Cyndi Lauper: Memphis Blues

**Press Release**

CYNDI LAUPER TO RELEASE MEMPHIS BLUES

Iconic Performer Re-invents Herself on New Album featuring B.B. King, Jonny Lang, Allen Toussaint and many others.

Memphis Blues out June 22nd on Downtown Records

(New York, NY – April 26, 2010) – Iconic performer and musical chameleon Cyndi Lauper will release Memphis Blues on June 22nd on Downtown Records. The collection of blues cover songs, recorded this March at Electraphonic Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, features appearances by such great artists as B.B. King, Jonny Lang, Allen Toussaint, Ann Peebles and Charlie Musselwhite.

“This is the album I’ve wanted to make for years,” said Lauper. “All of these beautiful songs, and all of the great players on the album, were carefully chosen because I’ve admired them my entire life. And I knew from the moment Alan Toussaint hit the keys in ‘Shattered Dreams’ that we were creating something really special.”

The feel of Memphis Blues is gritty and full of life. It bristles with the kind of energy that earmarked the hit singles invented on the fly at Stax Records, the historic and spiritual prototype for Electraphonic, where musicians of multiple generations work side-by-side creating soul-driven anthems for the brokenhearted, the unrequited, and the overlooked.

Lauper, who traveled from New York to Memphis to set up camp at Electraphonic Recording Studio, assembled a team of crackerjack session players to cut the way she knew this record had to be done: live, analog, with Cyndi herself calling out arrangements on the studio floor.

Produced by Scott Bomar and mixed by longtime collaborator William Wittman, Memphis Blues features appearances by a veritable dream team of blues and soul greats, including harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite, vocalist Ann “I Can’t Stand the Rain” Peebles, brilliant Crescent City organist Allen Toussaint, and hotshot guitar heroes Jonny Lang and legend B.B. King.

Memphis Blues session players include Stax veterans Lester Snell and Skip Pitts, and Hi Rhythm Section alums Leroy Hodges and Howard Grimes, studio careerists who cut their teeth recording with the likes of Isaac Hayes and Al Green. Along with the punctuating blasts provided by trumpeter Marc Franklin, baritone saxophonist Kirk Smother, and tenor saxman Derrick Williams, they provided a steadfast foundation for Lauper’s impeccable vocals.

Ranging from the harmonica blues ballad “Just Your Fool,” to “Don’t Cry No More,” originally a hit for Bobby “Blue” Bland, Cyndi starts with a slow burn and then pours on the gasoline, giving “Rollin’ And Tumblin’” an authentic hill country blues read and collaborating with the one and only B.B. King on the up-tempo Louis Jordan raver “Early in the Morning.”

As demonstrated by her scorching, tell-it-like-it-is renderings of Memphis Slim’s “Mother Earth” and Lowell Fulsom’s “Shattered Dreams,” even Cyndi’s topical themes – which, on past albums, have addressed homophobia and racism – are stripped away as she focuses on the most basic problem to plague humankind: love, and the havoc wreaked because of it.

About Cyndi Lauper
After 25 million albums sold, 13 Grammy Award nominations, two Emmy Awards, two American Music Awards, and 18 MTV Video Music Awards, Cyndi Lauper continues to lead as a singer, songwriter, musician, actress, and activist. Her most recent studio album, 2008’s dance-oriented, Grammy-nominated Bring Ya to the Brink, featured collaborations with a cadre of cutting-edge producers and spawned two No. 1 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play singles. In 2009, the long-time actress appeared on such red-hot television shows as 30 Rock, Gossip Girl, Bones, and American Idol (performing with contestant Allison Iraheta), and was a surprise guest at the resurrected concert event “VH1 Divas.” In addition to her love of performing, Lauper is unwavering in her commitment to social activism, creating the True Colors Fund as a show of solidarity against discrimination and to raise awareness about the issues facing the GLBT population. Lauper is also writing her autobiography in which she takes readers on a journey through her colorful life, to be released next year by Simon & Shuster.

Memphis Blues track listing:
1. I'm Just Your Fool (feat. Charlie Musselwhite)
2. Shattered Dreams (feat. Allen Toussaint)
3. Early in the Morning (feat. Allen Toussaint & B.B. King)
4. Romance in the Dark
5. How Blue Can You Get (feat. Jonny Lang)
6. Down Don't Bother Me (feat. Charlie Musselwhite)
7. Don't Cry No More
8. Rollin and Tumblin’ (feat. Kenny Brown and Ann Peebles)
9. Down So Low
10. Mother Earth (feat. Allen Toussaint)
11. Cross Roads (feat. Jonny Lang)
12. Wild Women Don't Get the Blues

For more information visit:
Official website: cyndilauper.com
Official Twitter: twitter.com/shebop_aka_cyn

Sarah McLachlan: New Single and Album

**Press Release**

CHECK OUT SARAH MCLACHLAN’S NEW SINGLE (AND COVER ART) “LOVING YOU IS EASY”

AVAILABLE MAY 4TH

SARAH’S HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED NEW ALBUM THE LAWS OF ILLUSION IN STORES JUNE 15TH, 2010!!!

