Local 15-Year-Old To Surprise 52-Year-Old Single Mother with the Gift of Hearing at 3rd Annual Hearing Mission

What: With the help of a star-studded line up of football and entertainment legends, Starkey Hearing Foundation, which strives to change the social consciousness of hearing and hearing health care, will deliver the gift of hearing in Indianapolis during its 3rd Annual Super Bowl Week Hearing Mission.

At the event, a 15-year-old girl from Indianapolis will surprise her legally-deaf, single mom with the gift of hearing. The mom, who has six children, does not know she will receive a new digital hearing device. Starkey Hearing Foundation’s team of audiologists will fit the single mom, along with 235 under-served, hearing-impaired children and adults from the Indianapolis area with a new, custom-made hearing device.

Who:   Bill Austin, CEO and Founder, Starkey Hearing Foundation
·         Heather Whitestone – First Deaf Miss America Title Holder (1995)
·         Larry Fitzgerald Jr. – Arizona Cardinals, Wide Receiver
·         Dwight Freeney –Indianapolis Colts, Defensive End
·         Dallas Clark – Indianapolis Colts, Tight End
·         Quinton Carter – Denver Broncos, Defensive Back
·         Michael Floyd – Notre Dame, Wide Receiver

When:  Friday, February 3, 2012 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Where: SportsZone – 6601 Coffman Road, Indianapolis, IN

Visual Ops:     
·         Children and adults being fitted for their new hearing device; recipients will go through one-on-one testing and receive instructions on how to care for their new hearing devices.
·         Celebrity volunteers assisting with the distribution and fitting of hearing aids.
·         Interviews available with the local, 15-year-old girl who will surprise her legally-deaf mother with a new, custom-made hearing device.

Media RSVP:    It is encouraged that media schedule their coverage in advance. To make special interview requests and/or advise of plans to send a reporter, photographer and/or crew, please contact Jennifer Herrera or Lindsay Ressler, M. Silver Associates, at 954-765-3636.

**MEDIA ADVISORY**
Contact:          Jennifer Herrera / Lindsay Ressler
M. Silver Associates Inc.  Jennifer@msilver-pr.com / LindsayR@msilver-pr.com

About Starkey Hearing Foundation:
Starkey Hearing Foundation is striving to foster greater understanding among individuals and communities through hearing care by focusing on awareness, education, protection and treatment so the world may hear.  Hearing loss affects one in 10 Americans, and 63 million children worldwide, yet many do not have access to the hearing devices that can help them. From 2000 to 2010, Starkey Hearing Foundation fit more than 500,000 hearing aids to people in need in the U.S. and around the world. The Foundation has grown that commitment to more than 100,000 hearing aids annually and is dedicated to fitting 1 million hearing aids this decade.  In addition to giving the gift of hearing through worldwide hearing missions, Starkey Hearing Foundation promotes hearing health awareness through the Listen Carefully initiative and provides hearing instruments to low-income Americans through the Hear Now program.  For more information on Starkey Hearing Foundation, visit www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org.

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Amber Grove
Bond PR and Brand Strategy
E. amber@bondpublicrelations.com

ANNOUNCING LINEUP FOR BUKU MUSIC + ART PROJECT: MARCH 17-18, 2012

Ground-breaking festival in New Orleans attracts Grammy-nominated electronic, hip-hop and indie artists

NEW ORLEANS, LA, January 17, 2012 – Winter Circle Productions in association with MCP Presents announces the full artist lineup and unveils a fresh website for the Buku Music + Art Project. Joining a stacked lineup headlined by Grammy-nominated artists Skrillex, Avicii and Wiz Khalifa are EDM and hip-hop veterans Diplo, YelaWolf, Big K.R.I.T., and Big Gigantic and several emerging artists such as Porter Robinson, SBTRKT, and Figure. The new progressive music event takes place March 17-18, 2012 at Mardi Gras World in New Orleans.

“The line between hip-hop and electronic music is becoming increasingly blurred,” says Reeves Price, co-founder of Winter Circle Productions. “There isn’t anything else out there that is purposefully fusing the two genres… and the BUKU Project aims to fill that void. It’s what New Orleans is all about.”

This new event for the younger generation of the Gulf Coast takes a cue from NOLA’s hip-hop and bounce-driven underbelly and combines it with the most relevant electronic dance music producers in the world for what is sure to be a unique weekend in America’s most unique town.

