| RMS Five Ring in Holidays with Concert and New CD |
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The sounds of holiday carols and harmonized seasonal favorites will be heard in
The RMS Five, is made up of five soloists from the Rock My Soul gospel choir and is known for rich harmonies and unique arrangements of roots, blues,
“All of us are influenced by gospel and the music that comes from it: blues, doo wop, rock ‘n roll, and R&B,” says Dawn Boyer, founder and director of the two groups. “Those influences make their way into our harmonies and arrangements. We have a great time, and our audiences love the style of our music. Our holiday shows are a particular favorite.”
So much so, in fact, that fans have been asking for a Christmas CD for more than five years. But raising enough money proved to be a tough obstacle. "Producing a high-quality CD costs thousands of dollars," said Boyer. "We're nonprofit, so that kind of money has been out of reach."
Until this year, when Boyer heard about a new “crowd funding” web site called Kickstarter, which helps artists raise money for specific creative projects. "Kickstarter acts as patrons of the arts once did," Boyer said. “We figured, why not give it a try?” She and other group members set a goal of $3,000, offered different rewards for pledge levels, made a video, posted the project on the Kickstarter site, and held their breath.
To their delight, 71 backers pledged a total of $5,150. Kickstarter charged a small fee for credit card processing, and the rest went to recording, producing, and manufacturing the CD. “We were astounded at the support,” Boyer said. “It enabled us to produce the high quality CD we wanted to make, and, thanks to our producer, Brett Hartenbach, and engineer, Joe Rogers, we’re very proud of the results. This is truly a community-funded music project—our backers were part of the entire process.”
Songs on the CD range from spirited tunes such as "Sleigh Ride" and "I Pray on Christmas," to quieter songs such as a Temptations-inspired arrangement of "Silent Night" and a New Orleans-flavored version of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)."
Tickets to the
Proceeds from CD sales go toward supporting ProjectMusicWorks, a nonprofit organization dedicated to performing free outreach concerts at hospice, homeless shelters, rehab programs, and other facilities that support those in need.