Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Adler.
Hi Dan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
My wife, Sandy, and I started Heart of the City Ministries in 1996 as a multi-ethnic, non-profit Christian music ministry with a focus on building bridges across racial lines through music. We formed a large multi-ethnic band called the Heart of the City Band and began to lead once-monthly, large city-wide musical gatherings in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Over the years, we began doing those kind of big gathering events less and focused more on traveling, performing, and recording with the band. Then, in 2015, we got a great deal on a couple of large spaces on the 2nd floor of the Old Milk Factory in Anoka. We decided to put a small office in there as well as a recording studio. Then, over the next two and a half years, we gradually raised funds and volunteer help and built out what is now the Heart of the City Music Factory. With the opening of the Music Factory, we added another arm of our organization as the Heart of the City Band continued to travel and perform.
The Music Factory opened its doors in 2018 and began to host a regular concert series featuring both local and national artists. Many of these artists are blatant “Christian” in the focus of their music, but we also have many family-friendly “secular” concerts of jazz, rock, bluegrass, and classical artists – as well as clean comedians.
Now, in our 26th year as an organization, the Heart of the City Band has recorded 8 albums of stylistically diverse music and continues to perform throughout the year. The Music Factory hosts a thriving concert series and also rents out the facility for weddings, receptions, birthdays, anniversaries and company parties.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not at all been a smooth road. In regards to the Heart of the City Band, focusing on racial unity is a very upstream challenge. It can be an overwhelming and very discouraging task. Sadly, our society has become more racially divided since we began and the issues are complex and divisive. Musically, because the Heart of the City Band intentionally records and performs diverse styles of music, we are difficult to market and don’t get airplay. In regards to the Music Factory, having extremely limited funds made our build-out process a long and tedious two and a half years. Then about a year and a half after we started, Covid hit and we were shut down for almost a year. But thankfully, we have really picked things back up at the Music Factory and it is doing well. And the Heart of the City Band, with its challenges, has also been a great delight as we have worked together with these great musicians from all of these backgrounds and have been able to serve as a hopeful example of unity to the many tens of thousands of people we have performed for.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a singer/songwriter/guitarist and producer. I’ve written over 200 songs and have had many of them recorded and some published around the world. I’m known as a worship leader and a writer of multi-ethnic music. I write music in a multitude of styles including Reggae, Gospel, Bossa Nova, Merrengue, New Age, Choral, Hymn styles, Native American, Bhangra, Salsa, Rock, Jazz, Country, and Folk. Ironically, my one viral YouTube song is a humorous country song about Minnesota winters entitled “The Minnesota Song” – with about 530,000 views. I’m most proud of my 38+ years of marriage to my beautiful wife, Sandy, and all the ways we work together with music and ministry.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I had a great childhood with loving parents and grandparents. I guess my best memories are of being home as a young boy with my Mom who made life so loving, creative, fun, and safe.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.heartofthecity.org
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/HeartoftheCityMusicFactory
- Youtube: Heart of the City Band @DanAdler
