Jonah Smith Names Fan CEO of Virtual Label With First Release “Lights On” Set for Spring ‘09
"Easy going, soulful music" The Wall St. Journal
"As soulful and satisfying as a spoonful of Tupelo honey" Anthony DeCurtis
Since leaving Relix Records in 2007, soulful Brooklyn songsmith Jonah Smith has decided to put matters into his fans hands. After reading a story about Jill Sobule's innovative idea to let her fans finance her new album in Billboard Magazine and in an online music blog called the Lefsetz Letter, Smith has decided to try this same route to raise money for the promotional aspects of his new album ‘Lights On’
Smith, who has just put up a website dedicated to this cause (www.jonahsmith.com/donation.html) <http://www.jonahsmith.com/donation.html)> has already raised a considerable amount of money in small increments from fans enticed by the prospect of getting immediate access to a digital copy of the record with exclusive bonus tracks. Smith's goal is $50,000 and he is offering various incentives to donate. For example, a $5000 donation gets you a private house concert and a $100 donation gets you a digital copy of the record, a signed CD upon release and a limited edition T-Shirt.
He raised money to finance his project entitled "Lights On" independently and enlisted Grammy-winner, Malcolm Burn (Emmylou Harris, Carrie Rodriguez, Kaki King) to produce. Planning an official release this Spring, Smith is performing many of the new songs as well as material from his self-titled Relix album on tour including a show this Friday, 1/16 at Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleeker St. – New York, NY). As a special promotion this week, Smith is offering a pair of tickets to his show at LPR to anyone who donates $100 or more to the “Lights On” album fund by Friday 1/16 (in addition to the other incentives).
"My goal with this project is to be able to create a stronger connection with my fans and to be able to bring them more music, faster by allowing them to have direct access to it. I have a lot of music I want to share and only being able to release a record every few years is frustrating to me. If this works out, I plan to get the fans involved much earlier in the process next time. I have five different ideas for records that I want to make right now. I could let the fans help prioritize which I should do first by allowing them to invest in the project that they are most excited about."
