Support Johnny's Journey to Vinyl

Hello Friends!

Johnny Keener here. A few years ago, I was reflecting on my forty years of playing and writing and recording songs. I had finished writing the songs for a new record and felt ready to record them, but I had a decision to make. I had recorded my previous albums on my own, with lots of help from my friends, but I was the only one wearing the hats of producer, musician, and engineer, and that meant making significant compromises in every area. I have always dreamed of making an album that showed my full abilities, and that someone could slide out of the album sleeve and place on their turntable with a sense of anticipation and excitement (as I have done with thousands of vinyl records in my lifetime). This time I decided that I didn’t want to compromise. I wanted to make the record that I’ve been dreaming about making.I hired local legend, recording engineer and producer, Mike Coykendall, to record and produce me, and enlisted a crew of a few of my favorite local musicians to record with. Everything has been sounding great. I love it. But I still have more to do to finish it and share it with you.

At the start of the pandemic, I went back to school and got a masters in teaching and have become a full time English teacher, and at times I’ve included songwriting as one of my courses. It’s a busy life and, well, to be honest, time has gone by, and one thing led to another. I found that in pursuing my lifelong dream of releasing a well-recorded, beautiful vinyl album for people to experience, I had bitten off more than I could chew, financially, on a teacher’s salary. By the time my budget fell apart, I had tracked most of the album, and it sounds better than anything I have ever put out into the world. But having self funded this project up to this point, the well has run dry and I need your help.

I need to finish the final few tracks, pay the musicians, finish mixing and get it all mastered, have it made on heavy weight vinyl, and have a modest promotional budget. I’m humbly asking for your help to get this album across the finish line.

I’ve dreamed of realizing this since I was a twelve year old kid in the boonies of West Virginia, sitting by the creek playing my guitar, writing my first songs, and spending endless hours playing albums on my little bedroom stereo. Four decades is a long time and the dream has never faded. I’ve put out six albums along the way, as well as three shorter collections and a number of singles, and they have told many good stories. Now it’s time for this next chapter.

I appreciate your help and support through the years and I look forward to sharing this album, Chicago Ave. with you. I hope you will hear every bit of love and care put into it when it makes its way into existence.

My most sincere thanks,

Johnny Keener

Budget Breakdown

$2000 - Finish recording and mixing w/Mike Coykendall

$2000 - Mastering and Preparation for Vinyl Pressing w/Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering

$1300 - 100 vinyl records w/covers, sleeves, etc from Disc makers

Incentives!

$50 - A CD of one of Johnny's past projects - Which one? It'll be a surprise!

$100- A copy of the album

$250 - I will write and make a basic, but nice sounding, recording based on anything you would like. (A person? A pet? An experience? All good!). You will also get a "special thanks" credit on the album cover. You will also receive a copy of the album.

$350 - I will perform a 45 minute set of music for you and any guests you would like, at a location of your choosing. This is only good for people who live within a 45 minute drive from Portland, or whom I can feasibly visit on a trip to my parents' house in Virginia. You will also receive a copy of the album, and a "special thanks" credit on the album cover.