UPDATE - August 2:

YOU DID IT!!!!!   YOU ALL ARE SO AMAZING!!   So excited to say, more than 2 days before the deadline, WE REACHED OUR KICKSTARTER GOAL for this project and are now SURPASSING that goal!!  Friends & fans are continuing to help, which is so greatly appreciated!  Here are some stretch goals we will realize for this project with any pledges beyond the goal amount:

• $500+: Additional strings for the recording
• $3,000: Hiring a dedicated Mixing Engineer for the final album
• $750: Upgraded Mastering costs
• $1,500: Additional run of CDs pressed

THANK YOU FRIENDS so much for all your generosity, support, and spreading the word! We are so grateful and blessed!!  :)

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Be a Part of My Second Album!

For those of you that may not know me, my name is Marcy Priest and I am a singer-songwriter & worship leader from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  Over the last 10 years I have helped lead worship for many LifeChurch.tv campuses. More recently I have been honored to help lead in a city-wide worship movement called The Sing led by Charlie Hall and other local worship leaders. I have also had many opportunities over the last 12 years to share my songs and lead worship for various churches, conferences, retreats, and events across the country.  It is my desire is to step into much more of this in the upcoming season.

Four years ago I had the huge blessing to record my first album, produced by my amazing friend Trent Austin -- it was truly the realization of a lifelong dream. I had plans to follow up with another album soon after; however, vocal chord surgery happened, life happened, personal growth happened...and now, 4 years later I see more of the bigger picture, and I'm pretty okay with the timing. I am so ready!

I have such anticipation for this record. These past few years have been full of letting go of old thinking, patterns, fears, expectations -- and stepping into the new heart, vision, and freedom that God placed in my heart before I was born. And speaking of birth -- at the same time I am creating this album, I am expecting my first baby! So yes, lots of new anticipation in our house!

About the Album Concept

These songs that I desire to share are out of a place of struggle and wrestling with letting go of the old and embracing the new -- and finding God's faithful presence in it all. These will be songs of worship & healing, truth and pain, joy and release. It is my prayer you would embrace this vision and help me let these songs take flight into the world, sending me out as a voice in the darkness proclaiming freedom and healing for the broken, the hopeless, and the fearful. I feel like this is the very beginning of the next season of music and ministry over my life.

This album is going to be full of beautiful textures and vocals and I am super-pumped about producer Jarod Evans & Blackwatch Studios who will be at the helm and guiding the process. Their creativity is so inspiring to me! Jarod's vision and talent can be experienced through my recording of "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus" (see video inset above) which I had the honor of singing and arranging with my talented friend and another local Okie, Denver Duncan, for the Lifechurch.tv Carols 2011 project. Getting to record this song at Christmas actually ignited something in me to record this album -- it was a creative awakening! Needless to say, I am pumped!

In addition to re-recording "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus", we will be recording around 9 more songs for this album. Expect some variety of styles and themes on this album, as I am so eclectic and I am sure this will be reflected throughout.  You can listen to another of the new songs, “Keep Your Eyes On me,” written for The Artist Bible (see video inset below).

How can you help?

Financially and vision-wise, we can't do this alone. We don't WANT to do this alone. I have felt such immense support by my Church family and my friends far and wide over the years. I have been asked countless times, "When is your next CD coming out?" I have been wondering the same thing! I feel like you are WITH ME as I walk into this studio, and that you have my back in prayer, encouragement, and faith.

By helping us fund this project you'll help to ensure that this vision is realized. There are various "rewards" (at right) that are tokens of my gratitude to you for helping this album see the light of day.  Also, please help me get the word out through Facebook, Twitter, email, friends, family, church, co-workers, and anyone you know of that would want to help make this happen!   And if you're unable to give financially, a simple word of encouragement sure goes a long way -- send me a message or follow me on Twitter!  I'll let you know when the album is due to be released. I'm so excited to share these songs with you, and am so grateful for your help! Thank you in advance for making this happen- I couldn't do it without you!

Blessings,
Marcy

How does Kickstarter work?

Kickstarter is a "crowdfunding" resource that enables people to contribute to the realization of artistic endeavors.  I have 30 days to reach my goal of $18,000.  If I don’t receive enough pledges for the full amount by the end of 30 days, you are not charged, and I receive absolutely nothing.  You can rest assured giving to this project because your credit card will only be billed if the total goal is raised.

Why $18,000?

Oh yes, I know!  $18,000 is a LOT of money. Please know that I have some "skin in the game" - we are putting in close to 20% of the total cost from our own savings. Full-length album recording projects add up when you factor in professional recording studio fees, producer's and engineer's time, hired musicians, mixing & mastering, hiring graphic artists for the album artwork, duplication costs to make the CDs, etc. Anything contributed beyond our goal will increase what we are able to do with this record and the tools we use to get the word out and promote it.