I just saw the news that John Whelan was getting his first job since he became a full-time musician 50 years ago. I’ll be honest I do not know his music at all.  I couldn’t tell you what albums he has or who he’s played with. But I know OF him. People in the Celtic music community talk about him as one of the greats.

My first thought was, “Dang, that sucks. I need to tell him about Patreon!”

So I went to his website. Turns out, he has a Patreon page. He has a Bandcamp page. He has an online tip jar. He has online courses. He's active social media. He has tons of CDs. He even has a mailing list

From the look of it, he's doing everything I would recommend as a music marketer with 20 years of experience. So what gives?!

The simple fact is the business is changed. CDs are no longer where you get music. They now go under the generic term of “merch”. It's something you can physically own.

It's a physical archive of music you love.

But “music” is not something you can make money off. You have to find other means of doing so.

Again, my favorite is still Patreon. I have a very vibrant Patreon page. It is the #1 way to support my music.

I've promoted my Patreon for years. It's been pretty stagnant. And if it wasn't for my Irish & Celtic Music Podcast Patreon page too, I might have to get a job myself.

Streaming music is amazing. It allows fans to listen and fall in love with a musician. It allows to discover new music. But it doesn't pay.

To me, that's okay. But it requires a serious effort to adapt to a new music paradigm.

I spent this past weekend re-examining all of the “merch” I sell at show. I now have four different items that you can buy for $15 to “own” the music either through a digital download or your typical physical CD. This list could change entirely by next week.

But it's a start.

I don't know where the music business is headed or how indie musicians will adapt. Ultimately, I love writing and sharing my music. I love hearing what your favorite songs.

I'm gonna keep doing that for as long as I'm able. But there may be a time that I too will have to get a job. I dread that day!

Let me finish with this. If you love something, put your money where your heart is. Support it. Whatever it is. Support on Patreon. Buy Merch. Give a tip. Pay to see a live concert, on- or offline.

And if you're low on cash, you can still support. Share it with your friends. Share it on Social. Talk it up. Start your fan podcast. Just do what you can to let others know about the things you love.

If you are looking for other Celtic Musicians on Patreon, check here.

If you want to find out how to make the most out of your Patreon page, check out this podcast episode.

Thanks so much for all of your support of my music. Slainte!