Musicians — Share Your Songs
Let Your Music Find a New Audience
Folk Circle brings people together through conversation, stories, and music. My Folk Circle now includes a working player with a collection of songs, and we would like that collection to keep growing — so we’re looking for musicians and songwriters who would like to be part of that.
Sharing your music with Folk Circle can do more than add a song to our player. It can introduce you and your music to people who may never have heard you before — including senior living communities and the people who organize their activities and entertainment.
Your Music — Your Credit
Music included in Circle Player identifies the artist.
Our goal is not to take ownership of your work. You continue to own your music while giving Folk Circle permission to make an approved recording available through Circle Player.
We want people who discover a song they enjoy to know who created and performed it.
Where appropriate, an artist’s listing can also provide a way for listeners and participating communities to learn more about the musician and find their website or other approved contact information.
For independent musicians, Folk Circle can become another way for their music — and their name — to reach a new audience.
Reach Senior Living Communities
Senior living communities regularly look for musicians, entertainers, and activities that their residents will enjoy.
Folk Circle can give musicians another way to introduce themselves to this audience.
A community might first encounter a musician because one of their recordings is included in Circle Player. If the community enjoys the music, it can learn more about the artist and, if the musician performs live, potentially contact them about performing for residents.
Musicians can also introduce Folk Circle directly to senior living communities where they already perform or would like to perform.
A musician might offer a traditional performance, help lead a Folk Circle, or explore ways of combining the two.
Folk Circle does not promise bookings and is not a booking agency. The goal is simply to create opportunities for musicians, communities, and audiences to discover one another.
What Kind of Music Are We Looking For?
We are interested in music people will enjoy hearing or singing together.
That can include
- Original songs and recordings when the musician controls the rights needed to allow Folk Circle to use them.
- Recordings of public-domain songs when the musician owns or controls their particular recording.
- In some circumstances, covers of copyrighted songs, but only when the permissions necessary for Folk Circle to make that particular recording available can be obtained.
For a cover of a copyrighted song, the performer’s permission alone is not always enough — the songwriter or publisher may need to permit that use as well. We’re glad to look at a recording and work through what would be needed.
A song does not have to be about aging, memories, or senior living. It can simply be a good song that people will enjoy hearing or singing together.
Audio or Video
A good-quality audio recording may be all we need. A video may also be used where it fits and where you have the rights to share it — but please don’t make a new video just to take part.
If we go further together, we can talk through the practical details then.
Help Us Grow the Collection
The player works, and the collection in it is still small.
Over time, we’d like Circle Player to hold a growing collection of music shared by musicians who believe songs can help bring people together.
For independent musicians, Folk Circle can offer something in return: a chance for their music and their name to reach a new audience, and an introduction to senior living communities that may be interested in what they do.
If you’re a musician or songwriter who would like to share your music, introduce yourself to new listeners, and help build My Folk Circle, we’d like to hear from you.
There is nothing to buy and nothing to sign up for. Just write to us.
Share Your Music with Folk Circle