Thank you for your interest in booking Erik Stephen for a live event!

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You probably have some questions, and we're available to answer those one-on-one. Contact us at erikstephenmusic@gmail.com with your thoughts or to set up a phone chat with Erik Stephen himself. 

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We'd like to attempt to cover some basics here though, just in case that helps.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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What is your actual name/pronunciation/stage name?

Erik Stephen. Pronounced "AIR-ik STEE-ven." For legal purposes only, my full name is Erik Stephen Hand. When being introduced from stage I prefer Erik Stephen. 

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How long have you been making music?

I've been writing and recording songs since I was thirteen. I gave my life to God at age 19 and fully submitted my music to Him a few years later. In 2002 I released my first album under the name King MC. After awhile my wife and I decided we wanted to do more for God, and we sold everything and hit the road full-time in April of 2015 as music-missionaries ("musicianaries"). We wanted more than what the music industry has to offer -- we wanted to make a difference for God's kingdom. Since then He's blessed us more and more with opportunities to serve Him by bringing Gospel-centered music to communities all over the United States.

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What is your ministry's vision?

Our calling is to partner with Gospel-minded churches and Christian leaders all over the United States to put on Gospel-centered events to reach their communities using music as a tool. We do strive to be professional and to excel in all we do musically, but at the end of the day music is just the vehicle through which we speak into lives. Erik Stephen does that throughout his performance, sharing parts of his testimony and encouraging others to know God in between songs. We (generally Erik Stephen, his wife Michelle, & son Grayson) also do this after the event when we invite the audience to come back to meet us and get a free CD and, if they'd like, to pray together. Our hope is that when we leave a lasting difference has been made and that we'll be able to keep up with some of the people we've met through social media after we've left. We also endeavor to be a bridge between the hosting church or group and their community so that that group can maintain lasting ministry relationships with people long after we've gone.

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What will it cost to bring you out to perform at a live event?

We don't charge a set fee to come out and do a live event. If your group is able to take up a love offering or make a donation of some kind for our time, we would greatly appreciate it as this is how we cover our costs of living and doing ministry. However, our first goal is to make our ministry available to those who need it, so don't let money be the reason not to book us. 

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We do ask that lodging of some sort be provided while we travel through your town. A guest bedroom is more than adequate. Our family currently includes two adults, an infant, and a small house-trained dog who does tour with us, so accommodations need to be child-friendly and pet-friendly. 

 

Some groups prefer to book a motel room, which is also great; we just ask that it be a pet-friendly room and that the pet fee (if there is one - there are several motel chains that charge no pet fees, and many more that are very low) be covered so Erik Stephen's family can stay together. We travel full-time, so as a rule we can't split up the family (even the dog!) while on the road. 

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Other than that, the only thing it will cost is some time and effort to promote the show! That's a really important part of any event, so if you need ideas to get started please contact us as early as possible prior to the event and we'd love to help with that!

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What technical requirements do you have?

The use of a sound system, speakers and a microphone (corded, if possible) are appreciated. We bring a tablet with all of Erik Stephen's background tracks and plug it into whatever you have available. We also ask that you have someone available to run sound both during sound check and the event. 

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How do I get started promoting an event?

First of all, be sure to start early!! Some things get a lot harder to do last-minute. Here's our recommended plan of attack:

• 5-6 weeks ahead of the event (or as soon as you book the event): Tell friends, family, your church about it! Get it listed in your church bulletin, post flyers in local businesses/your church/local schools, anywhere you're allowed to do so! If you're planning an event in a public place (like a park), post flyers and/or even a large banner in any public place you can.

• 3-4 weeks ahead: Remind everyone you know about the event! Make sure they know you're excited and that it means a lot to you for them to be there. Create a Facebook invite and send it to all your local friends. If you can make an announcement to a group such as your church, be enthusiastic and let people know you can arrange rides for them if needed. We've seen a big difference in attendance at events where someone was able to pick people up for the show! 

• 1-2 weeks ahead:  Keep reminding people, keep making announcements, keep posting flyers -- anything you've been doing, keep doing!

• 3-4 days ahead: Personally call or text anyone who seemed interested in coming to remind them of the time and place of the event! Arrange any rides to the event that may be needed. 

• 1-2 days ahead: Gather some friends to help you pass out flyers around town. Try to use that to start conversations -- people are more likely to attend if they made a personal connection with you.

If you have any questions, let us know! We'd love to help.

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What if I book you for an event, then need to cancel?

We understand sometimes things don’t go according to plan. If you book a show then need to cancel, please let us know as soon as possible!! This helps us have time to fill that slot with another event so there isn't a gap in the tour schedule while we're traveling. If you need to cancel less than three weeks from the show, we would greatly appreciate if you still provide our team with lodging while they're passing through your town since they likely won't be able to book another event to take your slot. 

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But no matter what we value your timely and honest communication. If something’s not working out according to plan, please tell us as soon as you know. It means a lot. Thank you!