Hi friends! Bobby Jo here.

I’m making a new record, and I’d love your help bringing it into the world.

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance I’ve had the privilege of playing for you somewhere over the years—in a church, a concert hall, a living room, at a retreat, or somewhere else our paths crossed.

Some of you have been with me for a very long time. You were there through some enormous losses: losing my home in a fire, seasons when my mental health fell apart, and the long work of finding my footing again. You’ve also been there for some wonderful things.

And many of you were part of the great collective of kindness that helped put me back together.

You have my forever gratitude.

Now I’m standing here with another batch of songs, asking if you’ll help me make something beautiful again.

If you already know you want to be part of this record, you can choose one of the thank-you gifts on this page and give at whatever level feels right to you. Every gift, at every amount, helps make this album possible.

Our goal is $7900. We've had a bit of initial funding, and this is what we have left to raise. This budget includes the recording, mixing and mastering, Album design, distribution, and some videos. 

My albums have always been community art projects. They exist because people who believe in the music decide they want to help it exist.

For years, every time I asked for support, some part of me hoped I could eventually become successful enough that I’d never have to ask again.

I don’t think I believe that anymore.

I think there’s something beautiful about making art this way. I write the songs, gather the musicians and engineers, sing my heart out, and then I hold out my hands to the community that has carried these songs all these years and ask:

Will you help make this beautiful thing with me?

The rhythm of our lives seems to be that we move through seasons of great loss and great love. Somewhere along the way, we find songs and stories that help us understand what happened, heal a little, laugh again, feel less alone, or remember that there is still joy here.

Then somehow, we drum up the courage to keep going.

Writing songs is one of the ways I try to accompany people through that journey.

And somehow, wonderfully, seven albums have come out of it.

Y’all have made seven records with me.

Every one of them feels like a small miracle.

So here I am, hoping for miracle number eight.

I dare to ask because of you. You’ve shown me, over and over, that there are people who want these songs in the world. You’ve given wings to every leap of faith I’ve taken so far.

You make me brave enough to jump again.

About this record

I really believe you’re going to love this one.

It’s intimate and stripped down: mostly just my voice and guitar, with some ukulele here and there. There’s nowhere to hide in music like this, which makes it vulnerable and exciting for me.

Justin at Hallowed Halls has been creating these beautiful, warm, clear mixes where the voice and instruments can really breathe. It sounds like me. It feels close. It feels alive.

And I can’t wait for you to hear it.

A few ways to be part of it

I’ve put together thank-you gifts at different giving levels, including the digital album, signed CDs, special album credits, Zoom concerts, storytelling workshops, and even private in-person concerts in your living room, church, or as a benefit for a nonprofit you love.

I’m especially excited about the storytelling workshops. Beginning next year, I’ll be gathering small groups to explore the stories of our lives and learn how to write about them in ways that are honest, powerful, and alive. Writing has given me an incredible path toward clarity and helped me find better ways of being in the world. I’d love to share some of what I’ve learned with you.

Choose the gift that makes you smile, at whatever level works for you.

And if a one-time contribution isn’t the best fit, you can also support the album monthly through Patreon. That can be a lovely option if you’d like to give a larger amount over time rather than all at once. There are thank-you gifts there, too.

⁠Join me on Patreon

Mostly, I just want to say this:

Thousands of people may hear me play in a given year, but there is a smaller circle of friends, listeners, fans, and supporters who have made it possible for me to keep writing songs and carrying them from town to town.

You are the reason there are seven Bobby Jo Valentine albums in the world.

I’d be deeply grateful if you helped me make number eight.

Give what you can. Pick something fun as a thank-you. Tell a friend who might love the music and loves supporting art.

And then, if all goes well, I’ll do what you’ve trusted me to do seven times already:

I’ll make you a record.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Much love and music,

Bobby Jo


**Here's the song list for the album. Pick one if you're considering the "sponsor a song" reward.**

What's Happening
Being Heavy on Yourself
Thank the Magic
Hand In Mine
Back in Love with My Guitar
Luck Might Be A Lady, And Fate is The Woman in Charge
Dear Avocado, Goodbye
Not That Far
The Leaver
It's Okay to Not Be Okay
Little Town
The Everywhere I Am
Come to San Francisco and Be Saved