About me:
Hi - I'm CK Brown, singer/songwriter.
My first CD, "If I Believed", is set to release this year. Recording a professional CD of my positive music is a dream I've had for 30 years. My music is described as an eclectic conscious pop-folk-country rock-bluegrass that makes you smile.
I've performed all my life - singing and playing in bands, church and community events. Then I began traveling around the world to places like Bali, Cambodia, Peru, and singing for kids in schools and orphanages. I realized people everywhere were thirsty for the kind of positive music that I loved to sing and play. I started writing songs about being your best, believing in yourself and following your dreams, and this turned into the theme for my first CD.
Why wait 30 years to record my first CD? I didn't believe I was good enough - thought I had to have it all figured out before I took that first step. Then 3 years ago, I came to realize there were no guarantees I would ever have it figured out. So, I took that first step, not knowing where it would lead, but believing I could do it if I just kept working at it.
By taking that first step, and holding onto belief that I would be shown the next step, I have recorded 10 of 11 songs for my first CD titled "If I Believed". The title cut is co-written by me, along with my producer and friend Freebo (yep, the great bass player who toured for years with Bonnie Raitt).
About my CD project's path:
I have learned tons, along my recording path, and it has been especially great to find I was a pretty decent singer. I hired amazing pro artists to make a really high-quality professional CD. About half the songs are recorded at Addison Studios in the LA area, with the very talented Robert Tepper doing the engineering and mixing, and Freebo adding his expertise to every step of the production.
Because I also wanted to put a bit of CK signature bluegrass instrumentation into the folk-pop-rock mix, I was led to work with another fantastic studio engineer/producer,
Jim Ratts of Raven Studios (and Runaway Express fame) in the Denver, Colorado area. Through Jim, I was fortunate to meet, and hire, the top bluegrass instrumentalist in Colorado, the versatile, amazingly talented and humorously humble musical magician , Ernie Martinez. Ernie plays more instruments than anyone I know, plays each one expertly, and I am honored to have his instruments on several of my songs.
I have incredible singers providing harmony backups, such as Freebo, Daniel Nahmod, Mollie O'Brien, Amy Nugent and Mailyn Faulkner. I also included my favorite accordian player, John Magnee of The Subdudes fame, which adds a wonderful, unique quality to the sound!
What YOU get for supporting my CD
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This is where you come in. Since I began this CD project in 2011, I have tried funding the whole thing completely on my own. It has been tough, and the project had to go on hold for months at a time, as I saved up enough money to pay for a little more recording or mixing time.
As I near completion of the CD, I see it will be very beneficial to the project to have outside monetary support, so I have enough time in the studio time to record and mix polished vocals for the remaining songs, professionally master the CD, put together professional graphics, pay the licensing and copyright fees, and of course have the CDs themselves physically made.
- My initial goal on this campaign is to raise $25,000. All money raised will go towards professional studio time, airfare to get to the studios, professional session musicians and background singers, high quality mastering, professional graphics and CD production, distribution to online retailers and pressing, copywright and licensing fees, promotional materials such as CDs, cards and posters.
If I am able to exceed my goal, I have plans to put together a professional music video with a positive theme, start production on a CD to help children see the best in themselves, and begin working towards my next positive message CD.
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Take a look over to the right, where I'm offering many cool perks for you, including new music downloads, autographed CDs, amazing programs from a best selling author, and coaching sessions to help you step into your own greatness! Because I am also a certified Infinite Possibilities Trainer, AND a certified Passion Test Facilitator, I am offering wonderful classes, no matter where you are in the world, through the wonders of computer webinars. If you are local to the Seattle area, or want to fly me to where you're at, you can even host your own house concert for your friends.
Every person who backs my project, and everyone who helps by spreading the word, will be part of making this CD a reality in 2014! Every dollar that is contributed helps me continue to do what I love, which is bringing heartfelt, positive music to the world, and in doing so, uplifting people to believe in themselves and being the best that they can be.
I ask everyone to please share the link to this page as much as possible, whether or not you are able to make a monetary donation.
- Email it to individuals and groups who might be interested in helping indie music thrive, or might be helped by adding positive music to their life.
- Post my campaign link to your Facebook - share it on Twitter - post it on your enewsletter or blog - be the center of the positive ripple that spreads out to uplift the rest of the world.
Bottom line action:
- Please tell your friends, co-worker, family, acquaintances about my campaign - share my link and ask them to share as well.
- Read through the perks, click and select the donate level you like
Thanks for whatever you can do - I really appreciate your help in producing my CD.