Ok, well I have a kind of a big announcement I'd like to share..First, I’d like to say how much I appreciate your support over the years. Some of you have been following me for over 20 years. And some of you have just recently found me, and I’m just as thankful because that means that my music is still reaching and resonating with new people. Thank you for coming along for the ride, supporting my work, coming to my shows, buying my records, and just being a good friend. I don’t really know if I could do it without you.
As an independent artist, I’ve had to wear many hats, (not just the cowboy ones). I’m not just a singer/songwriter. I’m a performer, producer, promoter, live sound engineer, record label, manager, graphic designer, website designer, and photographer. I’ve learned about booking, accounting, logistics, recording, social media management, inventory management, record release strategies, and I’m constantly inquiring and learning how to adapt in a volatile, unpredictable, oversaturated industry. I’m not complaining - I love it. To me, there is nothing better than learning new ideas and techniques, getting better at my craft, and becoming more and more self-sufficient in the process. I’ve survived this business so far, and I don’t plan on quitting anytime soon.
But honestly, things are weird. I think we all feel it. Everyone is at the same time connected to the world but disconnected from each other. We are inundated and overwhelmed by information, a lot of it meaningless, unsure if what we are seeing is real, AI, authentic or factual. As an artist, we are equally distracted and buried by an oversaturation of “content”. And it can be extremely hard to break through and reach the people who truly want to hear your work, and even harder to maintain meaningful connections with listeners.
The reality is that the state of the music industry has changed greatly in the last 5 years. It’s harder than ever to be an independent artist, as the streaming model just doesn’t compensate artists fairly. The big social media sites just don’t work anymore, and your work is valued by meaningless numbers. Metrics. The Almighty Algorithm. And unless you can feed this machine, your work will go unnoticed. It’s “pay to play” now and unfortunately, all artists are struggling - wondering if it’s possible, or even worth it to continue.
Soooo I’m very excited to finally share that I’ve decided to take more control over my work, my reach, and my career, by launching a
Patreon account . And I’m inviting you to check it out, and consider becoming a patron of my art and music.
I’ve recently made some important realizations about what truly matters to me as an artist. I'm starting a Patreon account to take a deeper step into building a genuine community with those who truly value my music and the art I create. I want to take a step back from the noise, and connect with the folks that genuinely love and support my work – without the constant obstacles and roadblocks of social media. I’ve always cherished the relationships I’ve built throughout my career, and I'm hoping to re-establish the personal connection that I’ve cherished so much.
If you
follow the link, you can initially join for free. There are other subscription tiers as well, and through those, you’ll be able to directly support my work- from the conception of songs and new ideas to the finished product. My goals with Patreon are fairly simple: I want to write more. I want to record more. I want to fund my upcoming records and promotional campaigns giving them a fighting chance in the world. But above all, my passion is songwriting: developing, honing my skills, exploring, and becoming a better writer every day. I want to grow my career in songwriting by creating more space and time to write songs for myself, and for other artists. To me, it truly is all about the song. Songs are what connect us and unite us as people. As artists, we are not here to save the world, we are just here to interpret it. We’re here to create something out of nothing – we are conduits of some kind of divine energy, awake to the smallest pieces of inspiration that the majority cannot see. We create the light, the wavelengths that you can hold onto.
To be transparent, I’ve struggled with the idea of starting a Patreon for years. I opened the account over seven years ago, and it’s just been sitting there dormant and unfinished. I’ve often wondered if I’m heard and valued in this industry, or if anyone is listening. Because honestly in this distracted, noisy, scary world It really is just so hard to tell, and I’ve been hesitant to prove those negative thoughts right.
But one thing that I don’t doubt is my work. I don’t doubt my contributions to country music. I know what I create is important, valuable, and different - even if no one is listening. It’s taken me a long time to admit that, but after working for over 25 years in your craft, you do become good at it. That’s why I’ve decided to pull the trigger,
and invite you to become a patron of my music.
In return for your support, I’ll also be offering some cool perks and incentives to my patrons. In addition to fostering a community, member only chats and interactions, I’ll be offering exclusive content. Whether that be new songs, old songs and demos, personal poems, early access to new music and news, behind-the-scenes content, or exclusive merch, I’m very committed to making this account equally valuable to you, as it is for me. But more than that, I want you to know that every bit of support, no matter how big or small, is is incredibly impactful to my career, and you will receive my eternal gratitude for helping me to continue my work as an artist.
Without you, I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t have a career. I probably wouldn’t have released my records, sang hundreds of songs over and over, traveled the world sharing my work, meeting all the people who I very often nostalgically and lovingly remember. Thank you for being a part of my life and career, BELIEVING IN ME, giving me hope, and THANK YOU for considering taking this next step with me. I promise I won’t let you down.
I also think it's important that you know, that this will not be a replacement for touring and live events. I still have upcoming shows, and tours in the works. This is also not intended as an alternative to social media. Even though you might not see my posts, things will be business as usual on my social media accounts. I’ll still be posting updates, announcement, photos, and videos there, but I’ll be using this platform as a better way to connect with the people who value my work.
