So, it's time to make an album

After six years of writing, performing, and fine tuning a catalogue of songs, I’m ready to head into the studio and create a full length album that I can proudly share with the world. I have full band arrangements of ten original songs, from folk to funky rock to soul to straight-ahead jazz, just waiting to be recorded and reach your beautiful ears.

I really believe that these songs speak to truth, beauty, goodness, goofiness, fun, sorrow, and just being human. With your support, this album can finally be made and sent out into the musical chasm of the world.

To me, music is a gift that isn’t supposed to be held on to. If it isn’t shared with others, it’s just like the forgotten apples in the bottom drawer of your refrigerator - rotting away, turning brown and mushy, not giving their sweetness to anyone at all.

And here's the plan

For the past ten years, I’ve been sharing my music in one way or another with those around me - with friends, at church, for family, at events where organizers are looking for music to set the mood or enhance the experience. With my view of sharing music as a gift, I have not amassed any sort of “musical savings” to fund the creation of an album, which is exactly where you can come it right now.

If you help me reach my fundraising goal, I will head into Sacred Heart Recording Studio, the premier recording studio in Duluth, MN, this summer to work with some amazing people and bring this album to life. Many great Minnesota bands have recorded at Sacred Heart in the past, including Trampled by Turtles, Low, Charlie Parr, Gaelynn Lea, and many more. If I don't make my fundraising goal, I will work with a smaller recording studio in Duluth to complete this album.

I have many reward options that you can choose when you sign up to support this project, including music, merchandise, live shows, and some quirky, personalized oddities. The money you pledge will be used for time in the recording studio, mixing, mastering, paying musicians, CD production, and reward fulfillment.

This project can’t happen without you, so I humbly and tremblingly ask for your magnanimous support to create some beautiful music.

Risks & Challenges

There's always an element of risk in supporting a creative project like an album, because you (as the listener) never know what the final product will be until you hear it. But hopefully, that's part of the excitement and the joy in being a supporter.

In addition to the years writing and performing these songs, I've also been spending a lot of time in the last two months specifically planning this campaign and this album. I will absolutely do everything in my power to make sure that at the end of this, you have an album in the hand that you and I can both be proud of.

I've learned a lot in the recording I've done on my own, and with some guidance from professional technicians and the support of a great cast of musicians, I am confident this will be great.

Other Ways You Can Help

Whether you can contribute financially to this project or not, you can still help by spreading the word! Tell your mom, remind your cat, and soliloquize to your next-door neighbor about this album and this campaign. Share this page with all your friends on the interwebs and whatever social medias you use. The more people this campaign can reach, the more likely we can make this goal and get a great album into your hands and ears.