Lawson Bates 4: He’s wearing a dog tag. He better be dating a soldier.

[JanasTattooParlor]

42 minutes ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

So is he a legit country music artist?  I admit it's not my genre and I'm not up on new music in any genre...but is he on the radio and making vids for whatever the country music equivalent of MTV is now?  (I also don't have tv anymore so just crawling out of my cave to ask.)

I’m a huge country music fan and I’ve never heard one of his songs on the radio, so he’s definitely not big. I’ve also never heard one of his songs or seen one of his music videos. I think he’s only popular with people who are already fans of the show because he doesn’t do any touring or singing in bars to get his name out like most country artists do to get their big break. He just acts like he’ll miraculously make it big without much work by putting his stuff out on social media and now bringing in a well known and well liked Bachelor alum who was known as the girl who hadn’t had her first kiss yet at 23 years old by everyone on the show. She actually is roommates with former Bachelorette Hannah Brown now too so I think he’s just trying to use her little bit of star power to help his music career out. 

[RosyDaisy]

I found Lawson's music videos on YouTube Music.  He has 3 albums there too.

[AussieKrissy]

On 8/22/2020 at 11:45 PM, HideousGreenShirt said:

It's allegedly Heather Martin from The Bachelor. They are following each other and she posted photos with a similar truck in Nashville in July. 

I'd be surprised if these two are dating and it's not just a video cameo for his next dull music release. 

I have to wonder if Lawson had the conversation “um could you maybe put on some clothes for my video clip please”.  Imagine if she rocked up and was told ah sorry cover up.  I don’t know which one is her and the dress is less scandalous than the shorts but not by much Bates standards. 

[HereticHick]

On 8/22/2020 at 2:08 PM, RosyDaisy said:

I found Lawson's music videos on YouTube Music.  He has 3 albums there too.

Yup.

But as far as we know, he's never gotten any radio airplay or his videos shown on any tv music channel. We don't believe he's ever "charted"  (unlike Katie Bates' beau Travis--his family had a recent single that was on the gospel music charts for one week) Also, he doesn't have a recording contract, as far as we can tell, so no label to "promote him" or book performances. He's only done a handful of concerts in his life--he's never toured--and most of those concerts have been at churches. I don't have have evidence that he's made enough from his song and video downloads to cover the costs of recording his songs and shooting his videos.

 

tl;dr As far as I can tell, Lawson's "music career" is not progressing.

[ophelia]

On 8/22/2020 at 7:26 PM, JanasTattooParlor said:

I’m a huge country music fan and I’ve never heard one of his songs on the radio, so he’s definitely not big. I’ve also never heard one of his songs or seen one of his music videos. I think he’s only popular with people who are already fans of the show because he doesn’t do any touring or singing in bars to get his name out like most country artists do to get their big break. He just acts like he’ll miraculously make it big without much work by putting his stuff out on social media and now bringing in a well known and well liked Bachelor alum who was known as the girl who hadn’t had her first kiss yet at 23 years old by everyone on the show. She actually is roommates with former Bachelorette Hannah Brown now too so I think he’s just trying to use her little bit of star power to help his music career out. 

Just leaving you a ? from one huge country music fan to another.

[rebeccawriter01]

15 hours ago, HereticHick said:

Yup.

But as far as we know, he's never gotten any radio airplay or his videos shown on any tv music channel. We don't believe he's ever "charted"  (unlike Katie Bates' beau Travis--his family had a recent single that was on the gospel music charts for one week) Also, he doesn't have a recording contract, as far as we can tell, so no label to "promote him" or book performances. He's only done a handful of concerts in his life--he's never toured--and most of those concerts have been at churches. I don't have have evidence that he's made enough from his song and video downloads to cover the costs of recording his songs and shooting his videos.

 

tl;dr As far as I can tell, Lawson's "music career" is not progressing.

His music videos are available for free for Prime members on Amazon, as is the video that Carlin and Evan did. 

A few notes about his music career:

1. He does not have a contract or label. He currently has to pay for studio time, band members (pickers), and even his production team. This also leaves him doing distribution of his CD, as there is no deal with a label to place his music at Walmart, Starbucks, or even the drug store. The "tour" was essentially him calling little theaters and churches to ask for a time to perform. My limited research showed that most of these were done on week nights or afternoons. Many bands will do this sort of thing to kick off a career and show that they have a ready audience, but it isn't promising to be on your third or fourth pass at an album. He doesn't go out to showcase nights in Nashville, which are pretty much a must if aren't signed by a label.

