Lou Dominguez Turns to Crowdfunding for His New Album, Hanging at the Luna Star

It's not at all uncommon these days for creatives to turn to crowdfunding sites in order to get the capital for their projects. So naturally, when North Miami-based folk musician Lou Dominguez wanted to raise money to release and promote his fourth record, Hanging at the Luna Star, he turned to Kickstarter.

His campaign is seeking $8,000 from backers, and as of this writing, he is a little over halfway to his goal. But the caveat with Kickstarter is that if Dominguez doesn't raise the full $8,000 by the August 11 deadline, he won't receive a dime.

"I've probably spent close to $15,000 on it already," Dominguez says of the 13-song album, which will be released on August 2. That initial investment went toward hiring a producer and studio musicians who played everything from fiddles to mandolins to sitars. "I'm lucky in that I have a job, and I don't have many expenses, so I can play around with my money."

Though he had the funds to record the album, Dominguez knew it would take more moola than he had to get anyone to hear it. On his previous album, 2013's We the People, he was able to get enough radio stations to play it that it peaked at number 11 on the nationwide Folk Music Radio Airplay Chart.

"You know how Michael Stock has a folk show on WLRN? There's a show like that in every city. The key is getting them the music and having them hear it so they can play it," Dominguez says. "Getting on that folk DJ chart isn't about sales; it's all about airplay."

Most of Kickstarter's funds will go toward getting his music to hundreds of influential folk DJs worldwide. He's offering several incentives to encourage fans and well-wishers to donate. Twenty-five dollars gets you a signed CD and digital download, while $125 will have Dominguez record any Disney song the funder chooses, from "Someday My Prince Will Come" to "We Don't Talk About Bruno."

With this being his first time using crowdfunding, Dominguez made some rookie mistakes when he listed the incentives.

"My day job is in the seafood business, so I get good deals on seafood. At first, I was going to give away lobsters and stone crabs, but Kickstarter doesn't allow it; they say it's reselling," he shares. "If they reject what you put on there twice, you can't have a campaign. So I had to be careful what I offered."

Dominguez's new album was inspired by his home away from home, the epicenter of South Florida's folk scene, Luna Star Cafe in North Miami, where Dominguez hosts several music events a month.

"I'm a board member of the South Florida Folk & Acoustic Music Club. Every first Saturday of the month, we have a showcase where members of the club play. Every fourth Saturday is an open mic night. Every third Saturday, we have an artist's showcase," he says.

On Saturday, August 17, Luna Star will host Dominguez's album release party, where audiences can hear all the new songs live.

One of those songs, "Hank Songs at the Lunar Star," recounts how Dominguez fell in love with the café that has been open for 28 years.

"I met a guy who had a Saturday show there. He had two bandmates moving, so he asked me if I could play guitar. He asked if I knew any old country music; all I knew was Hank Williams and Johnny Cash," Dominguez recalls. "He then opened up the world to me of all these great 1950s and Sixties country singers. It's a love song to both him and the café."  

Lou Dominguez Album Release Party. 8 p.m. Saturday, August 17, at Luna Star Cafe, 775 NE 125th St., North Miami; 305-799-7123; lunastarcafe.com.