Overview

Hello world! My name is Gordon McKeown of 30 Years On and I'm a singer-songwriter here in the beautiful city of Lexington, SC.

Since I was a kid, I dreamed of being a rock star. I used to fill my school notebooks with band names and logos, imagining what it would feel like to stand in front of 70,000 people at Wembley Stadium. In my early 20s, when karaoke became popular, I discovered I could actually sing. That led to guitar lessons from a friend, and soon after, a college band with my brother and a couple of friends. I was hooked.

But life had other plans. A career in nursing, a growing family—music had to take a back seat. Now, after all these years, I finally have the chance to chase that dream again. And this time, I’m taking it.

The material is ready, and the musicians are waiting -- this Plaid Dog campaign is the final step toward creating my first ever, professionally produced studio album.

This campaign is raising funds for my professionally recorded album with Carter Sanders  in Boston, MA. Carter is a seasoned Boston-based producer and engineer with experience working with both established and up-and-coming musicians. Together,  and I are digging into my original material, writing arrangements, and reaching out to local musicians to bring the songs to life. 

We’ve been able to cover the costs of recording and producing one song, which is ready for you to check out right here on this page. This first song is called “Bad Decisions,” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund the recording process for "Bad Decisions” on my own, to create an album of songs of this quality, studio costs add up quickly. With that said, this campaign can give us a unique opportunity to collaborate and make great art together. Your donation will cover the following costs of my project:

1. Pre-Production: This is where everything starts.  and I will start crafting the arrangements for each song slated for the album. We’ll hold rehearsals to fine-tune the songs and arrangements and talk through new and exciting ideas for how to approach the recording process.

2. Recording: This is when we enter the studio and start capturing the music and where the songs become what you'll hear on this album. This campaign will play a huge role in making sure we have enough time to capture great performances for every member of the band.

3. Mixing & Mastering: Each track will get mixed to create the right balance between instruments, texture and color that make up a track. As a final step, the album will be mastered from beginning to end so that the listening experience is cohesive and carefully choreographed from start to finish.

And what will you get for your generosity and support? So many awesome things!

I am so appreciative and grateful for any support you can lend to this campaign. In exchange for your generosity, I've put together a really exciting group of gifts that are available exclusively through your participation in this campaign.

Check out some examples below and a full list to the right!

I don’t know exactly where this journey will take me, but I do know this: music has the power to unite, to heal, to make us feel something. My ultimate goal for this project is simple—to create music that’s heard and felt. If a song can stir an emotion, make someone feel less alone, or even bring a laugh, then it has succeeded. Writing and shaping these songs has been incredibly rewarding, and now it’s time to share them with the world. I hope something you hear connects with you personally—that is the heart of this project.

If you're ready to contribute, just click the "Back This Project" button on the top right of this page! Every little bit counts, and I’m so grateful for all your support.

If you have folks in your network that would be interested in supporting me, please feel free to share this page with them.

Thank you so much for checking out my campaign page. I can't wait to share this music with you.