A wedding song for each of my sisters, a funeral song for my Grandma Rose, and four instrumental guitar pieces, each for a good friend.
I am working on my 4th solo album, Three Weddings and a Funeral and I need your help to raise money to cover recording and production costs. Please help me get Three Weddings And A Funeral out into the world!
This album is just me singing and playing acoustic guitar and harmonica. It is a collection of the wedding songs I wrote for each of my three sisters and played at their wedding receptions, the song I wrote for my Grandma Rose and played at her funeral, and four instrumental guitar pieces that I wrote for good friends. This album was recorded and mixed at the great studio Machines With Magnets where I also made my 2011 album Home.
These are all love songs, but not romantic love songs like we hear way too much of. These songs are about the kind of love that exists between siblings, between a grandson and grandmother, between friends: the kind of love that is a very real part of our lives. These songs are heartfelt and honest, and while there are parts of the songs that are really specific, there are parts of the songs that I feel are universal. For example, in each wedding song I address my sister, I address my new brother-in law, and then I address everyone. That last part, which I half-jokingly refer to as "my hippie platitudes about love", tries to address in words: What is that thing that draws us to each other, that makes us want to take care of each other?
A lot of you reading this met my Grandma Rose. Maybe you ate dinner with her, played music for her, saw us out on the town listening to music. Most of you at least have heard me talk about her and what a great friend she was to me, and what a great supporter of my music she was. I wrote this song over the last two years of her life, finished it the day before her funeral and then played it at her funeral. This is a song about love, regret, religious tradition, thinking about euthanasia, letting go, and engaging and really digging into the present moment and doing whatever it is you have to do.
Following each of these four songs is an instrumental guitar piece written for a good friend in the same spirit of love and thanks that I think permeates the songs for my sisters and Grandma.
This album has a different feel from my other albums but I am as proud of it as anything else I've ever recorded. Your contribution will help me get Three Weddings And A Funeral out into the world.
Thanks so much!
-chris monti
ps All CDs and most of the other premiums will ship by mid-December.
Risks and challenges Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
The greatest challenge of this project was the recording process. These are very emotional songs for me and they are technically challenging too… or I could just say, they are a bit hard to play and sing. It is interesting to make sure the songs sound good musically, that I'm correctly doing all the mechanical things with my hands and mouth, but then to also make sure the emotion and the feeling of the songs comes through loud and clear.
My Grandmother's song was the toughest to get right. I worked on it for months. I think I got it into pretty good shape. But even now can't listen to it without crying.
The challenge now is to raise money to pay for the printing process and to cover the recording and mastering costs. I have faith.
FAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
55
Backers
$2,186
pledged of $1,710 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding period
Nov 15, 2012 -
Dec 5, 2012
- First created · 1 backed
- Chris Monti 618 friends
- Website: chrismonti.com
Pledge $15 or more
16 backers
Digital download of the new record "Three Weddings and a Funeral" with cover art and liner notes.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Pledge $25 or more
10 backers
"Three Weddings and a Funeral" CD and digital download. If you want additional copies of the CD, you can have one for each additional $15 donated at this level.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Ships within the US onlyPledge $35 or more
3 backers
A copy of Chris Monti’s 2011 release Home (12 original songs on acoustic guitar and harmonica)… plus a copy of "Three Weddings and a Funeral".
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Ships within the US onlyPledge $35 or more
7 backers
A copy of the record "Kitchen Midden: Traditional Songs Volume One". Chris Monti on vocals, acoustic guitar and harmonica playing 10 great American folk songs and one original tune… … plus a copy of Three Weddings and a Funeral.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Ships within the US onlyPledge $35 or more
1 backer
A copy of the record "Papillon" featuring Chris Monti, mainly on electric guitar with a number of different musicians playing rock and roll, surf music, ambient electronic music, hip hop: a pretty eclectic collection… plus a copy of "Three Weddings and a Funeral".
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Ships within the US onlyPledge $50 or more
2 backers Limited (1 of 3 left)
A silk-screened poster for the 2011 Annual City Farm Plant Sale, a great event Chris has played at for the last 5 years. These limited edition poster were donated to Chris by City Farm and designed and printed by Ian Cozzens, a great screen-printer and a good friend to Chris… plus a copy of "Three Weddings and a Funeral".
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Ships within the US onlyPledge $60 or more
4 backers Limited (6 of 10 left)
Original, individualized Chris Monti poster by artist Lucy Churchill… plus a copy of "Three Weddings and a Funeral".
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Ships within the US onlyPledge $60 or more
1 backer
One 45 minute long guitar, banjo or ukulele lesson by Chris Monti in either the Providence or Somerville area… plus a copy of "Three Weddings and a Funeral".
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Ships within the US onlyPledge $70 or more
4 backers
A copy of "Three Weddings And A Funeral" plus any THREE of these other Chris Monti records: Home, Locust Grove, Swampland Flowers, Kitchen Midden: Traditional Songs Volume One, or Papillon.
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Ships within the US onlyPledge $80 or more
2 backers
Lunch for you and Chris Monti at either the Liberty Elm Dinner in Providence, RI or Buddy’s in Somerville, MA… plus a copy of "Three Weddings and a Funeral".
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Ships within the US onlyPledge $125 or more
0 backers
A one hour massage from massage therapist Elizabeth Robinson (Providence area) … plus a copy of "Three Weddings and a Funeral". (Elizabeth was the first person Chris ever performed on stage with--1992 high school talent show!--and she is a great massage therapist)
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Ships within the US onlyPledge $150 or more
0 backers
A house concert by Chris Monti within 100 mile radius of Somerville, MA… plus a copy of "Three Weddings and a Funeral".
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Ships within the US onlyPledge $450 or more
0 backers
A house concert by Chris Monti and his band within 100 mile radius of Somerville, MA… plus a copy of "Three Weddings and a Funeral".
Estimated delivery: Jan 2013Ships within the US onlyPledge $750 or more
0 backers
Almost All of the Premiums: All the music, the guitar lesson, the Chris Monti poster, the solo house concert, the massage, the lunch. (The City-Farm poster is included only if they are not already sold out.)
Estimated delivery: Dec 2012Ships within the US only
