Name any major gospel or R&B project in the past 25 years - whether from Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Paula Abdul, Donald Lawrence, Karen Clark-Sheard, Carl Thomas, the Winans, Fred Hammond, the list goes on and on - and there's a good chance Daniel Weatherspoon was a major player in bringing it to pass. Daniel Weatherspoon is a Grammy, Stellar and Dove Award-winning producer, composer, musician and musical director. This dynamic artist proved to be the pivotal force behind some of the most iconic gospel, R&B and jazz releases in music history. Raised in Chicago and cutting his teeth on the church choir circuit, he quickly rose in reputation until he was picked for some of the biggest tours and album releases in his era. His extensive discography as a musician and producer includes work with Beyoncé, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Fred Hammond, Destiny's Child, the Clark Sisters, Donald Lawrence and dozens more. In this inspiring interview, Daniel breaks down the key steps that took him from a devastating medical diagnosis as a child, to playing musicals in the church circuit in Chicago, to playing on some of the most iconic musical releases in history, and finally to taking control of his own career. You’ll hear in his own words what he learned from his experience as a musician and producer at the highest levels of the industry, and why he chose to venture out on his own as a solo artist. KEY TAKEAWAYS DANIEL WEATHERSPOON SHARES: How he remained in mentorship relationships that helped him connect with the right artists How a call to play a musical turned into Daniel working on Karen Clark-Sheard’s debut album How turning down one opportunity became an opportunity to play with Beyonce on her first CD Why having non-musical, unconventional interests is so important in staying grounded as a musician Why his dedication to his family altered his career path away from touring with major artists How he got the #1 jazz album in the country with no label support or special marketing What he wishes he learned about the business while working with the top artists 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.