Alum's music career journey started at Baylor

March 16, 2010

Courtesy Photo To mix songs or cut albums, Chip Bricker works with the sound board in Smart Production recording studio in Nash, Texas. Bricker is the CEO of Smart Production.

By Erin Nipper
Reporter

Alumnus Chip Bricker, president of Terajay Music Group and CEO of Smart Production, focused on more than just record sales when country music artist Hunter Erwin's album was released earlier this month.

Bricker, who graduated from Baylor in 1988, has been working in the music industry for 17 years.

His studio has been the starting point for multiple artists in the Christian music world.

He has either produced or played on 16 No. 1 songs from all genres of music, including the 2009 Dove Award nominated band, 2007 Pocket Full of Rocks and Grammy nominee William Boyd Chisum.

Aside from individual artist success, Bricker's talents have earned him the Country Gospel Music Association's Record Producer of the Year, two Dove Award nominations, Agape Musician of the Year Award, Coast to Coast Country Music Musician of the Year Award, and even one award in Europe: Global Radio Network's Album of The Year (2007).

While creating music is Bricker's business, it is the people behind the music he produces that are his focus.

2001 alumna Stacy James Mayo described Bricker as personable.

Mayo, a former Miss Texas and singer, toured with gospel legends Bill and Gloria Gaither, but she first started recording with Bricker.

"I've known Chip 16 years," Mayo said. "All of the CDs I've done started with Chip. We've written songs; everything I have put out ... He wants to get to know you, even if he is just working with you. In the music industry it's important to know what a person is like outside of the studio."

Bricker knows the importance of building rapport with an artist.

"Producing an album is like creating an image," Bricker said. "We have to figure out, in a marketing sense, how to translate [your image] in to music. We have to think of who your target market is and what it is you do that target market desires."

Bricker said he learned about marketing while at Baylor, majoring in consumer science and political science.

"It was my intention to design political campaign advertisements for politicians," he said. "Jingles are a beautiful thing."

Bricker also took music classes as electives at Baylor and played with local musicians.

"I was well known around the music scene and worked parttime [in Waco] for Heart of Texas Music when they had a store there," he said.

Bricker was invited to play in the 1988 Republican National Convention with Texan Tejano musical sensation Freddie Fender.

He said that he had to get excused from an exam to play the convention.

"I came in and explained the situation [that I would be playing with Freddie Fender], and he said 'Oh yeah!' and started to sing," Bricker said. "I said, don't sing."

His professor gave him permission to makeup the exam when he returned.

"[My professor] said I could get some good learning here at Baylor, but out in the world I can get an education," he said.

After graduating, Bricker went on tour playing with artists including Willie Nelson, and has been working in the music industry ever since -- doing everything from playing instruments, backup vocals and designing audio for radio and television, which is still part of his business today.

"I was really prepared for that by Baylor," Bricker said. "How to analyze people, what their desire is. That was hugely beneficial."

Bricker's co-workers agree that there are few individuals who share his talent.

"I learn something every day," said Smart Productions studio manager and production assistant Frank Pryor.

Pryor said Bricker's faith is evident in his work as well, that it keeps him grounded and that it is evident in his work.

"Seventy-five percent of our music is Christian based," Pryor said. "[His faith] helps him identify with clients."

Erwin agrees that Bricker's business is God-centered.

"He lets God send him business," he said. "His company will go a long way. He lets God lead him. [It's] very different."

Bricker admits that he grew spiritually while at Baylor, but said he didn't do anything differently than before.

"Faith is something that is not instilled in you by a university. It is instilled in you by your walk and how you are brought up in your life. I was blessed to be raised in a Christian home," Bricker said. "One thing I will say that Baylor did, it helped me to see that you can be a Christian and be in the world, but not of it. That's something that so many people can't see, and so many Christian universities don't see that. Everybody seemed to be open to say, 'You are going to live in a world that's not Christ-centered. Here's how to do it."

Bricker has reached out as far as Washington, D.C., playing on the capitol steps for National Day of Prayer.

Still going strong, he will play the stage at the Grand Ole Opry on Friday with country singer Gene Watson.

Bricker lives in Texarkana and is heavily involved with outreach and evangelism in his church and says faith is an "outreach, not an in-reach."

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