Crowd funding for next music step

Jackie Guy wants to take another step in her music career, and she is hoping crowd funding can help her take it.

“Since the release of my second album in January, great things have been happening,” she told Yorkton This Week, adding a door has opened for her.

“I have an amazing opportunity to travel to Nashville and work with producer/singer-songwriter Dean Miller. After listening to the album, Dean asked to rework my song ‘Bridges’ and create a music video in Nashville to release this fall.

“Having just completed my eleven-track album, I couldn’t afford to begin a new project so I respectfully declined. Dean, however, continued to keep in touch and after singing at my friend’s six-year-old’s funeral - a very tough moment for me - I decided to go for it! There are no guarantees in life but I want to know at the end of my life, that I gave music my best shot.

“I contacted Sask Music and Creative Sask to see if there were any grants that I might be eligible for, but was told I did not meet their criteria. So, with great encouragement from my marketing team, we decided to try crowdfunding.”

Guy said the costs of recording mean musicians need to be creative in raising the funds they require.

“I think people will see more and more of this because of the expenses involved in developing your career and the limited grants available,” she said. “Most musicians can’t even complete a full-length recording because each single on that album can range from $3,000-5,000 depending on where you go, who produces it, and the calibre of musicians you hire. Therefore, six-track EPs are becoming the norm.

“Awhile back, I remember contacting a videographer to price out the cost to do a video and I couldn’t believe it when he quoted me between $10-25,000 for CMT quality. People don’t know it even costs money to release a single to radio - with no guarantee that they will even play your song.

“And once you’ve invested all those funds, you’ve got to promote the music so that people can find it. I think it’s a good idea to approach your fans for support – these people have a vested interest in you continuing to make music.”

While there are crowd funding options, Guy settled on Indiegogo.

“We chose Indiegogo mainly because we’d known others who had used this platform before with great results,” she said. “Also, Indiegogo allows for flexible funding, so if you don’t meet your goal amount, you still receive the funds raised. I think with Kickstarter that you only receive what is raised if you reach your target. There are so many different ones out there now which shows the trend towards going this route for support.”

As far as setting up the campaign, Guy said she had experienced help.

“Now with the help of my graphic designer and social media manager Carmen Leah who has been working with me since early 2014. I probably wouldn’t have had the courage to go this route without her expertise and encouragement,” she said.

So how does someone become involved?

“It’s actually quite simple,” offered Guy. “The easiest way is to go on my website www.jackieguy.com and click on my home page. There you will find a link to my Indiegogo site and it will take you to where you can pledge towards the project. You enter your email address or connect through your Facebook account and then put in your credit card. It takes about five minutes.

“It is also accessible through my social media sites (Face Book and Twitter @JackieGuyMusic).

“I’m hoping with near and far support to raise $14,000.”

Are there some perks being offered to help sway people to lend their support to the campaign?

“You bet! The perks range anywhere from digital downloads of the single or my albums, to CDs, posters, a photo album of the Nashville journey, backyard concerts, Skype session to assist songwriters or anyone looking to advance themselves to the next level in the industry. There is something for everyone,” said Guy.

The campaign started July 13 and will run until August 27.

“I have also organized an acoustic show in Yorkton on July 31 at the Prairie Harvest Christian Life Centre. Advance tickets are for sale now through me directly or at Fuzztone Music, Century Glass in Melville and Johnson’s Grocery in Norquay and Pelly. All funds we raise at that show will go towards the Nashville trip,” said Guy.

And what happens if Guy hits her goals?

“I’m off to Nashville at the end of August to work with Dean at Beaird Studios! And I will release the music video in the fall,” she said.