2. Erin piano recordings were done the same way. She doesn't have the drive to be a big country star like her brother. I only point it out because she uses that same vague language as Lawson - "I was asked to record another CD..." Who asked you? "I was presented the opportunity to record..." You mean you got some money from UP for filming and decided to spend it on another one? No shame. I just felt it necessary to point it out that he's not the only family member who does that.

3. His music videos are shot by Johnson Marketing and Media, which is the group that has done the family's website, Brandon/Michaela's site, Chad/Erin's site, Lawson's site, and the Bates Sisters Boutique site. Their video production is adequate and creative in a lot of respects. I just doubt they have the connections to get it out there to a CMT for example. So again, Lawson is left to make cold calls and emulate what he thinks he is supposed to do to get himself out there. 

4. This all leads Lawson to have to do behind the scenes jobs that he has no education or training to do. We've seen him carry in multiple boxes of his own CD to the house. That's clearly an indication of no distribution team. We saw him making calls to arrange shows, including having his siblings taking tickets, etc. His band is clearly a rent by the hour variety. I've known musicians and even dated one. These guys and girls are usually attached at the hip to the band. No way does he go away for months to other countries or territories and leave "his" band alone. They probably work together and have other gigs. Lawson has to hire groups to back him up. Evidence of this comes out on the show when he's asked band members if they know his songs. 

Lawson is not a great singer. He's got a dime a dozen sound. He's not going to make it in country music where there more than a dozen hot guys with much bigger talent. Even his packaging is tired. He's wanting to be known as a Tennessee cowboy (don't get me started) who loves God and the USA. Other than his cowboy schtick, can someone name 10 country music artists who don't proclaim a love of God and the USA? That's just kind of standard. 

If he wants to make it in music, he should concentrate on the song writing and lyric writing. He seems to have some talent and ability in those areas. His music isn't my style, but I think he could probably sell some of them to other artists. 

[Bobology]

3 hours ago, rebeccawriter01 said:

Lawson is not a great singer. He's got a dime a dozen sound.

Yes, and I'd even say less than a dime a dozen voice. The sisters we've heard sing better than he does, the other men in the family we have heard sing are also better: Evan, Bobby, Travis (if we can consider him part of the family at this time.) I can't remember hearing any of his brothers sing solo, but there was one very short video clip somewhere, maybe Instagram, where Zach played the piano and I was impressed.

[neuroticcat]

I will say one thing I’ve liked is how the Bates family seems to support his goals/desire to be a singer. Maybe that’s a post-up phenomenon but I would have not expected the ATI crows to essentially say - we believe in you and you can do it.

[marmalade]

Per his IG, Law shot a new video. I think the girl in it is the Bachelorette, but I'm not 100% positive. I thankfully had the sound off, so I can't give a review. The single drops next week.

Edited August 26, 2020 by marmalade

[formergothardite]

12 hours ago, neuroticcat said:

I will say one thing I’ve liked is how the Bates family seems to support his goals/desire to be a singer. Maybe that’s a post-up phenomenon but I would have not expected the ATI crows to essentially say - we believe in you and you can do it.

They have always supported  Lawson in his dreams for fame. Before they rewrote their history, Kelly admitted they bought those poor horses for Lawson to use as props in some cowboy movie he was trying to make. They flew him to talk to Christian movie creators. They built a log cabin for him in the woods beside his house to be used in his cowboy photoshoots. This was all before UP.

Kelly and Gil have always been all into making Lawson a star. I don't know if it is because he gave them money so he was the favored one, but they seemed to have treated him as his desires for fame as special and something to be encouraged. 

[FluffySnowball]

17 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

They have always supported  Lawson in his dreams for fame. Before they rewrote their history, Kelly admitted they bought those poor horses for Lawson to use as props in some cowboy movie he was trying to make. They flew him to talk to Christian movie creators. They built a log cabin for him in the woods beside his house to be used in his cowboy photoshoots. This was all before UP.

Kelly and Gil have always been all into making Lawson a star. I don't know if it is because he gave them money so he was the favored one, but they seemed to have treated him as his desires for fame as special and something to be encouraged. 

Maybe they think that’s his ministry - becoming famous... for Jesus. 

