Joe Jencks

News

April Tour, Recording, and Great News...

Dear Friends…

I leave Chicago today for a month on the road. I will be performing four consecutive weekends out east, and recording mid-weeks in the DC area. I am absolutely thrilled to be working with the same Grammy winning team that helped me produce The Candle & The Flame. Jim Robeson (Recording Engineer - BIAS and Electric Upright Bass), Jon Carroll (Piano, Organ, & Accordion), Charlie Pilzer (Mix and Mastering Engineer – Air Show). Plus special guests include David Glaser on guitars, and a few other folks you might recognize. I just finished writing the title song Links In A Chain. Here is part of the song…

Links In A Chain
Copyright 2009 Joe Jencks, Turtle Bear Music, ASCAP

V1.
Late summer morning on a front porch swing
There's a tear in grandmother's eye
She's telling me tales of my mother's childhood
How they got by
Years of war, years of depression
The hard times they came through
She smiles at me and says, "That wisdom,
Carries on in you"

Chorus
Links in a chain unbroken
Words of a prayer unspoken
Invisible hands reaching through time
We each have a piece of the story
Each have a share in the glory
And a chance to pass it along to those who remain
Links in a chain
(Get the disc for the full story)

Now for the GREAT NEWS!
I will be performing at a VERY prominent New York City concert hall in November. I am not allowed to say more just yet, until they make it public. But I will be there for a week working with young people, and sharing both original and traditional American Folk Music. I am honored to have been selected for this event, and will hopefully be able to tell you more soon. I will be working with two other artists who will represent folk traditions from other parts of the world, and we will collectively give 2 performances a day for five days! Children from all over NYC will be studying our songs and music throughout the fall as part of their music curriculum, and then they will come to this prominent venue to see us perform, and to sing with us! I could not be more thrilled. Practice, practice, practice…

PRE- ORDERS & PLEDGES
It is very difficult for an independent artist to scrounge the funds for a new recording project. Many of you contributed generously 2 years ago to helping me create The Candle & The Flame. A record that was VERY successful. I am grateful. Please consider helping out again for this new Joe Jencks record, Links In A Chain. Sponsors will be listed with gratitude in the CD liner notes. And are welcome to the CD release party at the Kerrville Folk Festival Main Stage, Thursday May 21st @ 8:30 PM.

Many of you have expressed that you would like to support the CD, but would like to wait until after tax returns, etc. Great! Thanks. So here is the scoop...

You don't have to pay now to be listed as a sponsor on the CD liner notes. All I need is your pledge, and we can settle up later. If you can send a note to me by the 15th of April with your pledge, you can be listed in the liner notes.

To re-cap: Pre-orders are $20.00 each, 3 for $50.00 or 7 for $100.00. Supporters at the level of $50 and up, who have placed their orders or made their pledge by the Print Deadline of April 15th, will be listed in the liner notes as sponsors. And ALL contributions large or small will yield extremely good karma!

Another way to help is to Sponsor a Spin! Every time a new CD is released, a radio campaign begins. We send out CDs to hundreds and hundreds of Folk, Americana, and Roots DJs all over the US, Canada around the world. "The Candle And The Flame" received airplay in 9 different countries! Buy ONE extra copy, of the New CD at $10.00 (or pledge to do so again, by April 15th), and you will be listed as a Radio Sponsor in the liner notes, and you will help spread the good will of this music literally all over the world. The Extra CD you purchase will be sent to a folk-friendly radio station. We will let you know which one, so that you can send them an email and request spins of Joe Jencks songs! Think about it? What a great and easy way to do something good!

Please send a note to joe@joejencks.com if you would like an address to which you can send a check. And, feel free to call if you would prefer to use a Credit Card for your contribution or pre-order, or if you just want to say hello and offer moral support! 206-619-4104. CDs will be mailed out in early June (Postage and applicable taxes included in the order price), and you will be the first ones on your block to get the new Joe Jencks CD!

I can't wait to start recording next week. It is always such an adventure, watching the songs unfold their wings and begin to fly! The title track alone will be worth it all. I look forward to sharing this new music with you.

In Gratitude and Song…

•Joe Jencks
Turtle Bear Music
www.joejencks.com