ABOUT THE PROJECT:
Artie King and the Circle T Gang came into being as a rock opera before having an illustrated libretto and a ”Still Image Film".
Following a 7 month tour of western Canada, our band was driving down through the western US to visit friends in Tucson, Arizona. The breath-taking panoramas we saw gave me the idea to give Tennyson’s King Arthur Legends an 1870’s wild-west treatment. For four years, we developed the idea of the opera as a live show and a demo recording for potential Broadway backers.
the aim is to produce a full comic book, a double album CD of the original sound recording, coupled with one or two new songs, A stills DVD
All of the digitalization, comic book libretto artwork, new recording, CD and DVD pressing as well as shooting the still frames as a movie, cost money. We are now in the studio, and Richard Allen, the Waltrip’s and John Tracy, our US engineer, are working on spec, out of belief that this unique and fun project will find a worldwide audience. If we send you a copy of all of the different forms it comes in, will you back us and help this one of a kind project? Please help bring “Artie King’s” idealism and courage to life. If you do, we’re confident you’ll love it. Thank you!
The project and the creative individuals, images and details behind the project:
If you wish to donate to this project, please click the Kickstarter image and it will take you to our funding page. This wil also show you how to donate and what the rewards are for donating to this great project.
CABOT WADE - Creator & Writer of Artie King and the Circle T Gang (Rock Opera)
Cabot started as a songwriter in High School in Nashville, Tennessee where he recorded 6 tunes with Tree publishing Company before graduating. After graduating, Cabot went straight onto the road with a touring company of “Up With People,” for whom he wrote what became standard reperatory songs. Since then, Cabot's band has written and recorded five albums and gigged non-stop.
RICHARD Y SMITH (aka Dick Smith) - Recording Engineer
Richard is a Singer Songwriter who toured many areas of Europe, Africa, Canada and the United States. He still performs in Virginia and other areas when requested. Richard recorded the original audio and musical tracks for Artie King and the Circle T Gang. The tracks were recorded in Fresh Tracks Recording Studio in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1980. Richard was also one of the original Character voices on the recording.
Richard knew he was a singer, but he was surprised to learn he could act as well. Yes, he did very well in several stage productions of Artie King and the Circle T Gang. His part was as Lane, “Lancelot,” who was Vera’s love interest.
JOHN TRACY - Singer / Songwriter / Recording Engineer
Since the age of 15, John has performed in over 20 countries as a musician, singer and songwriter. John has performed for Masai Tribesmen in the Rift Valley in Kenya, Royal Albert Hall in London, The Olympia Theater in Paris, and The White House. He has performed for numerous Heads of State, including King Boudoin of Belgium, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, President Mobutu of the Congo, Prince Charles and Princess Anne of England, and Presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon.
John’s involvement with Artie King and The Circle T Gang began in 1980, when Cabot asked John to record bass, drums and Violin on several songs in the original recordings of the productions. John is currently involved in editing and remixing the original recordings of Artie King and The Circle T Gang, as well as several new songs that Cabot has added to the Rock Opera.
JOHN & JASON WALTRIP - Illustrators
Life-long residents of Williamsburg, Virginia, identical twin brothers John and Jason Waltrip were born in 1963 and showed an early artistic aptitude. Earning Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1985, they immediately delved into the world of art producing portraits at a local amusement park and illustrations for various role-playing game magazines, but soon entered the comic book industry with Robotech II: The Sentinels from Eternity Comics and later Academy Comics. Lasting 75 issues over eight years, it became Robotech’s longest running comic book series, and perhaps the brothers most well known work.
After Sentinels, the pair went on to contribute to many other comic projects such as Tsunami Girl, BoHos, and Lilli for Image Comics, mini-comics for BanDai’s DinoZaurs and Cyclonians toy lines, IDIOTZ for Tokyopop, web comics Faans!, Rip & Teri, Xenocosm, and Penny & Aggie, and returned to Robotech with Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles for DC/WildStorm. They continue to seek out comic opportunities whenever and wherever they can. The two reside in their longtime hometown of Toano.
RICHARD ALLEN - Recording & Mastering Engineer/Producer / Video Producer / Editor
Richard Allen cut his teeth working as a "live" touring sound engineer working for the likes of John Parr, John Waite, And touring as John Parr's engineer with Journey, Bryan Adams, Richard Marx. Richard is also a studio engineer and studio designer/installer. Richard first worked with Cabot on his album "Cock O' The Walk" in 1998 with renowned record producer David Mackay, since then has worked with Cabot on several album projects. Richard was responsible for transferring Artie King and the Circle T Gang 8 track tapes from analogue into the digital realm. He will also be mastering and creating the stills DVD and artwork that is supplied from the illustrators. Richard also presents his own radio show for new unsigned and indie music from around the world.
If you wish to donate to this project, please click the Kickstarter image and it will take you to our funding page. This wil also show you how to donate and what the rewards are for donating to this great project.
Cabot Wade - Kickstarter trailer video