Saturday, March 17, 2012
Avicii
Wiz Khalifa
Diplo
Mord Fustang
Holy Fuck
Gramatik
Yelle (DJ set)
Pictureplane
The Rap Pack

Sunday, March 18, 2012
Skrillex
YelaWolf
Porter Robinson
Big K.R.I.T.
Big Gigantic
SBTRKT
Figure
Sepalcure
Big Freedia
Gravity A

About Buku Music + Art Project:
Early-bird and discounted tickets are sold out. Advance tickets for the two-day weekend experience are $119.50 and one-day passes come in at $64.50. For a VIP experience, fans can enjoy a VIP viewing area, bathrooms, bar and access to the Grand Oaks Mansion for $199.50 (single days $119.50) plus other special weekend accommodations. For those wanting an extreme “Super VIP” weekend, the $299.50 package (single days $169.50) adds extra VIP perks, exclusive meet-and-greets with select BUKU artists, exclusive parking and cocktail waitresses to the already stellar VIP package. Purchase tickets today at http://thebukuproject.inticketing.com.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BUKUProject
Web: thebukuproject.com
Twitter: @ProjectBUKU

About Winter Circle Productions:
Winter Circle Productions LLC began in 2008 as an independent promotion and production company to attract music that its founders felt was missing from a post-Katrina New Orleans.  Starting with only a few small shows in hotel lobbies and dingy clubs, Winter Circle Productions is now positioned as one of the most trusted taste-makers on the Gulf Coast, having produced over 100 events (including the creation of BASSIK) in venues with capacities ranging from 200 to 8,000 and in genres ranging from synth-pop and hip-hop to Americana and dubstep.

For additional information, contact Amber Grove amber@bondpublicrelations.com

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Sony Music India has created a viral phenomenon, the likes of which has never been seen before in India, for the cross cultural Tamil-English musical hit Why this Kolaveri Di. Reaching over 20million hits and counting on Youtube, 3.6 million Facebook shares and #Kolaveri hash tag trending on Twitter amongst media, fans, journalists, celebrities and industry barons in just over two short weeks, Why This Kolaveri Di has become an overnight hit that has now crossed over into the international markets.

The video received 83,000 youtube views within 24hours when it was first released to now become the most viewed video on Youtube. Composed by the 21 year old Anirudh, the track is sung by Tamil superstar and now singer Dhanush. Usually used as a popular slang term amongst Tamil youth, the term Kolaveri, meaning ‘murderous rage’, is now being picked up by marketers and brands alike and people in other parts of the work as a form of expression. The track is also the first regional language (Tamil) song ever to see a high rotation on Mainstream Music Channels – play listed on 43 Radio Stations Pan-India and gaining an audience as far afield as Australia and Czechoslovakia.

The simplicity and originality of the viral has also deeply engaged its audience and is the first viral video to be replicated with fans re-creating their own versions of the viral video. Since the video hit youtube just over two weeks ago the number of responses has been steadily growing; even renowned Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam’s four year old son has made his own viral which has already notched up over 1 million hits.

“We believed in our creativity and when we sat with the Sony Music team they saw the true potential in it. Our creativity and their vision has led to the song exploding globally.  We are proud to be associated with a team and an international brand like them as we see the true value they bring to music”, says Anirudh the 21 year old Music Director.

The video was shot by the Sony Music team and has a raw feel to it, similar to any making-of or unplugged recording. The natural un-staged set-up of the video allows the viewer to connect with the track, creating a deeper level of engagement that sets it apart from other Indian viral videos.

Why This Kolevari Di is a track that is changing the landscape of how music is shared in India. Shridhar Subramaniam, President India and Middle East Sony Music Entertainment and the mind behind creating the viral rage adds “There is a change in the music landscape that we all are witnessing today. Regional Music has huge acceptability- growing at the rate of 20% per annum and regional advertisements are becoming national and  today the success of our song ‘Why this Kolaveri Di’ is an endorsement to this phenomena. We have been a part of the change since 2008 when we entered the Tamil Music market and today enjoy a 60% market share. Our outlook and strategy has been to expand in this market and our recent foray in the Punjabi Music Market is another such step.”

“Now, it has been our conscious effort to long tail ‘Why this Kolaveri Di’ concept by creating official dance mixes of the song, exploiting publishing and distributing the same. We want to keep it fresh, buzzing and alive till each person world over has seen/heard it.”

Planned as part of the soundtrack for forthcoming film “3” and gaining more hits each hour, Why This Kolevari Di has signalled a new era in Indian music and that is bridging the gaps between regional and international musical differences.

Why this Kolevari Di is available to download on ITunes. -Ends-

For further information please contact:
Sterling Media
Natasha Mudhar
E: natasha@sterlingmedia.co.uk

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  DECEMBER 5, 2011

EPIC RECORDS IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE SIGNING OF “THE SING-OFF” SEASON 3 WINNER PENTATONIX
THE SING-OFF: SONGS OF THE SEASON IS NOW AVAILABLE

“A SING-OFF CHRISTMAS” AIRING TONIGHT ON NBC
New York, NY – Following an intense 10 weeks of competition and last week’s exciting live finale of NBC’s “The Sing-Off,” featuring performances from the top three contenders – Urban Method, Pentatonix and Dartmouth Aires – Pentatonix was crowned the winner, beating out 15 amazing groups to land a record deal with Epic Records and a $200,000 cash prize. The finale episode drew its biggest audience of the season, attracting six million viewers.

