Most months, Crowdfunding Radar has a theme; some subgenre of roots music I want to highlight or a type of campaign or backer perk that makes for a good crowdfunder. This month's batch of three couldn't be more different. From a re-issue by a folk and gospel mainstay to a holiday release from a Celtic vocal veteran, to a debut album from a young trio blurring genre lines, the one thing they have in common is a solid foundation upon which to build a crowdfunding campaign.
Phil Keaggy- Love Broke Thru 50th Anniversary Re-Issue (click here to view campaign)
The term “icon” gets thrown around too often, but Phil Keaggy deserves the title. A two time Grammy nominee and seven time Dove Award recipient, Keaggy has released over fifty albums in the folk and gospel genres and is widely hailed by guitar publications as one of the best finger pickers in the world. Love Broke Thru, originally released in 1976, is Keaggy's second album. It not only features some of Keaggy's best-known songs, but one of the strongest stable of Los Angeles-based studio musicians ever assembled. Artists playing on the album include Larry Knechtel (The Wrecking Crew), Leland Sklar (James Taylor, The Section), and Jim Gordon (Derek and the Dominos). For its 50th Anniversary release, Love Broke Thru has been remastered and will be released as a two LP set with three CDs of bonus tracks. The $70,000 Kickstarter campaign is mainly a pre-order campaign so there are few backer perks outside of a chance to get a “Producer” credit. The album will be available in red and marble vinyl, CD, and digital formats.
Vandalia- Debut Album (click here to view campaign)
Vandalia consists of three artists from three different parts of the country with diverse musical backgrounds: old-time fiddle tunes, bluegrass, classical guitar, Scottish music, and more. They've only been a band for just over a year after meeting at a festival, but they've toured widely during that time and are running a $11,000 Kickstarter campaign to get their first album recorded and released. You can get the album in digital and signed CD formats. You can also get backer perks like a koozie, a branded notebook, a tunebook, a band compiled cookbook of road favorites, and a lesson in guitar, fiddle, or cello. Also included are backer exclusive updates on the status of the album.
Alex Sharpe- The Secret of Christmas (click here to view campaign)
If you're like me, the mention of Christmas during the stifling heat of summer is usually a bit nauseating. But for Crowdfunders, the term “Christmas in July” is a real thing. In order to fund, record, master, and release an album in time for the Christmas shopping season, crowdfunding artists have to start in the summer, if not earlier. Alex Sharpe is a name you may know from her stint in the touring band Celtic Woman. After leaving that outfit, she began exploring more swing and big band sounds, especially in regards to Christmas songs. Now she's ready to release her own take on classic Christmas songs and a few lesser known ones, all from the swing era. For her $5,000 Kickstarter campaign, she has several backer perks. In addition to the album in digital, CD, and vinyl formats, you can get a Christmas card with a gift download of the album, a calendar with original artwork, and a signed print of the album artwork.
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