CHECK OUT WWW.SARAHMCLACHLAN.COM FOR MORE INFO.

Marina & The Diamonds: The Family Jewels

**Press Release**

MARINA & THE DIAMONDS’ “THE FAMILY JEWELS” DEBUTS TOP 5 IN THE UK; ACCLAIMED POP SENSATION SLATES U.S. RELEASE, “THE FAMILY JEWELS” ARRIVES EVERYWHERE ON MAY 25th

Chop Shop /Atlantic Records has announced the upcoming release of “THE FAMILY JEWELS,” the dazzling debut album from Marina & The Diamonds which made a stunning chart debut this week at #5 in the U.K. The collection will arrive stateside on May 25th.

“THE FAMILY JEWELS” will be heralded by “THE AMERICAN JEWELS EP,” a three-track EP featuring the album tracks “I Am Not A Robot” and “Mowgli’s Road,” alongside the exclusive “I Am Not a Robot Flex'd Rework (Passion Pit Remix).” “THE AMERICAN JEWELS” available at all DSPs on March 23rd.

Marina & The Diamonds – the nom de musique of Marina Diamandis – has quickly become a sensation in the UK, where Diamandis was recently named the #2 artist on the BBC’s ever-prescient “Sound of 2010” ranking. Dividing her time between her birthplace of Abergavenny in rural Wales, London and later her father’s traditional family home in Greece, Diamandis developed a truly idiosyncratic aesthetic, equal parts self-deprecating songstress, unabashedly intimate lyricist, and passionate pop star-in-waiting. A sequence of ’09 singles and EPs – released on the influential UK indie label, Neon Gold (Passion Pit, Ellie Goulding, Your Twenties) – earned her a steady stream of admirers, both public and in the press, all in thrall to Marina’s extraordinarily prodigious talent.

What’s more, Marina & The Diamonds will be among the artists appearing on this summer’s 2010 Lilith Tour, joining a remarkable line-up that includes Sarah MacLachlan, Norah Jones, Mary J. Blige, Loretta Lynn, Tegan & Sara, Janelle Monáe, Colbie Caillat, and many others.
Highlighted by the UK Top 20 hit single, “Hollywood,” “THE FAMILY JEWELS” is proving an early contender for 2010’s most distinctive debut. Songs like the dramatic “Oh No!” (produced by Greg Kurstin of The Bird And The Bee), “Obsessions” and the boldly ambitious “Mowgli’s Road” see Marina gleefully melding the theatrically lavish vocal and orchestral flourishes of Kate Bush with the wonderful pop eccentricity of everyone from Sparks to the Scissor Sisters.

“Astonishing,” declared NME of “THE FAMILY JEWELS” in its nine-out-of-10 rave. “Raining down on the ears like an explosion of sonic confetti, (“Hollywood”) boasts a chorus so killer it should probably be investigated by the police.” The Times’ Pete Paphides awarded the album four-out-of-five stars, praising it for “parachuting you into the world of a singer who wants your attention but hates compartmentalization.” The Telegraph decreed “THE FAMILY JEWELS” an “arch, clever debut,” hailing Marina for having “a larger-than-life quality, coming on like a drama queen using her personal neuroses as a prism through which to view the world.”

www.marinaandthediamonds.com

Lilith Fair 2010 dates announced

7/1 - Vancouver, BC - Pitt Meadows Airport
7/2 - Portland, OR - The Amphitheater at Clark County
7/3 - Seattle, WA - The Gorge Amphitheatre
7/7 - San Diego, CA - Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
7/10 - Los Angeles, CA - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

She's redefining songs about coming of age, and the aftermath,
with bluntness and crafty intelligence." -The New York Times

"Marina has dance-pop hooks galore, a dramatically swooping voice, and very real magnetism.
Whether you know it yet or not, she's a star." -Entertainment Weekly

Marina And The Diamonds' debut album The Family Jewels available in the U.S. Tuesday, May 25th (Chop Shop/Atlantic)

Christina Aguilera New Album: BIONIC

**Press Release**

FIVE TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNING RECORDING ARTIST CHRISTINA AGUILERA TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM “BIONIC” ON JUNE 8TH

FIRST SINGLE “NOT MYSELF TONIGHT” PREMIERED ON CHRISTINAAGUILERA.COM AND AVAILABLE ON iTUNES ON NOW

With 30 million albums sold worldwide and the prestigious honor of being the only artist under the age of 30 included in Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the 100 greatest singers of all time, 5 time Grammy Award winner Christina Aguilera has already achieved an unprecedented level of success. Aguilera’s been hard at work in the studio for the past year and is pleased to announce the release of her highly anticipated 4th studio album Bionic (RCA Records) on June 8th. The first single from Bionic is the fiercely energetic anthem “Not Myself Tonight”, produced by Polow Da Don. The song premiered on ChristinaAguilera.com and available on iTunes on now.

