Toast & Jam with Court Hoang

Episode 113: Court Hoang makes his living designing software, but his passion is songwriting and performing. Recently, the indie folk-rock artist livestreamed a songwriting session. After an hour, he had come up with a verse and chorus of a song titled “Will I Wake Up?” He finished the song over the next few days and then recorded the rhythm guitar and lead vocal track at his home recording studio. Since he’s a whiz kid on computers, he is able to take his songs to a higher level. He emailed his audio clip to 10 musician friends spread out around the country and asked them to record their own parts to be added to the master recording. The musicians used a variety of methods, including studio gear, laptops, USB mics, and iPhones. Hoang compiled, edited, and mixed them all into the master with spectacular results. Next, he created a video using license-free stock footage depicting people navigating the corona crisis. So, with a budget of zero, Hoang created an outstanding song and video without anyone being in the same room or even the same state in some cases. On May 22, the song debuted on The KXT Local Show hosted by Amy Miller and is available at CourtHoang.com. Proceeds from song sales will be donated to the North Texas Food Bank. Thanks, Court, for sharing your video with Toast & Jam viewers and blowing us away with your cool rendition of an Etta James classic! — Jeff Prince