Crowdfunding platforms make it possible for individuals and organizations of any size to harness social networks and raise start-up capital for projects that might otherwise fail due to lack of funding. Each week, Xpress highlights notable Western North Carolina crowdsourcing initiatives that may inspire readers to become new faces in the crowd.
Andrew Finn Magill’s sophomore album
Most artistic works are an amalgamation of previous influences and the maker’s own unique contributions. Longtime local fiddler Andrew Finn Magill, however, hopes to partition the two creative inputs in his forthcoming double CD. The first 10-song disc, called ‘Roots,’ will contain “exclusively Irish music — the music I grew up playing with some of the people I grew up playing it with.” The second disc, entitled ‘Branches,’ will contain Magill’s more modernized works — “original compositions anchored in that Irish music I grew up playing, but also very influenced by 10 years of living,” he says, noting worldwide travels during the songs’ decade-long gestation period. The musician has already funded travel, publicity and several other early expenses associated with Roots and Branches, but he aims to raise $6,000 more by Thursday, Oct. 15, to pay for studio time in Orlando, studio musicians and manufacturing of the sophomore release.
Redleg Husky’s new LP
“We’re going bigger than ever for this one, traveling from our home in Asheville to Connecticut to record at one of the country’s premier Americana studios Dirt Floor in October,” reads the campaign page for Redleg Husky’s sophomore album My Old Heart. “We believe that what we produce there will be the truest representation of our songwriting and musicianship yet.” Not only has gigging multiple times per week for the last several years provided the musicians with an income, but they’ve been able to save enough money to make the album themselves. The acoustic roots trio, however, aims to raise $1,500 by Wednesday, Oct. 7, to get the finished product out to a wider audience. “The other thing that we always appreciate is you coming out to a show, bringing a friend that likes instruments with strings on them, shaking a tail feather and possibly buying Son [Haus] a beer,” the band adds. “He plays bass better that way.”
Send your crowdsourcing campaign news to kmcreynolds@mountainx.com. A limited number of campaigns will be highlighted each week, at Xpress’ discretion. Campaigns must be locally based and should represent a current project with an achievable goal. Conditions are subject to change. Read about more Western North Carolina projects here.
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