Overview

Hello world! My name is Johanna, and I'm a singer-songwriter here in the beautiful city of Boston.

I fell in love with traditional Appalachian music when I was 14, after attending a summer program in Big Stone Gap, VA called Mountain Music School. After being introduced to mountain music, I decided I wanted to focus on clawhammer banjo in addition to guitar. Music had always been an essential part of my life, but delving into the music of my family’s mountain roots led me on a momentous journey. The stylistic elements of my songwriting began to pull heavily from roots music—especially Appalachian old-time, bluegrass, early country, blues, and folk revival.

I was a young singer-songwriter growing up in NYC, a place with an expansive roots music scene. My gigging experiences immersed me in the scene and helped me hone my craft. When I left home for college, I was first led to Davidson, NC for a year, followed by Boston, after I was accepted to Berklee College of Music. I have been writing music, gigging, and teaching for years, but wish to advance my career by taking a crucial next step: having my original music recorded professionally.

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. 

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 “You Wanted a Cowboy, but You Got Me,” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund the recording process for "You Wanted a Cowboy, but You Got Me" 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. 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!

Songwriting has been an outlet for me since I was 11. It offered a catharsis that nothing else seemed to bring me. When I gained more confidence in my songwriting, I grew to love performing because I realized that sharing my music with others could bring them similar emotional relief. I wanted to share stories, feelings, and my own lived experience to hopefully affect at least one other person in the room, or at least make someone feel understood.

I engaged in unhealthy coping throughout my teenage years, but my passion for music mostly remained constant. It wasn’t until I was around 17 that things got bad, and my love for alcohol and drugs started to replace music little by little. I stopped gigging completely during my worst benders, and I traded my audience for whatever was on tap. I rarely even played music for my own enjoyment when I hit my absolute bottom.

My sobriety date is June 22, 2021. It’s been a little over a year since I stopped drinking and using, and life has improved tremendously. I’m happier, healthier, and now have genuine goals for myself and my career. My musical ambitions mean so much to me right now, because I was devoid of them when at my worst. Now that I am in control of my life, I’m so grateful for this recording opportunity from Plaid Dog. I was definitely incapable of recording an album when I was loaded all the time. I’m proud of my sobriety and the progress I’ve made as a musician, so I am very eager to share my music with everyone.

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.