PRESS RELEASES
Got a gig, CD-release, or anything ELSE you'd like to send out to publications, websites, and blogs? Let me help! Below are just a few of the press releases I've written for artists just like you (plus one I wrote for my Dead Guy Opry project - but I'm an artist just like you too)! My press releases cost the same as a bio - less if you get BOTH!
STUDEO RELEASES NEW ALBUM ON BONGO BOYS RECORDS LABEL
“These Are Our Days” marks a turning point for the Australian duo
Both bandmates and soulmates, Jeremy and Christine Stork have been making music together since the ‘70s, when they joined forces in the popular cover band “Casablanca.” Now they’ve taken their life experiences and world travels and turned them into a new album on Bongo Boy Records.
Although the couple has been involved in numerous musical projects over the years (Jeremy was a guitarist for Melbourne’s “Moby Dick” and opened for acts such as “AC/DC,” “The Little River Band,” and “Skyhook”; Christine, a formally-trained vocalist, sang with numerous cover bands), they didn’t actually begin recording as “Studeo” until 2017, when they self-released not one but three EPs. Two singles from those releases, “Don’t Wanna Play These Games” and “I Wanna Make You Mine,” rose on international music charts to heights previously unseen by an Australian independent act, and led to a Josie Music Award (referred to as “the Grammys of Independent Music”) for Artist of the Year in the “World Music” category. Their success – along with two other awards earlier this year (at the Arzuk Radio Music Awards and the Akademia Music Awards) - drew the attention of America’s Bongo Boy Records, and, in August, Studeo released the album..
“These Are Our Days,” released this past summer, is an eclectic blend of genres which has thus far received rave reviews - it was touted by Skope Entertainment as an album which “radiates warmth and tenderness…nicely bringing together neon-hued soulful balladry along with a soft rock emphasis.” The album contains a combination of previously-released material, plus a wealth of new songs - often inspired by actual events in exotic locations, such as a sojourn to Khao Lak, Thailand (“Our Perfect Place to Be”), and last year’s literally stormy trip to Nashville (“This Time”).
Prolific and gifted songwriters, the couple penned every cut on the new release, with the exception of “Even Misery” (written by the late Travis Dow), and “Superman,” which they wrote with Sue Walton and the album’s producer, Paul Rockwell.
In October, “These Are Our Days” was accepted by the Recording Academy in Los Angeles for first-round voting for “Pop Vocal Album” at the 61st annual Grammy Awards. For Jeremy and Christine Stork, the album’s title couldn’t be more fitting.
“These Are Our Days” marks a turning point for the Australian duo
Both bandmates and soulmates, Jeremy and Christine Stork have been making music together since the ‘70s, when they joined forces in the popular cover band “Casablanca.” Now they’ve taken their life experiences and world travels and turned them into a new album on Bongo Boy Records.
Although the couple has been involved in numerous musical projects over the years (Jeremy was a guitarist for Melbourne’s “Moby Dick” and opened for acts such as “AC/DC,” “The Little River Band,” and “Skyhook”; Christine, a formally-trained vocalist, sang with numerous cover bands), they didn’t actually begin recording as “Studeo” until 2017, when they self-released not one but three EPs. Two singles from those releases, “Don’t Wanna Play These Games” and “I Wanna Make You Mine,” rose on international music charts to heights previously unseen by an Australian independent act, and led to a Josie Music Award (referred to as “the Grammys of Independent Music”) for Artist of the Year in the “World Music” category. Their success – along with two other awards earlier this year (at the Arzuk Radio Music Awards and the Akademia Music Awards) - drew the attention of America’s Bongo Boy Records, and, in August, Studeo released the album..
“These Are Our Days,” released this past summer, is an eclectic blend of genres which has thus far received rave reviews - it was touted by Skope Entertainment as an album which “radiates warmth and tenderness…nicely bringing together neon-hued soulful balladry along with a soft rock emphasis.” The album contains a combination of previously-released material, plus a wealth of new songs - often inspired by actual events in exotic locations, such as a sojourn to Khao Lak, Thailand (“Our Perfect Place to Be”), and last year’s literally stormy trip to Nashville (“This Time”).
Prolific and gifted songwriters, the couple penned every cut on the new release, with the exception of “Even Misery” (written by the late Travis Dow), and “Superman,” which they wrote with Sue Walton and the album’s producer, Paul Rockwell.
