Mieka Pauley

Bob Jacobson, proprietor and president of Leelanau Cellars in Omena, is a busy guy. In addition to overseeing Northern Michigan’s largest winery, he also owns a large construction company based in southeastern Michigan. So, when Jacobson takes a break from this workload, he catches concerts at places like The Ark in Ann Arbor. Recently he was there with friends to hear Boston-based singer Mieka Pauley. During her performance, Pauley announced from the stage that she was looking for sponsors for her next album.
“I was intrigued by the concept,” said Jacobson. “So after the show I approached her about how the sponsorship program worked, and the options were everything from buying an advance copy of the CD to sponsoring a concert. I opted for buying a concert.”
Pauley is now set to perform on Thursday, October 11 at Leelanau Cellars’ new tasting room on the Leelanau peninsula. Jacobson and his fellow winemakers in Northern Michigan have long been supporters of the arts and cultural scene in the region, so inviting Pauley to perform was a natural decision. Jacobson also decided to not charge a ticket price for the show.
“She is such a great performer and vocalist that I wanted to make her concert accessible to everyone. I didn’t want a ticket price to be a hurdle,” said Jacobson.
Pauley has built a fan base around the country as an independent artist. A 2002 Harvard graduate, her diploma all but punched the six-figure job ticket for her. Instead, she decided to pursue her music.
“I had been interested in writing and performing music even before I got to college. In between classes, I would drag my amp out of my dorm room and perform for change in Harvard Square. It was just so romantic - it was exactly what I was looking for,” said Pauley. “After I graduated, I took on a part-time job with the Harvard Business School that led to a full-time job. I saved enough after a year to quit and pursue music for the summer. I made more street performing than I did at my job, so I never had to go back. It’s most definitely not a six-figure gig, but I make ends meet.”
The concept of seeking out sponsorships to make a CD is an unusual one, but as more artists pursue independent releases, they have to take creative approaches in funding their projects as well.
“I make a decent amount in concerts and CD sales. However, making an album is a huge financial burden,” said Pauley. “I decided to try out an approach I had seen a couple of other musicians try, which is to run a pre-order campaign months before the album is due to come out. Folks not only can order the album by itself, but also can choose to spend more and get more in return. Pre-order and sponsorship packages include things like B-sides, season tickets to my shows, original out-of-print CDs, and even a concert in their house or business. This is why I’m playing at Leelanau Cellars - the owner sponsored my CD.”
Pauley’s talents have attracted interest from major labels, but she prefers the do-it-yourself approach.
“Having fans sponsor the album has been amazing. I’ve gotten a tremendous response, to where the entire album, including recording and duplication, has been paid for - and there is a good amount left over to help promote the album,” said Pauley. “This tangible support keeps me going when the process gets rough.”
Okay, so a gal with a guitar performing solo. Must be a folk singer, right? Guess again.
“I’ve worked hard to separate myself from folk music. I have no problem with the genre in general - there are some beautiful songs - but it’s strange when you grow up immersed in rock and soul and old jazz, and write rock songs inspired by the same, and you end up being pigeon-holed as folk,” said Pauley. Over the past couple of years, she has traversed the country, building a grassroots following.
“I’m amazed and grateful, looking back and seeing to what degree different cities around the country have built up for me. It sucks to hit a town for the first time, and play for one dude who’s facing the wrong way while nursing his beer; but it’s an incredible feeling to return a couple times later, and actually have folks come specifically to see you,” Pauley reflects. “It’s a really rough way of life. What makes it worth it, though, is to feel these geographically random cities start to feel like home - that’s pretty rare on tour.”
Pauley continues to reside in Boston, drawing influence and support from the musical community. She denies it’s the clam chowder that’s keeping her there.
“I don’t even like clam chowder,” she laughs. “I’ve found artistic heroes here in folks like Martin Sexton, who just took his guitar and made it work. His “Glory Bound” is like an anthem to me. You can just feel it in the soul of Harvard Square; every fifty feet is another musician wailing on a street corner. The music scene in Boston is amazing, and Boston has a great music festival called NEMO which really ties everything together and makes it feel like a real home.”
Pauley hopes that Northern Michigan will embrace her music and become one of those home-away-from-home communities that she returns to. Her musical colleagues have certainly already embraced her style, with the likes of Eric Clapton, John Legend, John Hiatt, Blues Traveler, Martin Sexton and Shawn Mullins all using Pauley as an opening act.

Mieka Pauley will perform at 9 pm on October 11 at Leelanau Cellars in Omena, a few miles north of Suttons Bay. There is no charge for the concert and Leelanau Cellars is connected to the The Knot Just a Bar, a new restaurant for those looking to turn the evening into a dinner and a concert. For a preview of Pauley’s music, check out myspace.com/mieka, and for additional concert details, call Leelanau Cellars at 231-386-5201.

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