It all started so simply. It was noon on May 1st, 2007. Paul Sanchez and John Boutté, two well-known New Orleans musicians, played together as a duo. It was an acoustic set at a private, outdoor charitable event for theThreadheads, fans of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, on a Tuesday afternoon between Fest weekends.
The music sung and played and the stories told by Paul and John were magical in so many ways. And during the set, John asked Paul if he would produce his next record. Listen to that short exchange here:
After their set ended, an innocent Threadhead wandered up to John and Paul and asked: when would the two of them put out a CD together? Paul’s succinct response, with his sweet smile, was, “Well, like I said, that would take money.”
And thus began Threadhead Records (THR), an unprecedented fan-funded and volunteer-run record company formed out of the love for New Orleans and its music, and its musicians. Our mission is to help New Orleans musicians who were victims of the flooding that occurred from the failed levees, which took place in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. To this day, most of the musicians in New Orleans are still attempting to rebuild their lives.
Each CD project is funded by the fans themselves through THR; the money is loaned to the artist and is paid back by the musicians within six months of the CD's release to the public. Loan recipients also agree to pay back an additional 10 percent charitable return to the Threadhead Records Foundation, New Orleans Musicians Clinic, or other similar charities benefitting New Orleans musicians. All monies paid back by the artist (exclusive of the 10 percent described above) are returned to the fans who funded the project. More information can be found on our "How it Works" page.
The musicians own their own work; THR does not sign artists, nor are we involved in creative decisions or ownership of songs. We exist solely to help musicians get their CDs made. No more, no less.
Threadhead Records is a way for Louisiana-based musicians to continue to produce the music they crave to create and, in return, gives their fans the music they love to hear. It’s a truly wonderful partnership.
Please help us rebuild New Orleans, one song at a time.
Listen to Chris Joseph describe Threadhead Records during an interview on KGNU-FM:
Listen to Chris, John Boutte & Paul Sanchez discuss Threadhead Records on WWOZ:
After their set ended, an innocent Threadhead wandered up to John and Paul and asked: when would the two of them put out a CD together? Paul’s succinct response, with his sweet smile, was, “Well, like I said, that would take money.”
