Save the New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Fest:  Tonight, I've set up a special Kickstarter to save this week's New Orleans fest.  A couple of sponsors have pulled out at the last minute, leaving the festival teetering on the edge with C. B. Gitty as the only sizeable sponsor.  See the Kickstarter here.

The festival is scheduled for THIS weekend, January 19-21, so time is of the essence.

Last year was the festival's first year, and it was an amazing event, with performers traveling from all around the country to take part in making their music and spreading the word about cigar box guitars. The video we've uploaded on the Kickstarter page shows a group of local third-graders on-stage, performing on the cigar box ukuleles they built in preparation for the festival.

It is not easy, for me personally, to make the decision to stick my hand out and ask the Cigar Box Guitar community to help with something. I've never done it before. But this is for something bigger - every penny of money raised, if we hit our goal, will go towards paying performers and covering expenses. There are 11 acts from 9 states on the line-up. The venue is booked, the posters are printed. 

If we exceed the goal, any extra money will be held in the kitty for next year's festival and will be used at that time for paying performers. Every penny donated will go towards paying the actively touring musicians performing at the festival: A. J. Gaither, John Nickel, Richard Johnston, T. J. Wheeler, Shane Speal, Amzie Adams and more.

Thank you for looking at this and considering the cause - and please know that I do not ask lightly. I have never put my hand out before in this way, and it is not easy for me to do. I have put this fundraiser together pretty hastily, and the prize rewards are pretty haphazard... know that we will do our best, and that I personally will do all I can, to make sure anyone who contributes to this case is publicly recognized. I will not profit personally from this, nor will my company C. B. Gitty.

Also, we will be working (tentatively) with John Nickel's help to make a live album at the fest, which all donators will have first access to, if we are able to pull it off. Plus we'll be live broadcasting as much as we can of it.

- Ben "Gitty" Baker