I had not heard of this… but I’m glad someone stood up and made it happen. I’m a music lover but I’ve lately bought fewer and fewer CDs because of the way Record Companys have been acting.

ArtistShare is a company that allows an Artist to let fans pay for the making of their music. And one Grammy Award Winning Artist did just that. Maria Schneider went to ArtistShare after being frustrated with several Labels work with her previous albums. So she had her fans sponsor her latest albums while providing the album free for download. (Fans who sponsored her recieved signed copies of the album and other personalize items like the sheet music or what not) The response was so great (and the first album she made money on) that she’s due to release a second album via ArtistShare.

NEW YORK (FORTUNE Small Business Magazine) - In April, Grammy-winning jazz composer Maria Schneider will play four nights at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild in Pittsburgh to record a live album. Schneider is beloved by jazz aficionados, but the shows will be significant for another reason — the resulting album will be the second that Schneider has produced and financed through ArtistShare, a new venture in New York City.

I am loving the fact that good artists can be successful with out a major label screwing them over.

Edit: I found it funny that Rick Moranis was also nominated for a grammy album… for a country album. Note: Like all ArtistShare artists his music is up for review.