Overview

Hello world! My name is John Ewing, and I'm a singer-songwriter here in the beautiful city of Milwaukee, WI.

I’ve been a performer my whole life, and music has always held a special place in my heart.  Over the past 5 or 6 years, I’ve been dedicated to improving as a musician and artist, as well as being able to bring that to the world. I love exploring different sounds and seeing how they work together (or don’t). I’m constantly writing and creating in the musical realm, and it’s so exciting that I’m getting the chance, with the help of Plaid Dog, to share some of these findings with all of you!

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 Max Challis in Boston, MA. Max is a Boston-based producer and engineer with experience working with both established and up-and-coming musicians. Together, Max 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 “Set You Free,” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund the recording process for "Set You Free" 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. Max 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 means something different to everyone, and it truly can be many different things. It can even mean a different thing to the same person at a different time of the day. It is an art form that can add background ambiance without even being noticed, or it can bring us to our knees, tears in our eyes. There are infinite sounds and countless possibilities, but the beauty in music comes from the harmony of these and the unity that results. This is what I seek out in music. As a musician, my goal is to become as proficient as possible at manipulating sound and harmony. In doing this, music becomes an extension of myself, another language of expression.

I’ve been playing and writing music for years, and have recently been recording and releasing what I can. However, I do not consistently work in a studio with professionals behind the booth, and this is why I’m super excited to work with Plaid Dog Studios. The efficiency of the studio process is something I really hope to utilize, and I believe working with an engineer and a group of professionals will really take my music to the next level.

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.