Pentatonix is the incredibly talented Texas quintet made up of Scott Hoying, Mitchell Grassi, Kevin Olusola, Avi Kaplan and Kirstin Maldonado. Interestingly enough, Pentatonix only formed a few days before the filming of season three began. Hoying, Maldonado, and Grassi attended high school together in Arlington,TX and were already a trio, but needed two additional members to round out their rich sound and make them eligible to try out for “The Sing-Off.” The trio discovered Olusola on YouTube and Kaplan through a close friend, and just like that, Pentatonix was born.

Their unique name draws from music’s pentatonic five note scale, and as there are five members in the group, the name became a perfect fit. Pentatonix has rejuvenated a cappella through its groundbreaking style which includes mind-bending arrangements, thick bass and thumping beats which draw influences from several underground electro genres, including dubstep and garage house.
Adding to the excitement following their epic win, Pentatonix will perform on “A Sing-Off Christmas” airing live this evening at 8PM EST/7PM CST on NBC. The all-star episode will include performances of holiday and inspirational classics, featuring groups from all three seasons of “The Sing-Off,” with a special guest performance by Flo Rida. Since the finale, Pentatonix has been making the rounds on TV performing on such shows as E! News and Good Day LA.

In addition, Pentatonix is included on Epic Record’s festive holiday release, THE SING-OFF: SONGS OF THE SEASON, performing “We Three Kings.” The album was released on November 1st and features multiple all-vocal groups from season three of “The Sing-Off” performing one-of-a-kind takes on classic holiday songs. THE SING-OFF: SONGS OF THE SEASON is the follow up to last year’s highly successful holiday album, THE SING-OFF: HARMONIES FOR THE HOLIDAYS. Fans can download all performances by Pentatonix from Season 3 of “The Sing-Off” on iTunes.

“The Sing-Off” is produced by Tenth Planet Productions, Outlaw Productions and Sony Pictures Television. Joel Gallen, Deb Newmyer and Sam Weisman are executive producers. Josh Greenberg serves as executive producer.

Media Inquiries:
Lauren Ceradini
Epic Records, Lauren.ceradini@epicrecords.com
Lindsay Colker, Sony Pictures Television
Lindsay_Colker@spe.sony.com
Devon Sanceda, Sony Pictures Television
Devon_Sanceda@spe.sony.com
Danielle Dusky, NBC Entertainment Publicity
Danielle.Dusky@nbcuni.com

Taylor Vaughn, Epic Records
Publicity, 550 Madison Ave., 22nd Floor
New York, NY 10022, taylor.vaughn@epicrecords.com

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National Young Women’s Fashion Retailer maurices Kicks Off Second Annual Nationwide Band Search, in Partnership with PlayNetwork and Sonicbids

maurices “Hometown Sound” bands together with Graffiti6 to select the next big music group

Duluth, Minn. (December 5, 2011) – maurices (NASDAQ – ASNA), the leading hometown specialty store and fashion authority, today announced the launch of its second annual nationwide “Hometown Sound” band search in partnership with PlayNetwork and Sonicbids. Last year maurices had tremendous success with its band search, leading to the discovery of the Alton, Illinois, songwriting duo “Audri & Aaron” and their winning single, “Home.”

“The goal of this program is not only to discover the next hot up-and-coming band in the country, but to continue building strong connections with maurices communities,” says Lisa Bartlett, assistant vice president of marketing at maurices. “We pride ourselves on being the best hometown specialty retailer, so we look for every opportunity to reach our customers across America and celebrate their unique musical gifts.”

Building on the success of last year’s girls-only campaign, led by the iconic presence of The Bangles and Chrissie Hynde, along with the emerging all-female indie band, Sick of Sarah, this year’s maurices Hometown Sound will be adding guys into the mix. Emerging global electro soul popsters Graffiti6 will launch maurices Hometown Sound as the kickoff partner artist. As the campaign rolls along, new partner artists will be introduced.

Music strategy and retail media agency PlayNetwork is once again partnering with maurices to launch this nationwide band search. The campaign will include a series of artist features, exclusive content, studio recordings, live performances and video productions featuring the partner bands. Calling on consumers to enter or vote, maurices stores will become immersive Hometown Sound experiences featuring PlayNetwork-produced music and content. The contest microsite, once again created and managed by Sonicbids, will also provide a number of opportunities to engage with the brand and bands.

