Short Summary
While I was working at Chapters an elderly friend of mine pointed his finger at me and said "you need to make an album of traditional New Brunswick Folk music!" I smiled and said "Why? I don't know any of those songs" He said "And that's why YOU need to do it" Jump ahead 6 years an my wife was just given a very serious cancer diagnosis and Kings Landing was looking for a singer/actor to work at the village. I turned them down as I felt I couldn't perform the type of music needed. They asked me to re-apply and I thought, "this is the first musical acting gig I haven't ever applied for" They offered me a job and assigned me the character Abraham Munn, born 1858 and wrote the melody of "Peter Emberley" When I started at Kings Landing I learned that song as well as added some other familiar americana and period appropriate songs. One day while singing on a horse driven wagon a lady asked me "Do you know any New Brunswick songs?" I replied "Yes I do!" and sang Peter Emberley. All of a sudden my elderly friends "prophetic words" from six years ago made sense and I dove head first into learning and studying the folk songs of NB. I have now added over 25 of them to my daily set list at Kings Landing.
What We Need & What You Get
I was granted $6000.00 by Music New Brunswick to record a $14,000.00 album.
I'm looking to raise $6000.00 to get me to the goal line. I have managed to raise $2000 but I need your help to get the recording done and delivered by March 2020
The Impact
If you ask 100 New Brunswicker's to name 1 traditional folk song, you would be very lucky if they were able to tell you a title of a song.
Your contribution will breathe new life into the songs of New Brunswick from the 19th Century. Most of these songs have not been put on a single album since Louise Manny in the early 1960's recorded some of them an Folkways records released some of them on Ethnic Folkways Library #FM 4053.
Risks & Challenges
Music New Brunswick has granted me half of the money needed, which means I have to raise the other half. I have to complete the project by March 2020 and if I don't I will be in default. This means the money goes back and I have had to spend $900.00 of the first $4500.00 received in admin fees. So If i go in default I'm in the hole $900.00 without ever recording one song.
Other Ways You Can Help
Spread the word please, approach businesses who may want to invest in the project
Share the heck out of this project
Contact CBC radio and ask them to play "Pretty Susan The Pride Of Kildare" as recorded by Mike Bravener. hint hint, it's in their library
