Project focuses on Iowa musicians

Lucas Benson has loved music his entire life.

'I grew up in a family where when we got together, we'd all sit around and sing,' Benson said. 'I used to joke, we didn't have reunions, we had rehearsals.'

Benson combined that love of music and work in non-profits into The Iowa Music Project, which is dedicated to supporting musicians across the state.

Recently, he received a $8,700 grant for the project from the Iowa Arts Council, and is receiving support from other organizations around the state as well.

One of Benson's first initiatives is a songwriting showcase. Musicians can submit audio or video recordings of songs that were not previously recorded at http://iowamusicshowcase.blogspot.com/ through March 14.

'Once those are submitted, we have a review committee and we'll post as many of the songs as we can,' Benson said.

In the end, 25 artists will receive half-day recording sessions in April and May at Flat Black Studios in Iowa City.

Fifteen tracks will be mastered and produced into an album by Maximum Ames Records.

'In some ways if we do this project right, the final album will be kind of uneven and weird, but we're kind of cool with that,' Benson said. 'The goal with that is not necessarily that these will be the best 15 songs, but that we're sort of cataloging the diversity of genres and musicians and sounds and all of that.'

A concert on June 2 at the Des Moines Social Club will feature two acts selected from the songwriting showcase, along with the group Middle Western.

The concert will air on Iowa Public Radio's Studio One series.

Zoey Miller, venue coordinator at the Des Moines Social Club, said it was easy to get behind Benson's mission and support 'genuine people who just want to elevate artists.'

'I think that's very in line with the Social Club's mission,' Miller said. 'We really want to provide a platform for Iowa artists to find their voice and gain an audience.'

HOW TO GET INVOLVED To submit a song or learn more about the Iowa Music Project, go to

iowamusicproject.com. Go to

facebook.com/iowamusicproject to learn more about the project and see submissions.

Brady Smith of KCRG-TV9 contributed to this story.