“The launch of Hometown Sound proves once again that maurices understands the power of making an emotional connection with their fans through music and storytelling. maurices and PlayNetwork have become true strategic partners and we are working closely to create a new and authentic musical narrative for maurices that elevates the emotional conversation with their customers outside the walls of the retail space,” said John Crooke, vice president, creative at PlayNetwork.

Beginning today, any unsigned band is eligible to enter maurices Hometown Sound at www.mauricesmusic.sonicbids.com. Submissions will be accepted through December 28, 2011.

From January 9 through January 23, 2012, fans can vote for their favorite bands, narrowing the field to the top 50 musical ensembles. From these 50 bands, a group of panelists, including select partner artists, will narrow it down to four finalists.

From February 6 through March 4, 2012, the final voting will take place and each finalist will have their music featured in maurices stores and on the contest microsite during a 7-day period. During each artist’s 7-day feature period, the public will be able to cast their vote by scanning a QR (Quick Response) code in stores or on the contest microsite. The band receiving the most votes will win maurices Hometown Sound.

“We’re excited to be working with maurices to extend their hometown outreach campaign. With more than 800 stores nationwide, maurices is a great outlet for the promotion of independent music,” said Sonicbids founder and CEO Panos Panay. “Sonicbids’ mission is to get music in front of consumers through unique distribution channels and this campaign reinforces that.”

The grand prize winner will perform live at their local maurices and receive a trip to Los Angeles to shoot a music video with PlayNetwork. They’ll also receive gifts from maurices, as well as the opportunity to perform at a maurices branded daytime showcase at SXSW in Austin, Texas, in March, 2012, with Graffiti6 and other select partner artists.

All fans who vote will receive maurices coupons and will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a maurices gift card.

###
About maurices maurices, a division of Ascena Retail Group, Inc. (NASDAQ – ASNA), is the leading hometown specialty store and authority for the savvy, fashion-conscious girl with a twenty-something attitude. Today, maurices operates 800 stores in 44 states. maurices stands for fashion, quality, value and customer service. Offering sizes 1-26 in select stores and online, our styles are inspired by the girl in everyone, in every size. For store information and to shop online, visit maurices.com.

About PlayNetwork PlayNetwork produces unrivaled media experiences for brands worldwide. PlayNetwork programs include music, messaging, video, web radio artist promotions and events, A/V systems, advertising networks, and commercial XM Satellite Radio. PlayNetwork aims to deliver experiences with the truest level of customization and integration across every touch point ─ in-store, online and on-device. Founded in 1996, PlayNetwork is currently playing for over 75,000 media subscribers in 70 countries, reaching over 23 million people every day. For more information, visit playnetwork.com or xm4biz.com.

About Sonicbids Sonicbids is the leading matchmaking site for bands and promoters. Since its launch in 2001, Sonicbids has become the standard for submitting music to events and opportunities around the globe, counting as partners thousands of prominent events and festivals in North America, Europe, and Australia. Today, the Company boasts a registered membership base of 325,000 bands from over 100 different countries, who use the site daily to connect with 25,000 music “promoters” – ranging from some of the world’s largest music festivals and music conferences, to clubs, coffee houses, cruise ships, colleges, advertising agencies, brand managers, podcasters, music supervisors and other people looking to book, license or broadcast music. So far this year, bands and artists using Sonicbids booked close to 95,000 “gigs” through the site. Learn more at sonicbids.com.

Media Contacts
Jessica Stauber on behalf of maurices
WestmorelandFlint, jessica.stauber@westmorelandflint.com

Bender/Helper Impact on behalf of PlayNetwork
Jessica Bass
Jessica_bass@bhimpact.com
Darlene Doyle, Sonicbids
Ddoyle@sonicbids.com

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Suryoday Trust’s Maharashtra President Mr. Punit Balan under the guidance of respected P.P. Shri Bhaiyyuji Maharaj runs social service programmes in the field of health, agriculture, education, environment, children and women’s welfare. The said trust has its presence in more than 4 states with more than 140 projects that work towards the betterment of the nation and upliftment of the underprivileged section of society.

One of the foundations under the trust, Suryoday Aids Foundation primarily works towards providing HIV affected children with a holistic approach of prevention, treatment, care and support apart from creating awareness related to AIDS across the globe. The said foundation has already established institutes in Pune and Akola to provide these affected children with food, clothing, shelter, medical aid and education. There are almost 100 children who get unconditional love and respect under one roof.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Punit Balan, a successful businessman turned social worker states “The country has witnessed a sharp rise in the deadly diseases over the years and unfortunately there are inadequate resources and   machinery through which the rehabilitation and recuperation of affected persons can be ensured. In order to eradicate the social stigma surrounding AIDs, we have started this organization to solve this problem and provide appropriate relief to victims. It gives us immense pleasure to be associated with an internationally acclaimed personality like Pitbull who in turn will champion our efforts across the globe. The youth is the builder of the future and what better way to reach out to the youth than by associating with  a concert of this magnitude “.

