Kickstarter

Dear Fans and Supporters,

The time has come for me to record a collection of Spirituals, the music that has fueled my blood for as long as I can remember. The Spirituals are religious folk songs created by African Americans during slavery. Many Americans grow up knowing these songs as if their imprint was in our very DNA, but their stories and heritage have inevitably eroded over time.

The Spirituals have been performed in classical concert halls for over a century now, and for a time I thought I might contribute to that cannon of recordings, but I became even more enlivened by the thought of presenting re-imagined folk, blues and jazz based arrangements that still honor their pathos, grace, and timeless beauty. "The Promised Land" (working title) is the culmination of years of my research, music making and soul-searching. The result is a collection of arrangements that return these songs to their folk roots.

I carry these songs wherever I go and find that they have no boundaries when it comes to moving people from all different backgrounds. Sharing them in the form of a recording seems like a natural step, and luckily I'll be able to keep expenses for the project fairly low with the technology now available to independent musicians. But resources for travel, recording, duplication and distribution are still needed in order to make this dream a reality.

Kickstarter.com is a relatively new platform that provides a bridge between creative types and the family, friends and other supporters who'd like to help fund their projects. Kickstarter.com combined with your generosity and enthusiasm can really bring this project to full fruition.

If you find yourself moved by this music at all, please consider making a pledge. I have rewards ranging from behind-the-scenes access to the project, to advanced copies of the CD for those of you who wish to help me complete the mission. We'll be documenting the process and will make this exclusive material available to backers as well. I even offer your very own performance for those particularly inspired by these works.

You can see a list of all these incentives here on the Kickstarter website. Please remember, every penny counts toward making this CD happen. We want to raise at least $6,200 by my mother's 62nd birthday, September 26th, 2010. (Her favorite spiritual happens to be "Were You There.")

So thanks for checking out my project, pledging, and sharing this project with your friends that might be interested too. Most of all, thank you for helping me fulfill my dream of recording and sharing this music with you!

Many Thanks!
Lilli Lewis

P.S. My mother gave me full permission to disclose her age....