For those fans who simply cannot wait for her forthcoming new album, British recording artist and two time Grammy nominee IMOGEN HEAP will make a brand new track available exclusively through iTunes on July 8th, 2008. The aptly-named track “Not Now But Soon” currently appears on the album “Heroes: Original Television Series Soundtrack”, which is out now. The track will be made available through iTunes accompanied by a bonus ‘making of the song’ video.

Video footage documenting the writing, recording and production of her music has proved popular with her fans recently. Scoring significant breakthrough success with her last album, “Speak For Yourself”, which sold over half a million copies worldwide, Imogen recently launched a vBlog, which can be found at http://www.youtube.com/IMOGENHEAP, or linked to via her website: http://www.imogenheap.com .The vBlog features regular video diary entries which allow fans to follow Imogen’s progress in writing and recording her untitled forthcoming album.

Having written and recorded music for over a decade both solo and as one half of Frou Frou, Imogen’s success around 2005’s “Speak For Yourself” could be largely attributed to being at the forefront of the online explosion, leading the UK’s The Guardian to call her “the first download diva”. Significantly boosted by the Myspace generation, she still maintains one of the biggest profiles on Myspace.

Imogen’s new album is being recorded in a beautiful new studio which she has built in her old family home in Essex. She has spent the time in between writing, recording and producing her brand new album and building her own recording studio, documenting the entire process for the ”making of DVD” to accompany the audio CD of the new album.

There’s a delicate balance between the intertwining worlds of artistry, entertainment and humor, but for Atlanta’s best dressed alternative rockers Family Force 5 it’s an ecstatic equilibrium that remarkably illustrates all three elements, as proven after one listen to the group’s sophomore album Dance Or Die, to be released August 19 on CD and digitally. This release is a strategic partnership between the Transparent Media Group founded by the Olds brothers, manager Chris Woltman and producer Joe Baldridge with EMI Music Marketing and Tooth & Nail Records.

“EMI has been involved with Family Force 5 since the beginning,” says Bill Gagnon, Senior Vice President of EMI Music. “We are very pleased to partner with the band and with Transparent Media Group for the release of Dance Or Die.”

Family Force 5 is:
Solomon “Soul Glow Activator” Olds - vocals, guitar
Jacob “Crouton” Olds - drums, vocals
Joshua “Fatty” Olds - bass, vocals
Derek “Chap Stique” Mount - guitar
Nathan “Nadaddy” Currin - keyboards, turntables

Produced by Solomon “Soul Glow Activator” Olds and Joe Baldridge (Beck, Jewel), Dance Or Die oozes with over the top illustrations, charging out of the gate with funky rhythms, percolating club grooves, undeniably infectious rock n’ roll hooks and instantaneous sing-alongs. Imagine an inventive evolution of the gang’s eye opening debut Business Up Front, Party in the Back mixed with Prince getting down at a Daft Punk concert where Michael Jackson busts out a moonwalk in the center of the dance floor.

“The last record was a straight up party, but we always said the second would be a
sweaty kind of rock n’ roll dance music,” says front man and guitarist Solomon “Soul Glow Activator” Olds.

Speaking of Rock n’ Roll music, the band is currently on the Vans Warped Tour 08 and will soon announce the dates for their fall solo headlining trek. With the tongue firmly planted in cheek, the Atlanta fivesome are just as likely to get the party started as they are a catalyst for allowing audiences to forget the problems around them, never compromising creativity and returning to the days of massive spectacles on tour.

“The really interesting part of the story is that we recorded Dance Or Die totally independently, paying for all of the studio time, meals and lodging by ourselves with the whole DIY mentality,” notes guitarist Derek “Chap Stique” Mount.

It didn’t take long for music industry executives to catch wind of this, and before they had even finished recording the band was fielding label offers, finding a new home with EMI Music Marketing and Tooth & Nail Records.

