KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As 2024 comes to a close, Manor Records owner Shaun Crowley is setting ambitious goals for his nonprofit record label in 2025.
“Next year, we plan to release up to 10 records,” Crowley said. “We’ve allocated funding for each artist to put out one vinyl record before June 1, so it’s going to feel like we’re putting out a lot of records in the next few months.”
Crowley is ending the year with two vinyl releases already under his belt: Fritz Hutchison’s album Movie Night, which dropped the weekend before Christmas, and Supermoto’s self-titled album, released on Nov. 18.
A musician himself, Crowley founded Manor Records with the goal of fostering a healthier relationship between record labels and artists—particularly for bands new to the music industry.
“When you’re in a college band, you just make music, throw it on Spotify, and call it good,” said Ryan Lokugamage, Supermoto’s keyboardist. “This is the first professional release I’ve been a part of.”
Supermoto members Lokugamage, LyMerrick Jones, and Wills Van Doorn all attended Park Hill South High School, but the band didn’t officially join the Manor Records label until 2022.
“It definitely felt validating,” Jones said. “It was cool just to be recognized by someone who’s so involved in the music scene.”
In addition to running Manor Records, Crowley teaches music lessons, hosts live music sessions at his shop and organizes Manor Fest—a yearly music festival featuring bands and musicians from across the Kansas City area.
“There will be room for new artists as others move on to bigger record labels,” Crowley said. “That is the connection of it—hopefully, we can elevate some of these local artists to get where they want to be.”
Manor Records is located at 56th and Troost, though the store is currently closed as the team works on building its inventory. To support their efforts, donations can be made through their GoFundMe page.
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