[Lgirlrocks]

8 hours ago, marmalade said:

Per his IG, Law shot a new video. I think the girl in it is the Bachelorette, but I'm not 100% positive. I thankfully had the sound off, so I can't give a review. The single drops next week.

I was surprised by the way she was dressed and how close he was sitting with her. 

[AussieKrissy]

17 minutes ago, Lgirlrocks said:

I was surprised by the way she was dressed and how close he was sitting with her. 

Hypocrisy at its finest. Not allowed to act like that in real life, but hey if it makes you famous and makes you money. 

[VBOY9977]

11 hours ago, marmalade said:

Per his IG, Law shot a new video. I think the girl in it is the Bachelorette, but I'm not 100% positive. I thankfully had the sound off, so I can't give a review. The single drops next week.

She Heather Martin from the Bachelor. Colton’s season. 

[The Mother Dust]

You know, sometimes when i'm really bored and i think about this stuff, i've kind of wondered why BUB/Lawson hasn't done a crossover with the tv show that Rory Feek has.  They actually don't live that far from each other.  They both have small screen struggle fame issues, they could probably use each other.  But maybe their schtick's are too similar....they'd be competing for the same audience.   Just thinking out loud.

Edited August 29, 2020 by The Mother Dust

[OHFL2009]

People has an article and "exclusive photos" of Lawson's new song and music video. It says in the article that he had never met Heather before the shoot. Apparently it's ok to be touchy-feely with a ripped-jeans wearing girl you've never met if if it's to bolster your "music career." 

[BeccaGrim]

Could the have made that preview of the article look any more like a courtship announcement? It totally looked like he was announcing something, just as I'm sure it was intended to. 

[AussieKrissy]

32 minutes ago, BeccaGrim said:

Could the have made that preview of the article look any more like a courtship announcement? It totally looked like he was announcing something, just as I'm sure it was intended to. 

I recognised the truck from being talked about on here (in the video clip). so I didn’t buy it was a courtship (like he was hoping to drum up interest). Mind you I still came here to double check lol. 

[Lgirlrocks]

Lawson did a lot of hand holding in that video. He also kissed the girl on the head. I think it’s a super cute video but very pg13 for a fundie!

Edited September 4, 2020 by Lgirlrocks

[AussieKrissy]

3 hours ago, Lgirlrocks said:

Lawson did a lot of hand holding in that video. He also kissed the girl on the head. I think it’s a super cute video but very pg13 for a fundie!

Omg. He is giving away pieces of his heart! How will his future wife feel? How will he explain to his future daughters what he did and how they can’t be like her!  The fucking hypocrisy of this shit baffles me. 

[justmy2cents]

Is it just me or does she look a lot like Sadie Robertson who I believe was in his other video, and I thought he had a crush on?

[Cupcake79]

Would one of the Bates girls be allowed to make a video like that? I don’t think so. Would one of the Duggars boys be allowed to? I’m not so sure. 
I do think that Lawson has a fairly good voice, but not good enough to make it in the music business. I’m European so I’m not quite sure if I understand just how big country music is in the US, but I’ve come to understand that it can be lucrative, am I right?

[GuineaPigCourtship]

It can be lucrative but, as all "fame and fortune" jobs it is highly, highly competitive and he isn't putting in the leg work to promote himself.

[Italiangirl]

Out of curiosity, I check "the Bate's family blog" the one run by Lily and Emily after months I haven't visited, and I under the post of the new song and new video Lawson public a could of days ago there are almost all negative comments about him being to close with the girl, her being from the Bachelor (anty Christian show for some reason) him being too old to still wanting to be a country music star and not having done much till now etc. 

I'm kind surprise they let the comment pass, I was convinced they would have deleted them and just left the positive one 

[LillyP]

I'm a huge country music fan. There are plenty of completely mediocre country music artists who have hit it big for the years....just "ok" music, but they're cute and can turn on the charm, and along the way someone felt they would be easily marketable. The thing about Lawson, is that even though he isn't that great he probably could have at least had a low-tier level of fame in the actual country music industry - even if it's just as a songwriter. I don't think his songs are anything over the top amazing but in the grand scheme of things they aren't horrible...and that's with probably very little professional guidance. If he got a publishing deal and got to go in a writers session with seasoned songwriters he could maybe have a go of it. It'll never happen for him though - because in order to make it you've gotta grind it out playing in dive bars and honkey tonks around Nashville and on the road to gain a following. The cult would NEVER let that fly because 99% of the  venues would be considered far less than wholesome.