“This deal provides us the opportunity to drive our music to the next level and to work hand - in -hand with an organization that understands what we want to accomplished. We are thrilled to be a part of the EMI family for this release and look forward to this new business relationship and all that awaits the release of Dance Or Die” - Says Family Force 5

Family Force 5 is revitalized, road-tightened and ready for the future so let’s get the party started.
See them live:
July 1 Vans Warped Tour St Louis, MO
July 3 Vans Warped Tour Dallas, TX
July 5 Vans Warped Tour San Antonio, TX
July 6 Vans Warped Tour Houston, TX
July 9 Vans Warped Tour Atlanta, GA
July 10 Vans Warped Tour Orlando, FL
July 11 Vans Warped Tour St Petersburg, FL
July 12 Kings Dominion Doswell, VA
July 13 Vans Warped Tour St Augustine, FL
July 14 Vans Warped Tour Charlotte, NC
July 15 Vans Warped Tour Virginia Beach, VA
July 16 Vans Warped Tour Columbia, MD
July 17 Vans Warped Tour Cleveland , OH
July 18 Vans warped Tour Detroit, MI
July 19 Vans Warped Tour Toronto, Ontario
July 20 Vans Warped Tour Montreal, Quebec
July 23 Vans Warped Tour Mansfield, MA
July 24 Vans Warped Tour Darian Center, NY
July 25 Vans Warped Tour Camden, NJ
July 26 Vans Warped Tour Uniondale, NY
July 27 Vans Warped Tour Scranton, PA
July 28 Vans Warped Tour Englishtown, NJ
July 29 Vans Warped Tour Pittsburgh, PA
July 30 Vans Warped Tour Cincinnati, OH
July 31 Vans Warped Tour Noblesville, IN
Aug 1 Vans Warped Tour Milwaukee, WI
Aug 2 Vans Warped Tour Chicago, IL
Aug 3 Vans Warped Tour Shakopee, Minnesota
Aug 5 Vans Warped Tour Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Aug 6 Vans Warped Tour Calgary Alberta
Aug 8 Rock the Desert Midland, TX
Aug 10 Vans Warped Tour Portland, OR
Aug 13 Vans Warped Tour Fresno , CA
Aug 14 Vans Warped Tour Chula Vista, CA
Aug 16 Vans Warped Tour Marysville, CA
Aug 17 Vans Warped Tour Carson, CA
Aug 22 Hope Church Cordova, TN
Aug 23 En Fuego Clanton, AL
Aug 29 LifeLight Festival Sioux Falls, SD
Aug 30 Lifelight Festival Sioux Falls, SD

Australian sensation Delta Goodrem, at just 23, is already one of Australia’s most successful and highest-selling female artists. Now, Australia’s best kept secret is poised for a major U.S. debut CD release with Delta, set for release on June 10th from Mercury/Decca.

In an era of pre-fabricated as-seen-on-TV popstars, Delta Goodrem is the real thing. A pianist since the age of seven, Goodrem harks back to a bygone era where pop stars wrote their own songs and sang them live - as simple as that. Her debut album in the U.S. serves as a welcome antidote to the rushed world of generic pop, with timeless, global tunes injected with power, passion and personality.

First single, “In This Life,” also happens to be Delta’s eighth #1 hit in Australia (out of an impressive 13 singles released to date), effortlessly seducing radio with its life-affirming chorus and wall-to-wall melodic rush. “The sentiment in songs is so important to me. It’s got the melody that rings in your ear, but I can also belt it out. It’s got all the elements I could hope to be introduced with.” “Possessionless” may be the album’s most personal track. Goodrem wrote the song shortly after winning her battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer that derailed Delta at the height of her Australian and UK success in 2003.

“Hard times are universal. Good times are universal. I’ve learned how powerful music can be to people, how you just want to get lost in music. That’s a really special connection with people that isn’t disposable. I like the idea of starting in America with a clean slate. I’m looking forward to singing my heart out.”