In October, “These Are Our Days” was accepted by the Recording Academy in Los Angeles for first-round voting for “Pop Vocal Album” at the 61st annual Grammy Awards. For Jeremy and Christine Stork, the album’s title couldn’t be more fitting.
Missouri Songwriter Takes Home Nashville Award
Kimberly Smoak Copeland overcomes adversity to shine
From the horrors of combat in the First Gulf War to the stage at Nissan Stadium in Nashville - it's been a difficult and joyous journey for songwriter/entertainer Kimberly Smoak, a recent co-recipient of "Country/Gospel Song of the Year" honors at the Josie Music Awards (often referred to as "The Grammy's for Independent Artists."). The title of the winning song, Hello Hallelujah, couldn't be more fitting.
When Smoak was first diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following her service, and later deemed "disabled," she was devastated. It wasn't long, however, before the sunny enthusiasm for which she's become known transformed her life. "Just because you have a label attached to you, or a disability no one can see, doesn’t mean you have to be that label or live in its shadow," says Smoak, who has since taken that philosophy to levels even she never dared dream.
A natural-born entertainer, she started performing at talent shows while still in elementary school in Lenapah, Oklahoma. "I was always the first to sign up," she laughs. In 1994 (a year after she'd been honorably discharged from the Army), she turned to karaoke - the grown-up equivalent of talent shows - and developed her singing and performing skills even further.
But she'd always wanted mainly to write. She'd started with poems, "probably as soon as I could figure out how to write sentences," but didn't really start structuring the rhymes into song lyrics until much later. Once bitten by the songwriting bug, Smoak never looked back. "I absolutely love songs," she says – "the words, the melody, the feelings, the stories in those songs, the stories behind the songs…oh what heaven that is!"
In 2010, she "took a leap of faith," and began recording in Nashville, working with veteran producer/musician/entertainer Steve Goodie. The result was The Power of Ten, a 10-song CD completed "on the tenth day of the tenth month of the tenth year." Since then, she's released three additional albums - 2012's Smoak'N and Honoring Those Who Serve (the latter distributed free of charge to U.S. Service members, including those in Veterans' Hospitals), and Cowgirl Rockabye, released just last April.
In 2016, Smoak started getting some recognition for her talents, when she was nominated for "Country Music Female Songwriter of the Year" at the JMA. That same year, her self-penned testimonial was featured in the book "The Artist Collection: Every Music Artist Has A Story." Her star continued its ascension in 2017, when - in addition to her win - she was also nominated for JMA’s "Songwriter of the Year" and "Song of the Year" (in the "Songs Saluting America" category).
It has indeed been a difficult and joyous journey, Smoak reflected following a recent performance at the Belcourt Taps in Nashville, where she was backed up once again by Steve Goodie. (The crew from Nashville Entertainment Weekly was there as well - you can see her performance on their NEW TV Facebook page). Despite the challenges, Smoak says she "wouldn't change a bit of it," and steadfastly gives all the credit to not just her husband, son, family, friends and co-writers, but her faith"
"Hello, Hallelujah," she smiles.
Kimberly Smoak Copeland overcomes adversity to shine
From the horrors of combat in the First Gulf War to the stage at Nissan Stadium in Nashville - it's been a difficult and joyous journey for songwriter/entertainer Kimberly Smoak, a recent co-recipient of "Country/Gospel Song of the Year" honors at the Josie Music Awards (often referred to as "The Grammy's for Independent Artists."). The title of the winning song, Hello Hallelujah, couldn't be more fitting.
When Smoak was first diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following her service, and later deemed "disabled," she was devastated. It wasn't long, however, before the sunny enthusiasm for which she's become known transformed her life. "Just because you have a label attached to you, or a disability no one can see, doesn’t mean you have to be that label or live in its shadow," says Smoak, who has since taken that philosophy to levels even she never dared dream.
A natural-born entertainer, she started performing at talent shows while still in elementary school in Lenapah, Oklahoma. "I was always the first to sign up," she laughs. In 1994 (a year after she'd been honorably discharged from the Army), she turned to karaoke - the grown-up equivalent of talent shows - and developed her singing and performing skills even further.