Let’s champion this cause with the P3P Pitbull India Tour 2011 scheduled to take place in Noida, Mumbai and Pune in December. The event is supported by 3rd Rock Entertainment, Big Dream Entertainment and Cross Bar Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

The Sound of Creative Image Management
Rohan D’Souza, Associate Image Executive

Buzz, 322, Mhatre Pen Bld., B-Wing,
Senapati Bapat Marg, Dadar (W)
Mumbai – 400 028.
rohan.dsouza@buzzpr.in

Technorati Tags: suryoday trust, pitbull, india concert, NGO

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–Fourth annual competition gives fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite concert tour of the year through Eventful’s “Demand it!”® service–

SAN DIEGO, CA and NEW YORK, NY – September 29, 2011 – Eventful Inc, the leading digital media company connecting over 20 million consumers with live music and local events, and Billboard, the world’s most influential music brand, today announced the launch of the fourth annual Eventful Fans’ Choice Award, which will allow music fans across the country to vote for the artist they think should win the 2011 Billboard award for Best Concert Tour of the Year.

The twenty-five artists up for the award include Bon Jovi, the Eagles, Iron Maiden, Katy Perry, Kenny Chesney, Lady Gaga, Lil’ Wayne, Metallica, Neil Diamond, Paul McCartney, Michael Buble, Rush, Sade, Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, U2, and Usher.   Fans can access the complete list of finalists and help their favorite artist win when they “Demand it!” ® via Eventful’s unique social media service by logging on to http://eventful.com/competitions/fanschoice2011. They can also spread the word virally through Facebook and Twitter by inviting their friends to Demand their favorite tours as well.

The Fans’ Choice Award is based on data compiled through the Billboard Boxscore chart and through Eventful “Demands.” The artist who receives the most demands through Eventful’s service will be announced as the winner at the 8th annual Billboard Touring Conference & Awards, taking place at The Roosevelt Hotel in New York City on November 9-10. The award will be presented at the close of the conference along with the rest of the Billboard Touring Awards, which honor the concert industry’s top artists and professionals.

The Billboard Touring Conference features unique programming that informs, educates, and provides a forum for promoters, agents, managers, venues, sponsors, marketers, production professionals, merchandisers, digital music executives, ticketing companies, and all touring-related businesses about the industry’s latest opportunities and current challenges.

“There have been some incredible touring successes in 2011, and fans have shown that they still love to watch their favorite artists perform live,” says Ray Waddell, Executive Director of Content and Programming, Touring and Live Entertainment, for Billboard. “With their strong connection with the concert-going public, Eventful is uniquely qualified to gauge fan demand and determine the winner of the 2011 Fans’ Choice Award.”

“We’re excited to work with Billboard to honor the leading touring acts of 2011,” said Eventful CEO Jordan Glazier. “We love helping fans discover and enjoy live music and by working with Billboard we’re able to let the fans voice their opinion regarding which artist put on the best tour of the year.”

Eventful’s unique “Demand it!”® service is used by over 100,000 artists who engage with millions of their fans to find out where they are in demand, and then utilize this essential data to optimize future tour routing and make informed decisions about where to appear. “Demand it!”® empowers music fans to influence the location and content of local events and helps artists fill the house in target markets, bridging the gap between social media and commerce.

Visit Eventful at http://eventful.com
Visit the Billboard Touring Conference & Awards at http://www.billboardtouringconference.com
# # #

About Eventful, Inc.
Eventful is the leading digital media company connecting live music fans to the world’s most comprehensive selection of live entertainment and local events. Over 20 million people use Eventful to find out what’s happening and decide what to do. Eventful drives ticket sales and marketing for music artists though a unique and targeted blend of digital, social media, and direct marketing campaigns.  Promoters, managers, labels and venues utilize Eventful to drive awareness, ticket purchase, and music sales.

About Billboard
Now in its 117th year, Billboard is the world’s premier music brand consisting of Billboard Magazine, Billboard Conferences, Billboard Events, Billboard Bulletin, Billboard.biz and Billboard.com—the online destination of choice for millions of music fans. The Billboard brand is built on its exclusive charts and unrivaled reporting on the latest news, issues and trends across all genres of music. Billboard reaches tens of millions of consumers daily through many strategic relationships with major companies across various industries.  These relationships leverage Billboard’s brand recognition, proprietary chart data and information resources to develop products, live events and print, television, radio, digital and mobile platforms.  In addition to North America, Billboard operates businesses in Brazil, Greece, Japan, Korea and Russia.