In 2003, Delta took Australia by storm, breaking chart records and becoming one of only a handful of albums to sell over a million copies in Australia. Her first CD, Innocent Eyes, released overseas in 2003, has now reached over 4 million sales worldwide and earned the singer the Highest Selling Album award at the Australian equivalent of the Grammys two years running. She spent a record-breaking 29 weeks at No.1 in Australia and reached No.2 in the UK. Each of the album’s five singles made No.1 in Australia - breaking a record held by Kylie Minogue and the Beatles.

Delta is a songwriting force to be reckoned with. In 2006, Goodrem performed a self-penned song, “Together We Are One,” at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in front of a worldwide audience of 1.5 billion. The inspirational song surfaced on last year’s American Idol. Another song penned by Goodrem, “Days Go By,” was a No.1 hit this year by Norwegian Idol Glenn Lyse, while she also just collaborated on a song with hero Olivia Newton-John for her new cancer charity. “Olivia’s been a shining light for me,” Delta says. Another one of Goodrem’s songs, “Eyes on Me,” was selected by Celine Dion for her latest album Taking Chances. “To hear ‘Eyes on Me’ sung by a woman I’ve looked up to all my life – that’s an amazing feeling,’’ Goodrem says.

After an accelerated life - and career - of dizzying highs and crushing lows, the Delta album sees Goodrem coming out of the dark with songs that embrace the positivity and healing power of pop music.

UPCOMING U.S. TOUR DATES:

July 11 - Boston, MA @ The Paradise
July 13 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
July 16 - New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
July 18 - Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl
July 20 - Dallas, TX @ The Loft
July 22 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey
July 24 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of The Hill
July 25 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
July 26 - Seattle, WA @ Triple Door
July 28 - Chicago, IL @ Lakeshore Theatre

U.K. Tour Dates

Aug 23 - Nottingham, UK @ Bodega
Aug 24 - Edinburgh, UK @ Cabaret Voltaire
Aug 26 - Manchester, UK @ Night & Day
Aug 27 - Brighton, UK @ Komedia
Aug 28 - London, UK @ Bush Hall
Aug 30 - Bristol, UK @ Thekla
Aug 31 - Southampton, UK @ Orange Room

Country star Sara Evans will be heating up the competition on HGTV Design Star this Sunday, July 6 at 9pm ET/PT. The third season of the top-rated series hosted by Clive Pearson is down to only six finalists who are competing in a challenge involving Evans as the celebrity client.

Recently, Evans released her new single, “Love You With All My Heart,” to country radio. The passionate love song from her Greatest Hits album was co-penned by Evans, Aimee Mayo and John Shanks. Greatest Hits includes the Top 10 hit, “As If,” which Evans also co-wrote, and features Evans’ biggest hits from her 10-year career, including “No Place That Far,” “Born to Fly,” “Suds in the Bucket,” “A Real Fine Place to Start,” and “I Could Not Ask for More,” among others.

TOUR DATES

July 12 - Omaha Jazz and Blues Festival, Omaha, NE
July 16 - Autograph signing at Camp Pendleton, near San Diego, CA
July 23 - Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA
July 25 - Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia, PA (FREE!)
July 26 - LA Music Festival, Greek Theater, LA, CA (part of Will Downing & Friends)
August 2 - Fraze Pavilion, Kettering, OH
August 3 - Chicago - TBA
August 29 - Detroit International Jazz Festival, Detroit, MI (salute to Marvin Gaye)
August 30 - Detroit International Jazz Festival, Detroit, MI (Lalah’s show)
September 19 - Civic Center, Atlanta, GA

Season seven American Idol finalist Kristy Lee Cook has signed a recording contract with 19 Recordings/Arista Nashville. Arista Nashville is a label under the Sony BMG Nashville umbrella.

