With a career that has spanned over 30 years working with the greatest entertainers and musicians in every genre, legendary musician and producer Kern Brantley is a walking and talking musical history lesson. From stepping into a studio with the legendary Aretha Franklin, to touring with iconic gospel legends such as the Winans family and Thomas Whitfield, to working with the most influential voices in pop and R&B over the last three decades, Kern has maintained the same approach that he had when he first entered the industry - learn fast, stay humble, and be grateful. His extensive discography as a musician and producer includes work with David Foster, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Mary J Blige , Puff Daddy & The Bad Boy Family, Jeezy, Ne-yo, Brandy, Ciara, Chris Brown, Destiny's Child, Lil Wayne, Faith Evans, Ginuwine, Salt N Pepa, 112, Boys II Men, Blackstreet, New Kids On The Block, Aaliyah, S.W.V, Grover Washington, and the list continues. He’s appeared on every major awards show and nighttime talk show with several different A-list artists, and has been tapped as a music director of many of these top-tier tours. In this revealing and inspiring interview, Kern reveals the no-excuses approach that has guided his incredible career, and continues to keep him motivated after reaching the highest heights of the music industry. He breaks down the mental and emotional hurdles he had to overcome to embrace the industry’s demands, and how discipline and attention to detail became his greatest allies on the road to fulfilling his creative dreams . How his beginning in a musical family in Detroit shaped his musical foundations How he met legendary gospel director Thomas Whitfield and became his bassist. His experiences meeting the Clark Sisters and touring with The Winans How he transitioned from performing gospel only to playing with Teddy Riley and Guy His experience working with Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs and the importance of matching the brand of the artists you work with How he ended up making one of his biggest mistakes as a musician, and what he learned from the harrowing experience We’ve love to hear your thoughts about this episode… Tap HERE to send us a text! Support the show NEW DEVOTIONAL ON YOUVERSION! Would you like to understand God's creative process and apply it to your life? Check out our new YouVersion Bible reading plan here! NEW "DISCOVER YOUR CREATIVE PERSONALITY" QUIZ! We've developed this quiz to help you diagnose and discover where you currently stand in your journey as a faith-focused artist. You'll find out which of the 5 Christian Creative Personalities you're currently operating in and how to improve on your strengths and get help with your weaknesses. Take the 5- minute quiz HERE PODCAST MERCH Get God and Gigs themed gear, clothing and accessories HERE! GOT VALUE FROM THIS PODCAST? Exchange VALUE 4 VALUE! You can share: TIME: Send this episode to someone who you know would enjoy it TALENT: Email your art or music to add to our community to allen@godandgigs.com TREASURE: Tap HERE to pick an amount to support the podcast monthly, OR: Get a modern podcast app that allows you support us IN REAL TIME by sending us value digitally! Get a new podcast app that supports these new features HERE.