Hello internet! My name is Sam Monk, and I'm a musical comedian based in Chicago, IL.

I’ve been making music and performing comedy since I was a kid. I started off playing the trumpet when I was 10, picked up a couple more instruments and eventually acquired a loop station, allowing me to experiment and improvise fully produced tracks without a band. As a comedian, I have performed stand up and improv throughout Boston and Chicago including being accepted to Second City’s Conservatory program. I first started combining music and comedy as a cast member of a musical improv troupe. This project is the result of years worth of material I wrote for a stage show that sadly hasn’t been able to be performed yet due to the pandemic. The only thing left to do is finally release it to the public. 

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 Cairo Marques-Neto in Boston, MA. CAiro is a Boston-based producer and engineer with experience working with both established and up-and-coming musicians. Together, Cairo 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 “A Song I Wrote in a Bar,” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund this initial recording process for "A Song I Wrote in a Bar" on my own, to create an album of songs of this quality with full production, 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. Bryan 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 and comedy were both incredibly formative to me as a child. I used to re-watch the Donald O’Connor “Make ‘Em Laugh” scene in “Singin’ in the Rain” over and over again until I could perform along to it. It’s that excitement at combining music and comedy that has always driven me to develop my abilities and expand my personal resources to create entertainment for people. Also, like many comedians before me, I was incredibly inspired by the work of George Carlin. It was my first exposure to a comedian who not only made people laugh, but was able to educate them at the same time. I take pride in the fact that I write material not only with the goal to entertain people and make people laugh, but also to widen their perspective on the world. I’m firmly of the belief that if you can make someone laugh, you can teach them something. 

I’ve been writing, practicing, and discovering new ways every day to do exactly that. This project will allow me to present my stage show in the best light, opening up so many opportunities for audiences to enjoy, even in this time where live performance has taken a hiatus. I’m very excited for that opportunity, and I thank you for making it happen.

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.