But she'd always wanted mainly to write. She'd started with poems, "probably as soon as I could figure out how to write sentences," but didn't really start structuring the rhymes into song lyrics until much later. Once bitten by the songwriting bug, Smoak never looked back. "I absolutely love songs," she says – "the words, the melody, the feelings, the stories in those songs, the stories behind the songs…oh what heaven that is!"
In 2010, she "took a leap of faith," and began recording in Nashville, working with veteran producer/musician/entertainer Steve Goodie. The result was The Power of Ten, a 10-song CD completed "on the tenth day of the tenth month of the tenth year." Since then, she's released three additional albums - 2012's Smoak'N and Honoring Those Who Serve (the latter distributed free of charge to U.S. Service members, including those in Veterans' Hospitals), and Cowgirl Rockabye, released just last April.
In 2016, Smoak started getting some recognition for her talents, when she was nominated for "Country Music Female Songwriter of the Year" at the JMA. That same year, her self-penned testimonial was featured in the book "The Artist Collection: Every Music Artist Has A Story." Her star continued its ascension in 2017, when - in addition to her win - she was also nominated for JMA’s "Songwriter of the Year" and "Song of the Year" (in the "Songs Saluting America" category).
It has indeed been a difficult and joyous journey, Smoak reflected following a recent performance at the Belcourt Taps in Nashville, where she was backed up once again by Steve Goodie. (The crew from Nashville Entertainment Weekly was there as well - you can see her performance on their NEW TV Facebook page). Despite the challenges, Smoak says she "wouldn't change a bit of it," and steadfastly gives all the credit to not just her husband, son, family, friends and co-writers, but her faith"
"Hello, Hallelujah," she smiles.
A TALE OF TWO ‘VILLES
Nashville and Bartlesville Converge for Country-Comedy Opera Project
Back in the mid-90’s, when Oklahoma native Ty Hager was a struggling singer/songwriter and aspiring novelist in Nashville, Tennessee, he started toying with the idea of a story about a murdered country singer channeling his memoirs through a redneck kid. He began the tale, which he called “Diary of a Dead Guy,” first as a novel, then a screenplay. Then – as he did so often in those days – he put the project on the back burner, wrote “another hundred or so” songs, and played some more gigs.
A dozen years later, having moved from Nashville to Austin (where he landed a record deal with New York’s Winthrop Records), then to Los Angeles (where he did a couple of stints in rehab, trying to overcome his “voracious thirst for beer”), Hager was back in Oklahoma. Frustrated by the music business, he turned his attentions to radio - he’d been a deejay on and off throughout his adult life.
He hosted a couple of morning shows – first in Bartlesville, then Independence, Kansas – and produced and hosted a syndicated country music/interview show (airing world-wide on the American Forces Radio Network). By 2012, he was back to working a regular job, and, “mainly to impress a girl,” pulled his story off the back burner.
He completed his highly-autobiographical supernatural comedy, “Diary of a Dead Guy – a Country Ghost Story,” in six months, received some rave reviews, then promptly marked “write a novel” off his bucket list.
In 2016, Hager returned to Nashville, played a handful of gigs with his long-time on-again-off-again band The CowTippers, and – in 2017 - “wrote a freakin’ opera.” He’d grown up listening to “Jesus Christ, Superstar” on his mother’s reel-to-reel player, and “write a freakin’ opera” had been on the aforementioned “bucket list” most of his life.
“It wasn’t the religious aspect as much as the human aspect - and the marvelous story-telling and brilliant music – which fascinated me,” Hager says, adding that, during his own roller-coaster ride, he’s “found and lost religion a number of times.”
When the time came to decide on a subject for his opera, Hager turned once again to the novel. “I mulled over a few ideas, not even thinking of the book,” he remembers. “When it did finally occur to me to do a musical adaptation, it was kind of a thunderbolt, yet so obvious - it’s a compelling story which I know like the back of my hand.” He wrote the opening scene the next day.
“Dead Guy Opry” was written in nine months during 2017 – a year marked by the passing of his younger sister Stacy and his own major surgery. “Hard living caught up to my sister and I around the same time,” he says. “It caught up to her worse.”
Hager hadn’t even finished writing the opera before he began casting for a concept album and stage production in Nashville. “It was writing itself, really. I knew what had to happen, the parts I needed to leave out. I just needed to write the songs.”