Billboard is owned by Prometheus Global Media, a diversified company with leading assets in the media and entertainment arenas, including: Music (Billboard and its related conferences and events, including The Billboard Latin Music Awards), Entertainment (The Hollywood Reporter, Backstage, ShowEast, Cineasia, and CineEurope); and Advertising & Marketing (Adweek, Adweek Conferences and The CLIO Awards).

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October 14, 2011— Icelandic Water Holdings ehf, makers of the award-winning, CarbonNeutral® premium natural spring water Icelandic Glacial, announced today its support of the Iceland Airwaves music festival, October 12th through 16th in Reykjavik, Iceland. Icelandic Glacial will be providing water to artists and fans in many areas at the festival including backstage and at the KEX Hostel.

During the festival IcelandicGlacial will be producing exclusive backstage footage of artists, festival goers that will be broadcast around the world via social media channels. For an unrestricted behind-the-scenes look at Iceland Airwaves, please visit http://www.youtube.com/IcelandicGlacial. For the latest news and updates from the festival, please visit http://www.facebook.com/IcelandicGlacial and http://www.twitter.com/IcelandicGlacial.

Beyond the festival itself, Icelandic Glacial will be providing water for the KEX Hostel, which takes place from October 12th through 14th in Reykjavik. Featuring 15 live performances including Gus Gus, The Twilight Sad, Mugison, Lay Low and many more, the event will also have Seattle radio station KEXP broadcasting live to their listeners back in the U.S. Details at KEXP.ORG.

Renowned for its award winning bottle design, exceptional purity and environmental credentials, Icelandic Glacial is bottled at the source from the legendary Ölfus Spring in Iceland to provide customers with a product of the very highest quality.  As a result, Icelandic Glacial is one of the fastest-growing super-premium bottled water in the United States.

For more information about Icelandic Glacial, visit www.icelandicglacial.com.

# # #
About Icelandic Glacial Natural Spring Water
Born and bottled in Ölfus, Iceland, Icelandic Glacial is the world’s first certified CarbonNeutral® natural spring bottled water for both product and operations. An environmental pioneer in the industry, Icelandic Glacial uses 100% natural green energy in the form of geothermal and hydroelectric power to fuel production, delivering a super-premium bottled water from pristine Iceland to consumers while maintaining a “net zero” carbon footprint.

The source of Icelandic Glacial is Iceland’s legendary Ölfus Spring, a naturally replenished catchment zone formed during a massive volcanic eruption more than 4,500 years ago. The Spring has been deemed certifiably sustainable by Zenith International, Europe’s leading food and drinks consultancy. The Ölfus Spring produces water so pure that nothing isadded or taken away. As a result, Icelandic Glacial possesses exceptional balance that is the envy of the industry, featuring a naturally occurring low mineral content and naturally high alkaline pH level of 8.4.

Icelandic Glacial was named “Best Water of 2007” by industry experts BevNET, and also received accolades for the “Best Sustainability Initiative” at the 2007 Bottled Water World awards. Icelandic Glacial is distributed in the United States by Anheuser-Busch, which took a 20 percent ownership stake in the company in July 2007 and subsequently increased its stake to over 23%.

For more information about Icelandic Glacial, visit www.icelandicglacial.com.  Follow us on Twitter @ ”IcelandicWater” and Facebook @ “Icelandic Glacial Water”

Media Contact:
Jordan Byrnes, Jordan@azionepr.com

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EL CAJON, Calif.  – October 3, 2011 - Taylor Guitars and Guitar Center, the world’s largest retailer of musical instruments and equipment, has announced “Guitar Center Singer-Songwriter,” an artist discovery program which aims to find the nation’s best unsigned singer-songwriter. Along with other leading musical instrument and accessory manufacturers, Taylor Guitars will join Guitar Center to award one career-altering prize package to the top singer-songwriter, which includes a three-song EP with Grammy Award-winning producer John Shanks, worldwide distribution through TuneCore, $10,000 cash, and gear from participating companies, including a Taylor 814ce for the grand prize winner and GS Minis for the semi-finalists. The contest, which is part of the companies’ shared mission to support emerging artists, kicks off on October 3 and runs through November 30. Artists can sign up today at www.guitarcenter.com/songwriter.

