Most musicians get squeamish when they dwell in that strange place where art and commerce mix. Holcombe Waller is not one of them. This DIY performance artist/folk troubadour successfully uses the digital realm to foster lasting HUMAN connections. Through the direct fan-funding website KickStarter.com, Waller has raised a recording budget of over $12,000. He’s booked tours that have taken him around the world. He has kept loyal fans engaged and won many new ones by doing serialized releases, putting out one tune at a time. This process has allowed him to sustain interest and support while also making incremental creative leaps without the often-overwhelming burden of having to create a full-length album all at once.
In this interview with Just Out, Waller discusses his work, his strategies for getting it in front of new listeners, his dislike of the term “music business,” the moral implications of free-music vs. patron/backer-based funding for the arts, and how creating an “economy of abundance, not scarcity” will allow the haves and have-nots alike to enjoy his music.
Read the entire interview HERE