Over the years I've featured all kinds of crowdfunding campaigns in this space. From artists promoting their first album to those raising funds for their 20th. But I've always had a soft spot for folks running their first campaign. Crowdfunding is hard anytime and it doesn't get any less hard the more you do. In fact, it could be argued it gets harder as you ask the same people for more money. But there's a courage in launching that first campaign, in figuring out a realistic goal, in putting together that first list of campaign perks that will tempt buyers into pledging at higher dollar levels, in making that first ask for money from strangers. This month, I'm celebrating that with three artists running their first Kickstarter campaign.
This isn't Pug Johnson's first album (we reviewed his most recent effort here). But it's his first Kickstarter campaign for an album. While his last album was a loose concept album, Johnson is promising this one to be a more traditional “down-home, solid gold country heartache album” in the spirit of folks like Merle Haggard and George Jones. A perusal of live videos shows that Johnson certainly has the world-worn delivery to pull it off. The Beaumont Texas native also has a solid track record of opening for some of the best solid gold artists going, including Clint Black, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and Steve Earle. For this album, Pug Johnson is running a Kickstarter with a $19,000 goal, but one that already has built-in stretch goals for $25,000 and beyond. He has a host of perks on hand to tempt potential backers. You can get the album in digital, CD, and vinyl formats if he reaches that $25,000 goal. Also available are bonus demos of the songs from the album, a behind the scenes documentary, a hand-numbered art print, and the chance to hang in the studio for a day.
Charissa Hoffman's instrument of choice, the ukulele, might be one that doesn't get as much love in the roots community as the mandolin or banjo, but it's one that Hoffman has mastered to fit her own style of folk and Ameriana music. It's bought her a lot of attention in the industry as well, evidenced by the staggering array of guests she has lined up for her album Horizon. She has renowned fiddler John Mailander in the producer's chair, as well as tapping Chris Eldridge (Punch Brothers), Béla Fleck, Abigail Washburn, Nina de Vitry, Mark Raudabaugh (Donna the Buffalo), and Chris Lippincott. For her $10,000 Kickstarter campaign, Hoffman has a host of unique backer perks available. In addition to getting the album in digital and CD formats, you can also get a Pinterest board prepared by Hoffman, a custom individualized playlist, a thank you video from Hoffman's cat, a guide to creating “a killer grocery list,” and a custom crocheted object.
Omar Ruiz-Lopez may be crowdfunding his debut solo album, but he's far from a new artist. With over 20 years in the music business, Ruiz-Lopez has toured and recorded with artists such as The War and Treaty, Lizzie No, Jonathan Byrd, and Langhorne Slim. His mix of old-time, Celtic, and Brazilian fiddle traditions makes for a unique style that begs to be heard. Those years of hard work and hard touring have paid off in the list of guests Ruiz-Lopez has lined up for his debut, including producer Sean Sullivan (Sturgill Simpson), Rachel Baiman, Ethan Jodziewicz (Maya de Vitry, Sierra Hull), Harry Bartlett, and Lauren Horbal. To fund his $20,000 Kickstarter campaign, Ruiz-Lopez has a number of backer perks, including the album in digital and vinyl formats, a t-shirt, a hand-pressed block print in two styles, and autographed hand-written lyrics.
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