Boston nonprofit Salt Lick Incubator provides funding to up-and-coming musicians
A Boston nonprofit is making waves across the country by providing aspiring musicians with the money they need to make it big.
Singer-songwriter Kyle Ray wants what every musician wants. "We want to be heard," he said, sitting on a local stage with his guitar on his lap.
Provides money and opportunities
But at 23 years old and just starting his music career, Ray knew he needed help to find his audience. "Anybody who's anything has been dependent upon a small group of people believing in them," said Ray.
For Ray, that group is called the Salt Lick Incubator.
"We're just a puff of wind in the sails but they're the ones who have to do the work," explained Salt Lick founder Roger Brown who is also the former president of Berklee College of Music.
According to Brown, Salt Lick's mission is to support artists like Ray with what they need most: money.
"The grants we give people allow them to make a first project like a record or press some vinyl that they can sell at shows or go on tours, we're trying to help them get the best possible songs," said Brown.
The program also provides opportunity. Ray and two other Salt Lick artists got the chance to open for Grammy Award winner Sheryl Crow at the Umbrella Arts Center in Concord.
Seeing results
There are some big names in music behind the non-profit. Board members include stars like Charlie Puth, Jon Batiste and Susan Tedeschi. And, according to Brown, the 3-year-old Boston-based program is already seeing results.
"Some of the artists we've been working with for a couple of years now are starting to see their star rise," said Brown. "We've got several artists who've got over a half a million streams on Spotify and other streaming channels. We've got artists who've signed major label deals."
Ray hopes to be among those successes, and he says he will have Salt Lick to thank. "I'm here right now because a group of people decided to take a chance on me and God's will. That's why I'm here."
