Overview

Hello world! My name is JJ Smith, and I'm a singer-songwriter here in the beautiful city of Chicago, IL.

I’ve been writing music since I was a teenager, and it’s been the driving force behind my life since then. It’s led me to the theatre, the screen, open mics, and now finally the recording studio. These songs were written on lunch breaks, during tech week, in my laundry room, during times of prosperity and times of utter despair. Try as I may (I’ve tried many times) to convince myself that I don’t have what it takes, I keep coming back to this mad little pursuit. I simply don’t know how to live without writing music, so it’s time for me to truly lean into 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 Mike Davidson in Boston, MA. Mike is a Boston-based producer and engineer with 15+ years of experience working with both established and up-and-coming musicians. Together, Mike and I are digging into my original material, writing arrangements, and reaching out to local musicians to bring the songs to life. 

While I haven’t made it to Boston yet due to the current health crisis, I will––and I know this album will be worth the wait! In the meantime, I’ve been able to cover the costs of recording and producing a demo of one song remotely, with the assistance of some pretty amazing technology.

This first song is called “Why Won’t You Love Me?” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund this initial recording process for "Why Won’t You Love Me?" on my own, to create an album of songs with full production and studio quality, 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. Mike 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!

It's hard to express how much this project would change my life.

Music is a magical force to me. In my own way, I view it as a labyrinth that we’re all happily trapped in. I’ve spent my life so far being shaped by the music of others. I’ve found myself in an unexplored area of the labyrinth, and it never occurred to me that I could add another path to it for people to discover, until now.

In life, we inspire one another in the most unexpected ways. I’ve come to realize that even a song written alone is still a collaborative process. These songs are about the lives of others just as much as they are about mine. They’re about the friends that I’ve awkwardly fumbled through riff ideas with or screeched Robert Plant & Jeff Buckley impressions at. They’re about my family, who have lovingly encouraged and supported me in everything I’ve ever done, random fellow musicians I’ve met from around the world over the internet, or jam buddies from around the corner. Music has the power to bridge all gaps and connect us. I want to connect with others through this music and inspire others to do the same.

While I've never made a music project of this caliber before, I’m excited by the challenge. As an actor, you market yourself not as the only option for a role, but an interesting one. I view music similarly, and can apply my experiences as an actor to my music career. I've been expanding and testing my musical tastes and abilities all my life. With your support, I can channel that into something wholly personal and unique that we’ll have made together.

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.