Creating an Official Folk Album

Hello Everyone,

I’d like to start this request off with a thank you. I appreciate everyone taking the time to read the following and giving me the chance to tell you about my goal.

I am starting this GoFundMe campaign this month to have the opportunity to create something that’s been ten years in the making. I am requesting your help in creating my first professionally produced album. In order to accomplish this goal I need the time, resources, and the production capabilities to release my project . All the music is written and ready to lay down. We have the mixing professionals, equipment, and software at the ready. Now I need to take the time required to record my album properly.

That is where you come in.

My supportive production team and I are asking for the funding that would allow us to make quality recordings of my songs, then get them professionally mixed and mastered in time for a full album release this year. Before making a decision to support my goal, I ask that you get to know me, learn how music has influenced my life and why it’s so important for me to succeed in this project.

I'm Micah Henning, and music is a cherished legacy in my family. My musical journey started in the church choir back in 1994 when I was about 4 years old, and continued on in school choirs over the years. From 2007 to 2010, I was a part of Emmaus High School’s Chorale, Standard Choir, and their male acapella group, Fermata Nowhere. My experiences being a part of these groups has led me to incredible opportunities such as, singing on a tour of the Greek Islands and performing twice at Carnegie Hall. Special thanks to my chorale director, Rita Cortez.

Beyond choirs, I found expression in creating rock bands. At age 13, I helped form the hard rock group, “Colonial Bleep”, that focused on classic rock, hard rock, alt rock, and many other influences in that genre. Together we performed at Emmaus High School’s Battle of the Bands 2005 before officially parting ways in 2006. Then in 2007, after knowing each other for three years, my friend John and I realized that each other’s fathers were also musicians who wanted to perform with a group again. From there, the four of us became the rock group known as “Generation Gap”. We performed original and cover music live for four years before officially disbanding in 2012. Those moments of making music with my dad, a minister by choice but a musician at heart, showed me that music is ingrained in my very being through his continued dedication and sacrifice for his craft. It’s a part of me, just like the soulful notes of my grandfather’s jazz piano, and the rhythmic beats of my uncle’s saxophone that continue to echo through my life. I wouldn’t be the same without it.

At 18, I ventured into New York City, crafting songs inspired by the chapters of my life. I attended The American Musical and Dramatic Academy, studying Theater and Television acting. After graduating in 2012, I maintained a musical presence in various locations around the city. I performed in venues like Lenox Coffee, The Chipped Cup, Double Dutch Espresso, Filtered Coffee, Mess Hall and more. I did everything possible to promote my music, hosting events and performing with artists like Fort Vine, Channel the Sun, and Bruce W. Brackett.

In 2016, I moved to Norfolk, Virginia with my longtime collaborator EC Hanna, where the two of us joined an entertainment company called Magical Solutions. This experience led me to become the ringmaster for the “Beach Street Circus” and performer in and around Virginia Beach for five years. After our last season with the circus, EC and I continued to work together developing original productions and planning his company Magic Box Entertainment LLC. Our curated shows featured magic, juggling, musical numbers, puppetry, folk music, clowning, animatronics, voice-over work, aerialists, and more. All the while, I continued performing my own original music regularly around the Lehigh Valley area. I’ve had the chance to play at Five Maiden’s Cidery, Triple Sun’s Distillery, The Wooden Match, Emmaus Farmers Market, Leather Corner Post, and many more.

In 2022, I performed in two stage shows with the Pennsylvania Playhouse. In "A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim and George R. Miller," we sang all of Sondheim's Broadway Classics. I performed one solo and a duet from Stephen Sondheim’s classics Sweeney Todd (My Friends) and Into the Woods (Agony). Later that year, I was personally recommended for the leading role of Jim Hardy in Irving Berlin’s "Holiday Inn." This performance earned me the honor of Best Leading Actor of a Musical in 17th Annual ABE: Community Theater Awards.

The funds we raise, in this endeavor, will unlock a backlog of songs written since my youth, bringing them to life as they were meant to be heard. Your support isn't just a financial contribution; it's an invitation to be a part of a lifelong dream. Let's weave these melodies into a tapestry that connects us all. Music isn’t just a hobby for me. Music is something that pulses within me. It’s something I can’t function without, and even though this small write-up only brushes the surface of who I am I hope you have some true insight into what makes me… me.

We are hoping to raise $10,000 to lift this project off the ground. We believe this is a reasonable amount to pool our resources and give us the freedom to create something special. Thank you for your consideration in joining me on this musical adventure. Let’s do this!

With gratitude,

Micah