For Grammy-winning producer and Taylor-strummer John Shanks (914ce, Baritone 8-String, 855ce), it’s easy to relate to what an opportunity like this can mean to an up-and-coming artist. Shanks, once a session and touring guitarist for the likes of Melissa Etheridge, has gone on to build a stellar career as a hit-maker whose resume boasts 60 million records sold, 43 No. 1 singles and 67 No. 1 albums with artists including Sheryl Crow, Colbie Caillat, Kelly Clarkson, Keith Urban, Bon Jovi and Alanis Morissette. As the judge of the contest, finding the next headline act is no easy task, but one Shanks is excited to be involved in. “I’m thrilled to be able to help Guitar Center give a potentially career-altering opportunity to an unsigned artist,” says Shanks. “Helping an artist hone their sound is something I relish as a producer, and I can’t wait to see what the winner has to offer.”

“So much great talent abounds in today’s music scene that we’re excited to partner with Guitar Center to find the next big name and help propel that artist to the next step in their career,” shares Tim Godwin, director of artist and entertainment relations at Taylor Guitars.”No matter if an artist is a headline act or just starting out, here at Taylor, artists are a big part of our extended family of players.”

As part of the contest, Guitar Center has commissioned WHOOZNXT.com, a leading digital music company, to power the first round of the competition. WHOOZNXT.com is the first platform to track an artist’s fan growth across top social networks and music portals. Competing artists will be ranked based on their online fan growth during the first round. Ten singer-songwriters will then be hand-selected by Shanks from the list of top-ranked artists to travel to Los Angeles, where they will perform live during event’s finale.

To following along with news from the competition and to learn more about the entrants, please visit www.guitarcenter.com/songwriter

Media Contact: Chalise Zolezzi
Taylor Guitars
publicrelations@taylorguitars.com

About Taylor Guitars
Founded in 1974, Taylor Guitars has evolved into one of the world’s leading manufacturers of premium acoustic and electric guitars. Renowned for blending an innovative use of modern technology with a master craftsman’s attention to detail, Taylor guitars are widely considered the best sounding and easiest to play in the world. Many of today’s leading musicians make Taylor their guitar of choice, including Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz, Steven Curtis Chapman, Zac Brown and Taylor Swift. For additional information, please visit www.taylorguitars.com.

About Guitar Center
Guitar Center is the world’s largest retailer of musical instruments and equipment, including guitars, amplifiers, drums, keyboards, as well as pro-audio and recording gear.  Our retail store subsidiary presently operates 220 Guitar Center stores across the U.S. We are also the largest direct response retailer of musical instruments in the United States through our wholly owned subsidiary, Musician’s Friend, Inc., and its catalog and Web site, www.musiciansfriend.com. In addition, our Music & Arts division operates more than 100 stores specializing in band instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors and students. More information on Guitar Center can be found by visiting the Company’s Web site at www.guitarcenter.com.

The Guitar Center logo is a registered trademark of Guitar Center, Inc. Other brand or product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
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For Immediate Release
The 12th Annual Tribute Gala Will Be Held on Nov. 9 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas as Part of This Year’s Latin GRAMMY® Week Celebration

MIAMI (Sept. 26, 2011) — Three-time current Latin GRAMMY® nominee, seven-time Latin GRAMMY winner, two-time GRAMMY® winner, and international superstar and philanthropist Shakira will be the 2011 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, it was announced today by The Latin Recording Academy® (www.latingrammy.com). Shakira, who is currently nominated for three Latin GRAMMY Awards, including Album Of The Year, will be honored for her renowned artistic and philanthropic contributions at a tribute dinner and star-studded concert on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Songs from Shakira’s still growing catalog will be performed by notable artists and friends of the honoree. A major portion of the net proceeds from the gala will benefit Shakira’s Pies Descalzos Foundation as well as The Latin Recording Academy’s Latin GRAMMY in the Schools educational efforts. The celebration will precede the 12th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be broadcast live on the Univision Network on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central. For breaking news and exclusive content, join The Latin Academy’s social networks as a Twitter follower at www.twitter.com/latingrammys, and a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/latingrammys.

“I am elated on behalf of The Latin Recording Academy and its Board of Trustees that the much admired Shakira — whose incredible talent and artistic integrity are equaled only by her commitment and dedication to philanthropy and selflessly helping those in need — has been elected the 2011 Latin Recording Academy’s Peron of the Year,” said Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy.  “We are honored to pay homage to this dynamic, socially conscious woman whose illustrious career has touched so many people around the world, both musically and personally.”

“It is truly an honor to be in the company of some of the greatest artists and legends of Latin Music,” said Shakira about this one-of-a-kind distinction.

