Meet Monk Turner
Over the past decade, Monk Turner has produced more than 20 concept albums, using a free-form collective of musicians who share his ion for creating unique, genre-defying music.
His songs have been featured in movies, television programs and ments, and his reach continues to widen.
FMA Team
“The contest was about challenging Warner Music's copyright claim to Happy Birthday to You by bringing attention to the fact that the song belonged in the public domain. I'm all about concept and love the idea of writing to a brief, so it seemed like an interesting challenge. I had just finished Emergency Songs with Alanna Lin Ramage aka FASCINOMA and I thought it would be a fun project for us to do.
When we submitted our entry, I felt like we had a pretty good shot at winning, but was pleasantly surprised when we actually won. The initial response was pretty incredible with quite a few news outlets picking up the story and the contest clearly gave the copyright issue with Happy Birthday to You some very much needed attention.
Sure enough, the courts later ruled in 2015 that the song should be in the public domain, which it is now. I like to think our little song had some part in that. It's been amazing to see how far and wide our song has gone since that time, and how much joy it has brought to people around the world.”- Monk Turner
Read more about Monk Turner
At this point in time, I have released over 30 concept albums. If you are wondering what that means, think of albums like The Wall by Pink Floyd, 2112 by Rush, or Tommy by The Who. These are records where every track is part of a larger story or idea.
I enjoy creating this way because it frees me from traditional constraints like genre, distribution methods, or a fixed band lineup. It lets me chase big ideas and explore a wide range of sounds. - Monk Turner
In November 2025, I’ll release my 32nd album, a collection of holiday tunes created in collaboration with other songwriters and vocalists. I will be sharing more about that project as the release date gets closer.
Until then, I invite you to explore my full collection of music on Free Music Archive; Monk Turner