If you weren’t already familiar with Everett musician Jason Webley, you might have heard about the sold-out show he put together at the Historic Everett Theater back in April for his project “Margaret,” inspired by a scrapbook detailing the life of Everett native Margaret Rucker.
This scrapbook was found in a dumpster in San Francisco by Webley’s close friend Chicken John several years ago. The scrapbook started with Margaret’s birth certificate, included poems she wrote, newspaper stories about events in her life both beautiful as well as tragic and it ends with her obituary.
Webley has been asked countless times where the songs can be purchased. It was time to make a record.
Webley decided to get his fans involved in the process by launching a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to pay for the album. With a goal of $11,111 that was reached in a matter of hours it was clear this Kickstarter was going to be very successful. Though nobody could have projected exactly how successful it would become.
After the full 30-day Kickstarter campaign ended Webley had received a total of $67,653 from 1,862 supporters. This makes the “Margaret” project the second most successful music Kickstarter ever to come out of the state of Washington.
The campaign ended at 1:11 p.m. last Thursday and Webley celebrated first by counting down while popping bottles of champagne and apple cider at Café Zippy and then by hosting a private performance for local contributors at The Cannery. Everett band Mountains and Tunnels who will be featured on the “Margaret” album also performed.
Jason Webley and friends are set to release “Margaret” on Dec. 12 (Margaret Rucker’s birthday) with a record release party at The Moore Theater in Seattle.
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