Hiss Golden Messenger Makes Impactful Donation to Lamplight

Hiss Golden Messenger and Citizen Vinyl are thrilled to announce a donation of $10,232.00 to Asheville, N.C.-based art and music nonprofit Lamplight AVL. The funds were raised through a limited edition, 2 x LP vinyl version of Sanctuary Songs, proudly pressed at Citizen Vinyl.

 

“I’m honored to have contributed money from the proceeds of the sale of Sanctuary Songs towards the great work Lamplight AVL is doing in the community of Asheville, NC,” said HISS Golden Messenger front man MC Taylor. “This type of coming together feels more vitally important than ever before, and I’m proud to be part of our forward movement.” 

 

This hurricane relief fundraiser brought together some of the vinyl industry’s finest players, who donated their materials and talents to further enhance the project’s fundraising impact. Lacquer cuts were donated by Ryan Smith and Joe Nino-Hernes of Sterling Sound, and stampers were provided by Record Techology, Inc. 

 

The pressing includes beautiful gatefold packaging featuring photos by Anthony Mulcahy and design by Matthew Pfahlert, who both also donated their creative talents to the project. Citizen Vinyl founder and CEO Gar Ragland served as the project’s executive producer, and vinyl production expenses were covered by a hurricane relief grant from the Virginia Sargeant Reynolds Foundation.

 

“Citizen Vinyl is honored to partner with Hiss Golden Messenger on this project, to support our creative community here in Asheville as it continues to recover in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” said Citizen Vinyl founder and CEO Gar Ragland. “We’re deeply grateful for the generosity and compassion of the band, as well as many others who have donated their time and talents to create such a positive impact through the arts.”

 

 

Sanctuary Songs, an 18-track live album, was recorded on December 1, 2023 — during the Jump for Joy tour — at The Waiting Room in Omaha, NE. The set was captured by long-time Hiss engineer Luc Suér on the Hiss Mobile Recording Unit. Sanctuary Songs was initially released as a digital album in October 2024, and 100% of the proceeds of the sale of the digital release were donated to Beloved Asheville.

 

The funds raised from the 2 x LP vinyl version of Sanctuary Songs supports Lamplight AVL’s Recover, Remain, & Thrive program. “This generous donation will have a massive impact on our ongoing work to support and uplift the incredible artists in our resilient region,” said Emily McDaniel, Executive Director of Lamplight AVL. “We’re deeply grateful to Hiss Golden Messenger for their commitment to championing artist-centered recovery, and to Citizen Vinyl for supporting this effort. This contribution is a powerful affirmation of the resilience and value of our incredible creative community, and we are so thankful”

 

A small number of the 500 2 x LP pressings remain, and fans of Hiss Golden Messenger can purchase these — along with other albums benefiting recovery efforts in Western North Carolina — through Citizen Vinyl’s Citizen Soundcheck platform: https://citizenvinyl.shop/pages/citizen-soundcheck