For more than a year, two of my best friends, Will Gray and Jon Kofahl, have been hard at work on a documentary about the state of the music industry and the uncertain future of independent musicians. The film is gorgeous and the story is compelling. Please support these guys, and support this conversation!

Is it possible for an artist to break?

Record labels continue to strive for reinvention in the brave new worlds of digital music, Internet marketing, and social media. The star-making radio deejays of yesteryear have taken a backseat to trendsetting celebrity bloggers and the purveyors of the latest ringtones. Rapidly evolving technologies provide revolutionary benefits to new and undiscovered musicians, but the ever-changing landscape of the Internet remains uncertain terrain. More music is being produced than ever before, but in light of the current climate, can the makers, marketers, and promoters of that music find a way to capture mainstream attention?

Following on-the-verge artist Will Gray through the recording and release of his debut album (featuring production by Grammy Award-winning producer, T Bone Burnett), Broke* chronicles the stories of artists and executives searching for ways to thrive in the face of today’s music industry challenges. Featuring candid interviews with industry insiders and intimate profiles of some of the brightest emerging musical talent in the country, the film digs beneath the clichés and standard storylines to reveal an industry struggling to find a new identity and an artist who’s simply trying to establish one. Can a new act be “broken”?

Release date for the film is still TBD, but you can stay connected to Broke* on Facebook or Twitter. If you’d like to contribute to the cause, and get a great looking t-shirt at the same time, please visit their website!

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