A 24-year-old native of Selma, Oregon, Cook is a passionate animal lover and avid horse trainer who sold her barrel horse to pay for her transportation to Philadelphia to audition for American Idol. Now in preparation for the American Idols Live! Tour 2008, Kristy Lee will team with producer Brett James to record her album between tour dates, with an album release this fall. Her first single, the playful, up-tempo “15 Minutes of Shame,” will impact country radio on August 11.

With the announcement of her recording contract, Cook said, “I’ve wanted this for so many years. To have the chance to be a country singer – to make the music I love – and to have enjoyed the support of so many American Idol fans this past season, it all means more than I can put into words. Thank you so much to everyone. I’ll do my best to make you proud!”

Sony BMG Nashville Chairman Joe Galante remarked, “Simon Cowell told Kristy Lee Cook on American Idol that she is a country singer. We definitely agreed and followed her very closely during the season. We have been anxious to get her into the studio. Kristy Lee will be very relatable to the country audience and is destined to have hits.”

Montgomery Gentry are celebrating their chart-topping hit single, “Back When I Knew It All,” which just hit the No. 1 spot on this week’s Billboard and Country Aircheck country airplay charts. The fastest rising single for the duo to date, this marks their fourth No. 1 hit. Now that is something to be proud of. Tune in to Live with Regis and Kelly to see Montgomery Gentry perform “Back When I Knew It All” this Tuesday, July 1 (check local listings for air times).

Written by Gary Hannan, Phil O’Donnell and Trent Willmon, “Back When I Knew It All” is the lead-off single and title track from Montgomery Gentry’s brand new disc, in stores now. Produced by Blake Chancey, Back When I Knew It All is the follow-up to Some People Change which delivered three back-to-back Top 5 singles, including the No. 1 smash “Lucky Man.”

The duo is turning up the heat this summer with a nationwide tour, playing select dates on Toby Keith’s “Biggest & Baddest Tour,” from now until September 18th when the tour wraps in Albuquerque, NM.

Solange Knowles’, 1st single, “I Decided,” off of her forthcoming CD, SoL-AngeL and the Hadley St. Dreams enjoys the #1 spot on both Billboard’s “Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales” chart and the “Hot Dance Singles Sales” chart. It also lands at #2 on Billboard’s “Hot Singles Sales” chart. SoL-AngeL and the Hadley St. Dreams, Solange’s sophomore set, will be released on Music World Entertainment/Geffen Records on August 26th.

The album hosts a dream team of producers and guest appearances including the legendary award-winning Lamont Dozier who teams up with the newest purveyor of Soul, Mark Ronson on the sure to be classic, “6 O’clock Blues,” the forever eclectic Cee-Lo lends a handwriting hand on the Soulshock & Karlin produced 2nd single, “Sandcastle Disco,” the constant hit-making Pharrell Williams writes the first single “I Decided” with production from The Neptunes and remix by the Freemasons, and the formidable chart-topping Lil Wayne shares the spotlight on “ShampagneChronicKnightCap.” Other dream makers on SoL-AngeL and the Hadley St. Dreams include Boards of Canada, Jack Splash, Shea Taylor, Bama Boyz, Marsha Ambrosius from Floetry, and more.

Recently wrapping “The Art of Love” tour with her band, The Hadley Street Dreams, which she hand-picked, Solange found favor for her live show with the press. The Dallas Morning News said she has a “soul-pop hybrid and kittenish performance style are all her own.”

Gym Class Heroes has announced the upcoming release of their eagerly anticipated third album, “THE QUILT.” The collection – which follows 2006’s RIAA gold-certified breakthrough, “AS CRUEL AS SCHOOL CHILDREN” – arrives in stores and at online retailers on September 9th.

“THE QUILT” will be preceded by the album’s first single, “Cookie Jar.” Produced by The-Dream (Rihanna, Usher, Chris Brown), the track will be available for digital purchase on July 8th. Gym Class Heroes recently wrapped production on a companion video for “Cookie Jar” with director Dale “Rage” Resteghini (Jim Jones, Lil’ Wayne). The clip will premiere later this summer.

