has helped me win," stated Hendrix. The young man from the mountains of North Carolina began working at a local radio station at 13 while meeting record executives and honing in on his skill. "It wasn't easy. But, I was learning to survive. I just held on and knew my season would come. I wasn't going to be the small town boy that died with his dreams still trapped within his soul."
On the personal side, Rick Hendrix is a survivor of a lightning strike, a drug addiction, poverty, living homeless and overcoming a life threatening heart disease. "I think failure is the best lesson a person can get out of life. And I've had my share of let downs. But, they were some of the greatest low points of my life. I barely remember the weeks and days things were great. But, I remember every second of living in a storm, feeling the ground, smelling the air and hoping for more in those trials. I do feel I am driven by a voice bigger than my own," said Hendrix. "I just want to see people smile, I want to see people believe in themselves and find peace out of the smallest things in life. The days when people laughed at me, I learned to not mind. At least they were leaving someone else alone. But, I never stop driving myself to be better at my task. And my hard past drove me to make myself a future."
Hendrix has modernized and molded a home for faith-based music, crossing all genres and boundaries of past segregated marketing. Christian music can now easily be promoted to rock and country radio by labels and artist, while secular artists are finding a home on Christian radio as well.
BMG chose Hendrix to pick Elvis Presley's first ever gospel single in 2004, and Johnny Cash's family decided to let him promote his final recording sessions. After 15 years of dedication to the music industry, Hendrix is still ambitious, hungry and willing to fight to win.
