Philanthropy

Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt SXSW

• Courageous
• Inspirational
• Fascinating

Rock the Cause is a Twin Cities-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We build communities through the power of music in a way that today's generation will find engaging.

Our mission is to help other nonprofit causes to engage and build a new generation of support. We do this through live concert events, social media, technology, and music downloads.

We empower young people of all ages to discover causes they can give their time, creativity, and energy to. We partner with music, film, and visual artists to help them reach new fans and become the voice of the current generation.

What is the project we need fueled? 

Rock the Cause is also a record label. 

We have received an official invite from SXSW booking to an official live music showcase of our charitable compilation Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt.

SXSW is one of the largest and most anticipated music, interactive, and film festivals in the world.  

Our showcase takes place in Austin, TX on 3.15.2012 at Lamberts Downtown BBQ with Green Room Music Source visit www.sxsw.com for final details. We will be joined by artists who contributed tracks to the record and those who wish to pay their respects to Georgia’s fallen songwriter here.  

Rock the Cause is partnering with McNally Smith College of Music using SXSW as an in the classroom and in the field study of how music and causes can partner together to create an impact.McNally Smith has generously underwritten a portion of our SXSW costs. 

We still need an additional $2500 to $5000 for travel, production, and promotional costs associated with Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt.

We also plan to initiate a national airplay and Grammy campaign. This will take approximately $1000 to pay for our in-house publicity team.    

Proceeds from the sale of Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt benefit Sweet Relief Musicians Fund and other organizations like Lifeworks Services that help people with disabilities live fuller lives through innovative programs. Truly 100% of the net proceeds of this record go to work in the community!  

In order for Rock the Cause to expand our mission we need to place our nonprofit and Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt in the hearts of music fans, writers, bloggers, and music industry game changers. 

Being invited to attend SXSW as one of the largest and most prestigious music, film, and interactive festivals in the world will elevate awareness for Rock the Cause and its mission. We will have direct access to industry professionals, artists, and music fans that can help us grow our base of support as a nonprofit.

We will have the ability to promote Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt to the world. When the record is written about, receives airplay, or is in the public eye, it sells!

We know with more exposure and support from music fans like you we can sell thousands of copies. This will make a great impact on the charities the record supports!

We want to make the most of this opportunity. We are a unique nonprofit with an important mission.

We aim to be ambassadors of philanthropy, new music and community at SXSW and beyond!

Please help us Rock the Cause!  

History of Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt   

 Georgia's late songwriting hero Vic Chesnutt made a lot of friends in the Twin Cities music scene early in his career, going back to his debut at the Uptown Bar when Soul Asylum's Danny Murphy introduced him by brazenly telling the crowd to “shut up and listen.” Right up to the end, Chesnutt had a large contingent of fans among our songwriters-over-singers-loving scene.

The impressive turnout for the much buzzed-about compilation features Vic Chesnutt classics performed by Dan Wilson, Haley Bonar, Trampled by Turtles' Dave Simonett, Charlie Parr, Ben Weaver, Wendy Lewis, JoAnna James, Alpha Consumer, Luke Redfield and more. Dave Simonett kicks off the album with "Gravity of the Situation," a had-me-at-hello type of introduction.

One of the compilation's highlights, "Soft Picasso" is performed by Minnesota native and Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter and producer, Dan Wilson. Dan is best known for his work with his band Semisonic and for his collaborations with artists including Adele, The Dixie Chicks, Weezer, Mike Doughty, and others.

Bloggers and tastemakers nation-wide are calling Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt one of the top releases of the year. 

The record sat untouched for almost two years. Luke Redfield a folk artist from Duluth, MN heard about Chesnutt's passing on Christmas Day 2009. He set out to pull together musicians, and engineers who would make a remarkable tribute to Vic Chesnutt.

During one session when the band Sleep Study was recording Vic's swan song "Flirted with You All My Life" a quiet night turned into a howling winter storm that shook the studio and made the lights flicker and equipment go haywire. It was almost as if Vic reached out beyond some ether and said "I am here!"

In the summer of 2011 Rock the Cause was presented with the opportunity to release the compilation to celebrate the life and music of Vic Chesnutt.  

We worked closely with Vic's publishing agency, Bug Music, and the agents, artists, and engineers who all donated their time, talent and energy to make the record a reality.

Our goal was ambitious, yet pure in heart.

1. Raise awareness and support for the needs of musicians who have a disability, suffer from depression, or need help with medical expenses.

2. Help old fans and new fans discover Vic Chesnutt's music through the interpretation of his songs by Minnesota artists.

3. Launch a record label that worked to serve community and empower music fans to take action in their communities.

4. Give musical artists a platform where their music could be discovered, downloaded, and heard while making a contribution to the greater good. 

We chose to share the proceeds from the sale of Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt with Sweet Relief Musicians Fund and Lifeworks Services for the period of one year.  

Minnesota Remembers Vic Chesnutt was released to great critical acclaim on 11.12.2011 - Vic Chesnutt’s birthday. A crowd of nearly 500 Chesnutt fans new and old attended the release concert.

Through our partnership with The Orchard the record is currently available digitally in 22 nations.To date 300 physical copies have sold with nearly 300 downloads worldwide.

We have a 3-year gratis license with Bug Music. We know with more exposure and support from music fans like you we can sell thousands of copies. This will make a great impact on the charities the record supports!

We want to make the most of this opportunity. We are a unique nonprofit with an important mission.

Please help us Rock the Cause!

 Scott Herold 

CEO and Founder

Your contribution may be tax deductible. Rock the Cause will send you a reciept of donation stating the tax deductible amount. Always check with your accountant before making a contribution.