Born in Colombia, Shakira showed early talent in school as a live performer, demonstrating her vocal ability already combining rock, Latin and Mediterranean influences with her own original twist on belly dancing. As a singer/songwriter, dancer, producer and musician, she emerged on the international music scene in the early ’90s. In 1996, Shakira released Pies Descalzos, featuring the hit singles “Estoy Aqui” and “Se Quiere…Se Mata” both topping the Billboard Latin Pop Airplay chart. Her next album, Dónde Están Los Ladrones? proved an even bigger success. Following was the release of her first live album in 2000, Shakira: MTV Unplugged, which spawned her first GRAMMY Award® for Best Latin Pop Album. At the inaugural Latin GRAMMY Awards ceremony in 2000, Shakira received her first two Latin GRAMMY Awards. Without skipping a beat, she released her first crossover album, Laundry Service, in 2001, which became the most successful album of her career to date. Her next, Fijacíon Oral Vol. 1, in 2005, featured the hit single “La Tortura” with singer/songwriter and musician Alejandro Sanz. The album and single earned her four Latin GRAMMY Awards. Shortly thereafter, she released Oral Fixation Vol. 2, which included the worldwide hit “Hips Don’t Lie” in collaboration with musician/producer Wyclef Jean. In 2009, she released She Wolf and quickly following on the heels of that project she released Sale e Sol in 2010. In addition to her busy recording schedule, Shakira has taken the world by storm with many successful global concert tours.

Shakira’s numerous philanthropic efforts began at age 18 when she founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation, a charity providing special schools for underprivileged children throughout Colombia. She is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, chosen for her involvement in global issues and her deep commitment to helping children. As an advocate for universal education, she served as Honorary Chairperson for the Global Campaign for Education, generating awareness for the U.S. Education for All Act in 2007. She has performed at many benefit concerts, and at the 2007 Clinton Global Initiative, Shakira received a commitment of $40 million from the Spanish government to help the victims of natural disasters. An additional $5 million was to be donated to four Latin American countries, to be spent on education and health. In its December 2008/January 2009 issue, People En Español announced Shakira as the “Humanitarian of the Year” as part of its Las Estrellas del Año (Stars of the Year) awards. On her 32nd birthday, Shakira opened a new $6 million school in her hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia, which she sponsored along with her Pies Descalzos Foundation.

Shakira will have the distinction of becoming the youngest artist to receive the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honoree. She joins a list of artists that includes Plácido Domingo, Carlos Santana Gloria Estefan, Gilberto Gil, Julio Iglesias, and Ricky Martin, among others.

For information on purchasing tickets or tables to the 2011 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year tribute to Shakira, please contact The Latin Recording Academy ticketing office at 310.314.8281 or ticketing@grammy.com.

The Latin Recording Academy is an international, membership-based organization comprised of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking recording artists, musicians, songwriters, producers and other creative and technical recording professionals. The organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for Latin music and its makers. In addition to producing the Latin GRAMMY Awards to honor excellence in the recorded arts and sciences, The Latin Recording Academy provides educational and outreach programs for the Latin music community. For more information about The Latin Recording Academy, please visit www.latingrammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, join the organization’s social networks as a Twitter follower at www.twitter.com/latingrammys, and a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/latingrammys.

About Shakira’s Philanthropy
The mission of Shakira’s foundations (Fundación Pies Descalzos in Columbia, Barefoot Foundation in the United States) is to ensure that every child can exercise his or her right to a quality education through advocacy and direct programming worldwide. More than 5,000 students receive nutritious meals, education and psychological support services, ultimately benefiting 30,000 vulnerable children, their families and community members who have all been affected by population displacement. Additionally, across Latin America, Shakira helped form ALAS (América Latina en Acción Solidaria), which is a coalition of artists and business leaders who are urging governments and philanthropists to increase their spending on early childhood development. Early childhood development programs ensure that young children have the basic healthcare, stimulation and nutrition needed to grow and enter school ready to learn. For more information on Shakira’s philanthropy efforts and Foundation, please visit www.shakira.com.

# # #
MEDIA CONTACT:
Lourdes López, The Recording Academy
LourdesL@grammy.com
Nordhia Centeno or Jessica Erskine

Rogers & Cowan, NCenteno@rogersandcowan.com or jerskine@rogersandcowan.com

For Shakira: Joseph Carozza, Sony Music Entertainment
joseph.carozza@sonymusic.com

EDITOR’S NOTES:
Please visit the Press Room of LatinGRAMMY.com (www.latingrammy.com) — The Latin Recording Academy’s official website — frequently to receive updates for media credentialing instructions for the 2011 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year gala and the 12th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards.

Joseph Carozza, Publicity
Epic Records, 550 Madison Ave., 22nd Floor
New York, NY 10022

Check out the list of Popular Music Festivals, India & International | Music Museums | Famous International Music Awards | Choirs & Orchestras Around the World | Budding Music Artists, India | Institutes & Courses In Music | Artist Biographies – Artists In Focus | Promote Your Upcoming Music Performances | Indian Classical Music | Genres Of Music | Contribute Music Related Articles | Glossary Of Musical Terms | Share Your Musical Escapades