Sean Patrick McGraw - whom he’d met in 1993 at Nashville’s Bluebird Café - read the novel, loved it, and “related to the title character in a major way,” recalls Hager. “I told him about the opera, and he signed on.”
Although the pair were introduced at the very early stages of their careers, McGraw had been more successful by far – a finalist on the Music City-based reality show, “Nashville Star,” McGraw had gone on to tour with Toby Keith, Trace Adkins, Eric Church, Dirks Bentley, and others, and had even performed a couple of songs on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
“Sean’s a real pro,” Hager says, “and never does projects he didn’t write. So for him to be so enthusiastic about this means the world to me.”
“Dead Guy Opry” seemed to be off to a roaring start – Hager had cast another leading role, and was offered a space at a major downtown Nashville comedy club to stage the show in the Spring of 2018.
It wasn’t meant to be.
“I was still in recovery on a number of fronts. And even if I’d been in a good place health-and-happiness-wise, we just didn’t have the resources to pull off such a major project in the time allotted.”
Hager continued to “get my Dead Guy ducks in a row” throughout last year, simultaneously launching website design and video production companies, both catering primarily to musicians. “Obviously, I love working with artists. I’m just doing stuff I was doing for my own career. That I get to do most of it in my jammies is just a bonus.”
Tragedy struck yet again last February, when his little brother Eric suddenly passed away in Nebraska, and Hager returned to Oklahoma to be with his surviving family. He decided to stay. “My remaining sister and our Mom are here,” he notes, “and if I’ve learned anything from all this, it’s the profoundly precious and temporary nature of life. I just can’t be so far away.”
He was almost resigned to shelving the “Opry” project, but within a couple of months was back on the horse. “It’s my favorite horse,” he admits, “and it dawned on me that, in this day and age, it doesn’t really matter where you live. I do websites and videos for folks all over the world, and there are also plenty of really talented musicians and singers right here.”
The dream has become a truly interstate venture, with participants lending their gifts not just from Nashville and in Bartlesville, but also from Tulsa, Louisville, and even Denver. “We’ve got a dozen really amazing musicians and singers working on this so far, including members of my old Nashville band,” says Hager, who – from his downtown Bartlesville apartment - records the local talent and mixes together the remotely-recorded elements, while also tending to the business aspects of the project.
Although he hopes to eventually turn the project into an independent film, the focus now is on producing the concept album. “It’s kind of the ‘Jesus Christ, Superstar’ template – do the record first, then see where that takes us,” he says, adding that, as an opera (with all lines sung), “once we’ve got the album recorded, we’ve got the audio for the film as well.”
There are roles still available, and more information – including the complete script and demos – is at https://deadguyopry.weebly.com/. Although compensation is “pretty limited at present,” all participants will become members of the newly-formed DGO Productions LLC. “I’ve been around the block enough times to know how risky any creative project is. But if this thing does fly, there’ll be royalties,” Hager says, crossing his fingers.
Nashville and Bartlesville Converge for Country-Comedy Opera Project
Back in the mid-90’s, when Oklahoma native Ty Hager was a struggling singer/songwriter and aspiring novelist in Nashville, Tennessee, he started toying with the idea of a story about a murdered country singer channeling his memoirs through a redneck kid. He began the tale, which he called “Diary of a Dead Guy,” first as a novel, then a screenplay. Then – as he did so often in those days – he put the project on the back burner, wrote “another hundred or so” songs, and played some more gigs.
A dozen years later, having moved from Nashville to Austin (where he landed a record deal with New York’s Winthrop Records), then to Los Angeles (where he did a couple of stints in rehab, trying to overcome his “voracious thirst for beer”), Hager was back in Oklahoma. Frustrated by the music business, he turned his attentions to radio - he’d been a deejay on and off throughout his adult life.
He hosted a couple of morning shows – first in Bartlesville, then Independence, Kansas – and produced and hosted a syndicated country music/interview show (airing world-wide on the American Forces Radio Network). By 2012, he was back to working a regular job, and, “mainly to impress a girl,” pulled his story off the back burner.
He completed his highly-autobiographical supernatural comedy, “Diary of a Dead Guy – a Country Ghost Story,” in six months, received some rave reviews, then promptly marked “write a novel” off his bucket list.
