Grace & Tony Use PledgeMusic Campaign to Help Fund New Album
Grace & Tony, the husband-and-wife duo who refer to their eclectic style of music as "punkgrass," are reaching out to fans to help fund their new album, 'Phantasmagoric.' The pair have started a PledgeMusic campaign to raise money to record and release their latest set of tunes.
"Our management had a nice relationship with Pledge, and all they asked was that we check them out," Tony White tells The Boot. "We were blown away by how much pride the Pledge folks took in each campaign and how hands-on they were. We gave them a shot, and it has been a truly wonderful experience. Three thumbs up."
'Phantasmagoric' will combine some of the Whites' favorite styles of music, including punk, folk and bluegrass, into one complete record. But while they are true musicians at heart, the spouses say they had another goal in mind besides making a cohesive project.
"We were inspired to create something bigger and better than anything we'd ever written," Tony White explains. "Lots of epic storytelling ... History lessons, fiction and even touching on some of our deepest personal experiences. We wanted to create a timeless piece of art, that would forever stand on its own.
"Countless hours were spent researching some of the most bizarre and controversial stories we could find, whether it be in a history book or simply within ourselves," he adds. "We feel this will give the 'Phantasmagoric' album an edge that would typically only be found in books or movies."
Grace & Tony are already in the process of recording 'Phantasmagoric.' The couple calls Tennessee home, but they headed to Alabama to work on the record.
"The recording process has been everything we had dreamed of," Tony White says. "Getting to team up with the amazing Jimmy Nutt at the Nutthouse Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala., was the perfect situation for us. [I] was excited to co-produce the project, and Jimmy has really left his mark on this album. Tons of strings, huge drums, and very technical arrangements.
"We have pushed ourselves to our creative limits and played together as a band, which is what it's all about," he continues. "I believe people will really feel the energy of these performances. There really is something in the water down there in Muscle Shoals."
Grace & Tony are offering several incentives for those who contribute to 'Phantasmagoric,' including a digital, physical or vinyl copy of the new album, a private web concert, a hand-drawn portrait by Tony, a short story written by Grace, Tony's ukelele, a house concert and Grace's prized 'Gracenote' banjo.
Grace & Tony's PledgeMusic campaign ends on Feb. 18. See all the incentives and make a donation here.