Musicians Wanted for Upcoming CD Sampler — 10,000 Copies to Be Distributed via Unique Tie-in

Martha's Vineyard, MA (PRWEB) January 11, 2006

Musicians are getting a chance to become part of "Fresh Produce, Volume 2", a nationally-distributed release set for this Spring. The CD sampler is part of a series that exposes new music on one of the web's most listened to online radio stations, MVYRADIO.COM and through the industry's largest independent music outlet, the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS).

This is believed to be a first for independent music promotion, where musicians around the country have an opportunity to gain new levels of exposure in reaching both retail and radio audiences in a single promotion.

10,000 copies of the “Fresh Produce” series are produced several times a year to bring awareness to promising music talent and CD releases. The music styles range from Folk to Singer-Songwriter to Americana to Alternative and feature artists who are serious about their craft.

The artists range from up-and-coming folks like Tim Fagan who just hand-picked by John Mayer as the winner of his personal songwriting contest conducted through Esquire magazine to more experienced artists on leading independent labels who are looking for new, alternative ways to reach the music consumer. “The people behind Fresh Produce truly love music as much as the artists they promote. They're like your hippest friend - savoring the chance to hit you with the best new bands before anyone else has a clue. Every aspect of this compilation has been handled smoothly, and it's put me in front of a huge new audience of serious music fans.", said Fagan.

Barbara Dacey, Director of Worldwide Programming for mvyradio, went on to underscore the station’s thinking behind the CD samplers. “One of the hallmarks of our station is our embrace of promising new artists. Fresh Produce is an exciting new music venture, one that is as valuable to us as it is to the artists who participate.”

The next “Fresh Produce” is scheduled for a Spring ’06 release. To submit a song for consideration, an artist can submit their material via http://www.Sonicbids.com where one artist will receive a free slot on the compilation. All others are given a chance to participate for a reasonable fee which gives them placement on 10,000 CDs, website and in-store promotion and airplay features on mvyradio for a three-month period.

mvyradio.com is a heritage Adult Alternative station out of Martha’s Vineyard, having been on the air for 23 years and streaming to the world via the internet since 1998. Its worldwide audience has grown significantly in the last few years and now ranked as one of the 15 most listened to online stations (Webcast Metrics, Dec. 2005). Musically, the station is well-known for its vast library, diversity of styles and early support of new music, garnering recent industry awards for its adoption of artists like Joss Stone and David Gray. http://www.mvyradio.com

Sonicbids helps musicians cut promotion costs, look professional and increase exposure; and helps event promoters by enabling them to take online submissions in minutes and by making their job simpler. Sonicbids’ main product is the Electronic Press Kit (EPK), an easy-to-use, web-based graphic interface that contains all the basic information of a musical act such as music, photos or calendar. Their success lies in the fact that they appeal to both sides of the musical spectrum: the people who make music and the people who promote it. http://www.sonicbids.com

The Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS) is a group of some of the best independent music stores in America. CIMS was founded in 1995; its current membership is made up of 31 accounts that handle 70 stores in 24 states. Many of the accounts have been recognized by the music industry and their local communities for their outstanding dedication to customer service and developing artist support. http://www.cimsmusic.com

For further information, please contact Gary Guthrie, Chief Marketing Officer, Aritaur Communications / mvyradio.com. Phone 859-215-2728. Artists wishing to participate in Fresh Produce can contact Gary or visit http://www.mvyradio.com for more information. Examples of how “Fresh Produce” looks and works can be had at http://www.mvyradio.com/downloads/fresh_produce/ . Artwork and logos are available at http://www.mvyradio.com/internal/release/directory/mvyradio_Press_Graphics.zip

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