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| Photo courtesy of Shorpy. |
On Facebook the other day, I read a post by a local musician
I like lamenting that only a few people had paid to download his most recent
recording. He said it was hard to muster the enthusiasm and expense to release
new music when it is met with seeming indifference from its intended audience. The
comments on the article ranged from helpfully good-intentioned to hilariously
sarcastic, but they all boiled down to two things musicians need to sell music:
exposure and an audience willing to give them money to listen to their music.
To those points I issue this challenge to everyone who reads
this: Spend $1 to download a song from a local, independent musician. I have a
list below of more than 125 active and former bands from Arkansas. If you live
somewhere else, chances are there that many or more bands in your state that
are in the same boat. Even if you don’t follow your local music scene, there’s
probably that one guy at work who’s always inviting you out to come see his
band play. Look them up on Bandcamp or CD Baby or iTunes, listen to their music
and spend $1 to download your favorite song.
Just as importantly, share this post. Challenge your friends
to support their favorite local musician. Share your own favorite band or list
of bands. Let’s promote the idea that local bands are just as deserving of our
patronage as the big national acts signed to major labels or big indies.
I’m sharing this big list today. But I’m going to highlight
a track by at least one “dollar-worthy” band a week at http://GiveThisBandADollar.blogspot.com.
Bookmark that page, add it to your favorites or you RSS feed, like it on
Facebook, and let a local musician know that what they do is worthwhile.
All The Way Korean http://allthewaykorean.bandcamp.com
The Alpha Ray http://thealpharay1.bandcamp.com
Amasa Hines http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/amasahines
American Princes https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/american-princes/id44968365
Ashtray Babyhead http://ashtraybabyhead.com
Bad Years http://badyears.bandcamp.com
The Big Cats http://thebigcats.bandcamp.com
Black Horse http://blackhorse.bandcamp.com
Rodney Block & The Real Music Lovers https://rodneyblock.bandcamp.com/
Bloodless Cooties http://thicksyruprecordsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/xx
Booyah! Dad http://booyahdad.bandcamp.com
Shannon Boshears Band http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/ShannonBoshearsBand
Brother Andy & His Big Damn Mouth http://brotherandy.bandcamp.com
Rod Bryan http://rodbryan.bandcamp.com
Calcabrina http://calcabrina.bandcamp.com
Neal Campbell http://amzn.com/B00LVS0BYU
The Canehill Engagement https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sword-ring-civilian-drag-single/id886417615
Canopy Climbers http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/CanopyClimbers
The Chads http://thechadsarecool.bandcamp.com
Charlie Virgo http://charlievirgo.bandcamp.com
The Coasts http://thecoasts.bandcamp.com
Collin Vs. Adam http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/CollinVsAdam
Color Club http://colorclub.bandcamp.com
Coyote & The Unicorn http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/CoyotetheUnicorn
Crooked Roots http://crookedroots.bandcamp.com
The Dangerous Idiots https://thedangerousidiots.bandcamp.com/
Christopher Denny https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/christopher-denny/id259191215
Don’t Stop Please http://dontstopplease.bandcamp.com
Epiphany http://bigpiph.bandcamp.com
Everyone Asked About You http://25diamondslabel.bandcamp.com/album/lets-be-enemies
Family History http://familyhistory.bandcamp.com
Bryan Frazier https://bryanfrazier.bandcamp.com/
The Frontier Circus https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-frontier-circus/id475713623
Amy Garland http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/AmyGarlandBand
Ginsu Wives http://ginsuwives.bandcamp.com
Glass Wands http://glasswands.bandcamp.com
Glittercore http://glittercore.bandcamp.com/releases
Half Raptor http://halfraptor.bandcamp.com
Randy Harsey http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RandyHarsey
Bradley Hathaway http://bradleyhathaway.bandcamp.com
Herding Kittens https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/herding-kittens/id624153591
High Magic http://highmagic.bandcamp.com
Holy Shakes http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/HolyShakes
Phillip Rex Huddleston https://philliprexhuddleston.bandcamp.com/
I Was Afraid http://iwasafraid.bandcamp.com
I Was Afraid http://iwasafraid.bandcamp.com
Kevin Kerby http://thekevinkerby.bandcamp.com
Knox Hamilton http://knoxhamilton.bandcamp.com
Landrest http://landrest.bandcamp.com
Living Sacrifice https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/living-sacrifice/id545651
Love Ghost https://loveghost.bandcamp.com/
Magic Cropdusters https://anthrotv.bandcamp.com/album/magic-cropdusters
Major Urges http://majorurges.bandcamp.com
John MacAteer http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/JohnMcateer
Messy Sparkles http://messysparkles.bandcamp.com
Midwest Caravan https://soundcloud.com/midwestcaravan
The Moving Front https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-moving-front/id253157327
Stephen Neeper & The Wild Hearts https://stephenneeperandthewildhearts.bandcamp.com/
Pagiins http://pagiins.bandcamp.com
Pecan Sandy https://pecansandy.bandcamp.com/
Peckerwolf https://peckerwolfband.bandcamp.com/releases
The Revolutioners https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-revolutioners/id299252504
Rad Rad Riot https://radradriot.bandcamp.com/
Reagan’s Polyp https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/reagans-polyp/id807940306
The Reparations http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/TheReparations
Resin Hands https://resinhands.bandcamp.com/
Runaway Planet http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RunawayPlanet
Rural War Room https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/rural-war-room/id270797384
Rwake https://rwake.bandcamp.com/
Rwake https://rwake.bandcamp.com/
Paul Sammons https://paulsammons.bandcamp.com/
Sea Nanners https://sea-nanners.bandcamp.com/
Benjamin Del Shreve https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/benjamin-del-shreve/id53493066
Randall Shreve & The Sideshow http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/randallshrevetheslidesho
The Smittles http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thesmittles
Smoke Up Johnny http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/SmokeUpJohnny1
Soophie Nun Squad http://harlanrecords.bandcamp.com
Greg Spradlin https://gregspradlinoutfit.bandcamp.com/
The Stranger Steals https://harlanrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-stranger-steals-the-goals-of-misbehavior-cd
Sugar & The Raw https://masonmauldin.bandcamp.com/
Techno Squid Eats Parliament https://techno-squideatsparliament.bandcamp.com/
Teenagers https://teenagers.bandcamp.com/
JR Top https://jrtop.bandcamp.com/
The Tricks https://thetrickslr.bandcamp.com/
Twelve Tone Elevator https://twelvetoneelevator.bandcamp.com/
Tyrannosaurus Chicken https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/attack-of-the-chicken/id453236262
Underclaire http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/Underclaire
Whale Fire https://whalefire.bandcamp.com/
Elton & Betty White https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/elton-betty-white/id378720140
The Wicked Good http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/TheWickedGood
Jonathan Wilkins http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/JonathanWilkins
John Willis http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/JohnWillis1
Witch Sister https://witchsister4.bandcamp.com/
Michael Leonard Witham http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/MichaelLeonardWitham
Year of the Tiger http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/TheYearOfTheTiger
2 Minutes Hate https://2minuteshate.bandcamp.com/
This list is nowhere near comprehensive. If you have a favorite band I didn't mention, leave their name and a link in the comments.
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