Overview

Hello world! My name is Sam Stokes and I'm a singer-songwriter here in the beautiful city of Los Angeles.

It feels as though it’s taken lifetimes of experience to lead me to this moment. There was never a moment when I “started” doing music, it’s just how I hear the world. It’s the silent soundtrack that is always playing as I move through  life and sometimes it’s not even meant for me to share, it’s just for my own enjoyment. But sometimes, it becomes my responsibility to bring it to life, so I feel more like a steward of the music, than a creator. 

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

This campaign is raising funds for my professionally recorded album with Mike Davidson in Boston, MA. Mike is a seasoned Boston-based producer and engineer with 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 “The Tale of Gaia,” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund the recording process for "The Tale of Gaia” 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!

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

These past few years I’ve been recording projects at my home studio and playing tons of live shows. I feel humbled by the growth, the community and the experiences that have led me to this point. As I’ve envisioned these songs, they feel deserving of a bigger, brighter and more polished sound. I’m grateful for the opportunity to record these at Plaid Dog studios, but I need help in putting the funds together to record at this professional studio. 

These songs are so precious and they are a celebration of humanity, a celebration of life on Earth, a celebration of our greatest qualities. More than anything in the world, I would love to record these songs in their best form so they can be anthems to YOUR life. I hope they find their way into your favorite movies (that haven’t been made yet), added to playlists on your favorite radio station and find their way into your heart. That is my genuine hope! 

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.