Yunek hopes to kickstart music career
SANDPOINT — Fifteen years worth of music is ready to get the album it deserves — that is, if an experiment in crowd-funding is successful.
Brad Yunek of Western Pleasure Guest Ranch has been writing music for several decades now, but his songs have never made it onto an official album. Instead, they are sung around the campfire in the tradition set by cowboys over the past 150 years. Nevertheless, ranch guests have made frequent requests over the years to have the music available for everyday listening.
“We’ve had a couple of decades-worth of guests that have heard these songs,” Yunek said.
Those requests could become a reality with a little help from Kickstarter, an Internet crowd-funding website that allows artists and entrepreneurs to get their projects off the ground.
The concept is simple. Every project on Kickstarter sets a funding goal — in the case of Yunek’s “Songs from the Ranch (By Way of Nashville)” album, $17,700. The project creator than sets a series of tiers that Kickstarter users can finance, each with its own set of rewards. For example, those who contribute $12 to the Yunek’s project will receive a digital download to the album when it’s complete. On the other hand, those who pledge $220 will get a digital download, a CD version, a work tape version of the songs, a T-shirt, their names in the “thank you” section of the liner notes and a bed and breakfast stay at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch complete with a live performance of the songs.
If a project doesn’t meet its fundraising goals, no money pledges transfer. However, a successful Kickstarter can get a valuable project off the ground that wouldn’t have otherwise had a chance.
According to Yunek, guests have been requesting recordings of his songs for a long time. However, he never had the chance to produce a high-quality recording of his material.
The goal for the Kickstarter project is to gain access to a professional recording studio and put together an album of a quality equal to anything you might hear on the radio. If funding is successful, every penny of the earnings will go into the project.
“It’s been really fun to see the project start gaining a little momentum,” Yunek said.
So far, the Kickstarter has raised $5,280 of its $17,700 goal. The deadline for funding is set for Aug. 2, so supporters will need to act fast with their pledges.
As for the 12 songs themselves, Yunek wrote them based on his experiences at the ranch. They range from light-hearted songs about the draft horses and other animals at Western Pleasure to dedications to beloved friends and family.
“There are a mix of funny situation songs all the way to pretty serious stuff about people I care a lot about,” Yunek said. “I think there’s something in there for everyone.”
To contribute to the project, the easiest way is probably to visit www.bradyunek.com, which will automatically redirect you to the Kickstarter page. Otherwise, you can search for the project on the Kickstarter website itself.