Last night, my buddy Mike and I were trading text messages about the future of music, and I got a little fired up about fans who don’t really support the bands they say they love…and today, I had an opportunity to back up my talk and support some really talented artists.

If you haven’t heard me talk about Future Thieves yet, let me introduce you to my favorite band discovery of 2016.

This Nashville quartet is straight up, rock n’ roll, with maybe just a shade of 80s guitar nostalgia. My friend Brandon’s side project, The Wealthy West, got booked to play a show with them here in Charlotte last spring, so a month or so before the show, I went to check out their music. It took two songs for me to download their 2015 album, Horizon Line. It didn’t leave my ears for weeks, and I’d venture a guess to say that it was probably the record I listened to most in 2016.

And then I saw them live. That was all she wrote, folks. I was sold. Hooked. Obsessed in a way that is likely somewhat annoying, but hopefully slightly endearing. I spent the remaining eight months of the year plotting ways to see them again…and again…and again. You get the picture.

This morning, my 2016 musical crushes launched a PledgeMusic campaign to record their second studio album. Now, I’ve supported a bunch of PledgeMusic and Kickstarter campaigns, and I gotta tell ya, the rewards these fellas are offering up are some of the best value for the dollar that I’ve seen. PLUS YOU GET NEW MUSIC.

Head on ever to PledgeMusic and check out their launch video, all the rewards, Gianni’s antics, and if you look real hard, you can find a new song to grace your ears. If you have a few extra bucks to spare, consider supporting Elliot, Nick, Austin and Gianni on their mission to make great rock music. I have a feeling you won’t be disappointed.

P.S. The guys are releasing a new live album next week, Live at Blue Rock, and you get that as part of the AccessPass when you give just $10. That’s TWO records for $10. No brainer, gang!