Bionic features songs co-written by Aguilera along with her much buzzed about collaborations including Sia, Tricky Stewart, Polow Da Don, Le Tigre, Hill & Switch, and Ladytron among others. Aguilera notes, “Working on this album with so many talented artists and producers that I admire was really an amazing experience. The artists I chose to work with added so many unique sonic layers to Bionic. My intention was to step into their world and what they do combined with my own vision and sound. The results were magic.” The album also features a ballad produced and written by Linda Perry titled “Lift Me Up”. The title Bionic reflects Aguilera’s ability to take her range to new levels and use her voice in various ways never heard before.

Aguilera describes the album as a unique mix of many genres and styles of music, “I was able to explore and create a fresh, sexy feel using both electronic and organic elements with subject matter ranging from playful to introspective. I am so excited for my fans to hear the new sound. It is something I don’t think anyone will expect.”

In addition to completing the album which was all recorded from her home studio after the birth of her first son, Christina also completed production on her first film, “Burlesque.” The film, which co-stars Cher, Stanley Tucci, and Kristen Bell will be released by ScreenGems this fall.

http://www.christinaaguilera.com/

MACY GRAY RETURNS WITH: THE SELLOUT

**Press Release**

Celebrated Performer’s First New Album in 3 Years Due on June 22nd from Concord Records in US, Island Records in UK

Concord Records is proud to announce the release of Macy Gray’s new album, entitled The Sellout, on June 22, 2010.

The Sellout is the Grammy Award winning singer / songwriter's first album in more than 3 years and will be released by Concord Records in the U.S., Island Records in the U.K. and Universal Music Group, internationally.

The Sellout, featuring 12 new songs, was co-written and executive produced by Gray in Los Angeles throughout 2009. The album was mixed by four- time Grammy Award winning mixer Manny Marroquin whose credits include top 10 singles for Lady Gaga, Jay Z, Rihanna, Alicia Keyes, Kanye West and John Mayer. Collaborators on the album include Bobby Brown, The Bodyrockers’ Kaz James and Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum formerly of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver.

It’s clear from opening moments of the record’s first single, the irresistibly anthemic “Beauty In The World”, that The Sellout is the work of an artist who has reconnected with the essence of her creative gifts after a long, soul-numbing journey through the music biz’s star-making machinery. "The Sellout tells the story of how I found my salvation in just being myself instead of who other people thought I should be,” said the striking singer. “I had got to a place in my career where I tried everything that was asked of me and in doing so I lost sight of who Macy Gray really is. I spent over a year making this album without any pressure or opinions and being able to choose the co-writers, producers and artists that felt good to me. As a result, it really reflects my true identity. I feel like I have finally made the album I was capable of and that my fans wanted. These are some of my favorite songs that I’ve written.”

Sparkling melodies and personal lyrical insights dazzle throughout The Sellout, an authentic and confidently delivered statement from one of contemporary music’s most skillful and creative forces. The highlights are rich and plentiful including the alluring, soul-pop groove of “Lately”, “That Man” a mouth-watering slice of Ting Ting’s inflected 80’s new-wave, the Joan Jett meets T- Rex thump and screaming Slash guitar of “Kissed It”, and the beguiling, “Still Hurts”, a vulnerable, emotion filled keep-sake ballad, just to name a few.

Macy Gray first burst onto the music scene with her debut album On How Life Is and the massive hit single “I Try" both of which went number 1 all over the world. The album went on to sell 7 million copies worldwide with Gray winning a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist. Macy Gray has gone on to sell more than 15,000,000 albums worldwide and has been nominated for 5 Grammy Awards and 6 MTV Video Music Awards. She has collaborated on stage and in the recording studio with some of music’s greatest artists including Justin Timberlake, Common, Outkast, Rick Rubin, Carlos Santana, Erykah Badu, Fergie, will.i.am, John Frusciante (of Red Hot Chili Peppers), Nas, Mos Def and Natalie Cole, among many others. She has also appeared in numerous films including Training Day, Spider Man, Idlewild and the award winning HBO Film Lackawanna Blues.

Further details on The Sellout and Macy Gray's forthcoming world tour will be announced soon.

http://www.macygray.com/

http://www.myspace.com/macygray

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