For their new album, Gym Class Heroes teamed up with a number of extraordinary collaborators. In addition to The-Dream, producers include Cool & Dre (Yung Joc, Young Jeezy, The Game) and the Geneva, NY-based band’s longtime friend and collaborator, Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy. What’s more, “THE QUILT” features special guest contributions from the one-and-only Busta Rhymes, UK soul sensation Estelle, and the legendary Daryl Hall.

Gym Class Heroes will spend their summer busting out the new material as headliners on the just-underway Vans Warped Tour (see attached itinerary). In addition, the band will also join fellow Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen recording groups The Academy Is…, Cobra Starship, and Four Year Strong for summer shows in New Orleans, Montana, and Oregon.

* * * * *
Acclaimed for their unique approach to alternative hip-hop, Gym Class Heroes became an international sensation in 2007 with their #1 blockbuster hit, “Cupid’s Chokehold/Breakfast In America.” The track was a multiple chart-topping crossover smash and catapulted “AS CRUEL AS SCHOOL CHILDREN” to RIAA gold certification for sales exceeding 500,000.

The band was named “Best New Artist” at 2007’s MTV Video Music Awards, beating out such stars as Amy Winehouse and Carrie Underwood. GCH were all over music television, with live performances and videos for such tracks as the anthemic “Clothes Off!” appearing on MTV, its affiliated networks, and FUSE. Additional Gym Class Heroes TV appearances included performances on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O’Brien, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

A remarkably dedicated live act, Gym Class Heroes have toured nearly non-stop in recent years. In addition to headlining a number of packed-out tours, the band played at countless festivals and radio-sponsored shows, and shared stages with Fall Out Boy and Gwen Stefani.

For up-to-the-minute news and tour information, see the official Gym Class Heroes website, www.gymclassheroes.com, or the band’s MySpace page, www.myspace.com/gymclassheroes.

Gym Class Heroes are: Travis McCoy (lead vocalist), Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo (guitarist), Eric Roberts (bassist), and Matt McGinley (drummer).

Tour 2008

All Dates w/Vans Warped Tour Except

* w/The Academy Is…, Cobra Starship, and Four Year Strong

JUNE

28 Salt Lake City, UT Utah State Fairgrounds

29 Denver, CO Invesco Field @ Mile High

JULY

1 Maryland Heights, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

2 Bonner Springs, KS Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

3 Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center

5 Selma, TX Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

6 Houston, TX Sam Houston Race Park

8 New Orleans, LA House of Blues *

9 Atlanta, GA Lakewood Amphitheater

10 Orlando, FL Central Florida Fairgrounds

11 St. Petersburg, FL Vinoy Park

12 Miami, FL Bicentennial Park

13 St. Augustine, FL St. Johns Fair

14 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

15 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

16 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion

17 Cleveland, OH Time Warner Cable Amphitheater

18 Detroit, MI Comerica Park

19 Toronto, ON Downsview Park

20 Montreal, QC Parc Jean Drapeau

23 Mansfield, MA Tweeter Center For The Performing Arts

24 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center

25 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center

26 Uniondale, NY Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

27 Scranton, PA Toyota Pavilion

28 Englishtown, NJ Old Bridge Township Raceway Park

29 Burgettstown, PA Post Gazette Pavilion

30 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center

31 Noblesville, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center

AUGUST

1 Milwaukee, WI Marcus Amphitheater

2 Tinley Park, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheater

5 Saskatoon, SK Credit Union Center

6 Calgary, AB Race City Speedway

7 Missoula, MT Wilma Theater *

8 Nampa, ID Idaho Center Amphitheater

9 George, WA George Amphitheater

10 St. Helens, OR Columbia Meadows

11 Eugene, OR McDonald Theater *

13 Fresno, CA Save Mart Center

14 Chula Vista, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheater

15 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheater

16 Marysville, CA Sleep Train Amphitheater

17 Carson, CA Home Depot Center