So stoked to have the band invited down to showcase during SXSW as part of the RedGorilla Festival. I'm flying the band down (P.K. Lavengood, David Halpern, Frank Gagliardi) so we can play our hearts out. Austin family - See you there!

Short Summary

I've been writing songs for as long as I can remember. Music has always been there for me, even when times were tough and I felt alone. The unexpected success we had in 2015 with the release of my first full length album, Coming Home, has put my music on radio stations across the US and Canada, and allowed me to sign multiple sync licensing deals with major networks like Discovery, MTV, and NASCAR. It took a lot a work to get where we are now and I am so thankful to everyone who has helped to get us here. I'm proud that I was able to self fund the entire production, recording, promotion, and touring expenses related to Coming Home, but now I find myself without the budget to take advantage of an amazing and unexpected opportunity:

My fantastic band and I have been invited to play on 6th Street in Austin, TX during this year's SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST (SXSW) and I need your help to make it happen! Thanks to RedGorilla Festival and Tinderbox Music, I'll be on 6th St. playing alongside all the biggest showcases. This is such a fantastic opportunity to get heard and seen by the music industry's biggest tastemakers and could open the door to all kinds of things that could really help us get our music out there to the masses. From booking festivals this summer, to help with distribution, marketing, and management, it's all happening in Austin this March. Of course there are no guarantees, except one: If we aren't in Austin, nothing will happen. What We Need & What You Get SXSW has become such a big deal that everything from airfare to hotel room costs are jacked up during this time. Just to give you an example, the 2 star La Quinta in downtown Austin is charging $562 per room per night (as of Jan 25, 2016). Yikes! I have locked in much better rates on everything from airfare to hotel, so with relative accuracy I can tell you what we need to make this happen:

Airfare for 4 - $1050 2 nights, 2 hotel rooms - $450 Car rental - $350 Meals - $200 Band - $750 Cabs to/from airport - $300

Estimated total cost: $3100

In order to help reach this goal, we are offering some fun and unique perks at every pledge level that we hope will encourage everyone to get into the spirit of SXSW and help make this great opportunity a reality. Limited edition posters, CD's, and vinyl, guitar lessons, jam sessions, house/beach/rooftop/pool/wherever concerts for you and your friends, let me produce/mix your song, studio consultation, surf lessons, and more! The Impact

How would you like to be able to say you helped get us to Austin where [insert awesome SXSW occurrence] happened that changed everything for us. I wouldn't be asking for help now if I didn't believe that there is real value in this opportunity. I hope you see that value too, and decide to make a contribution to help a struggling artist get his shot. For all our successes in 2015, the cost of getting an independent artist like me to break through the noise and clutter in a world that is completely saturated with things trying to capture our attention is significant. Your support right now is critical. Help me get my band down to Austin so I can put on a killer show for our Austin friends and the music industry! Risks & Challenges

If you start looking too closely at what could go wrong in the music business, you'll lose your mind (or leave the business.) That being said, I believe I have minimized the greatest risk - skyrocketing expenses - by securing airfare and accommodations well in advance. This action, however, was a risk unto itself. Call it a leap of faith. I know there are some good people out there who believe in me and would want to see this happen, like you. So it's a leap I felt good taking.

I'll be honest, I really need your help to make this happen. If we fall short of our goal, I will most likely make up the shortfall by selling some of my studio gear or a guitar or two (tear out my heart!) I hope that won't be the case, so the need for your help right away is great. Other Ways You Can Help If you can't donate right now, no sweat. I totally get it. There are lots of ways you can help that won't cost you anything:

Use the Indiegogo share tools to help spread the word about this campaign and the exciting opportunity we have. Join my email list at jontea.com Join and share my YouTube, Facebook and Twitter pages. Listen to Coming Home on your favorite online streaming service. (Spotify, Apple Music, Rdio) Leave a nice review on iTunes or Amazon of the new album. Tell all your friends in Austin to come see the show and make a lot of noise! Wednesday, March 16th @ Midnight (technically 3/17) at Touche on 6th St. It's FREE.