In 2016, Hager returned to Nashville, played a handful of gigs with his long-time on-again-off-again band The CowTippers, and – in 2017 - “wrote a freakin’ opera.” He’d grown up listening to “Jesus Christ, Superstar” on his mother’s reel-to-reel player, and “write a freakin’ opera” had been on the aforementioned “bucket list” most of his life.
“It wasn’t the religious aspect as much as the human aspect - and the marvelous story-telling and brilliant music – which fascinated me,” Hager says, adding that, during his own roller-coaster ride, he’s “found and lost religion a number of times.”
When the time came to decide on a subject for his opera, Hager turned once again to the novel. “I mulled over a few ideas, not even thinking of the book,” he remembers. “When it did finally occur to me to do a musical adaptation, it was kind of a thunderbolt, yet so obvious - it’s a compelling story which I know like the back of my hand.” He wrote the opening scene the next day.
“Dead Guy Opry” was written in nine months during 2017 – a year marked by the passing of his younger sister Stacy and his own major surgery. “Hard living caught up to my sister and I around the same time,” he says. “It caught up to her worse.”
Hager hadn’t even finished writing the opera before he began casting for a concept album and stage production in Nashville. “It was writing itself, really. I knew what had to happen, the parts I needed to leave out. I just needed to write the songs.”
Sean Patrick McGraw - whom he’d met in 1993 at Nashville’s Bluebird Café - read the novel, loved it, and “related to the title character in a major way,” recalls Hager. “I told him about the opera, and he signed on.”
Although the pair were introduced at the very early stages of their careers, McGraw had been more successful by far – a finalist on the Music City-based reality show, “Nashville Star,” McGraw had gone on to tour with Toby Keith, Trace Adkins, Eric Church, Dirks Bentley, and others, and had even performed a couple of songs on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
“Sean’s a real pro,” Hager says, “and never does projects he didn’t write. So for him to be so enthusiastic about this means the world to me.”
“Dead Guy Opry” seemed to be off to a roaring start – Hager had cast another leading role, and was offered a space at a major downtown Nashville comedy club to stage the show in the Spring of 2018.
It wasn’t meant to be.
“I was still in recovery on a number of fronts. And even if I’d been in a good place health-and-happiness-wise, we just didn’t have the resources to pull off such a major project in the time allotted.”
Hager continued to “get my Dead Guy ducks in a row” throughout last year, simultaneously launching website design and video production companies, both catering primarily to musicians. “Obviously, I love working with artists. I’m just doing stuff I was doing for my own career. That I get to do most of it in my jammies is just a bonus.”
Tragedy struck yet again last February, when his little brother Eric suddenly passed away in Nebraska, and Hager returned to Oklahoma to be with his surviving family. He decided to stay. “My remaining sister and our Mom are here,” he notes, “and if I’ve learned anything from all this, it’s the profoundly precious and temporary nature of life. I just can’t be so far away.”
He was almost resigned to shelving the “Opry” project, but within a couple of months was back on the horse. “It’s my favorite horse,” he admits, “and it dawned on me that, in this day and age, it doesn’t really matter where you live. I do websites and videos for folks all over the world, and there are also plenty of really talented musicians and singers right here.”
The dream has become a truly interstate venture, with participants lending their gifts not just from Nashville and in Bartlesville, but also from Tulsa, Louisville, and even Denver. “We’ve got a dozen really amazing musicians and singers working on this so far, including members of my old Nashville band,” says Hager, who – from his downtown Bartlesville apartment - records the local talent and mixes together the remotely-recorded elements, while also tending to the business aspects of the project.
Although he hopes to eventually turn the project into an independent film, the focus now is on producing the concept album. “It’s kind of the ‘Jesus Christ, Superstar’ template – do the record first, then see where that takes us,” he says, adding that, as an opera (with all lines sung), “once we’ve got the album recorded, we’ve got the audio for the film as well.”
There are roles still available, and more information – including the complete script and demos – is at https://deadguyopry.weebly.com/. Although compensation is “pretty limited at present,” all participants will become members of the newly-formed DGO Productions LLC. “I’ve been around the block enough times to know how risky any creative project is. But if this thing does fly, there’ll be royalties,” Hager says, crossing his fingers.
