KILLSWITCH ENGAGE ANNOUNCE NEW SINGER: JESSE LEACH

HE SERVED AS BAND’S ORIGINAL SINGER ON LANDMARK ALBUM ALIVE OR JUST BREATHING

Killswitch Engage are pleased to announce that they have filled the singer vacancy in the band and they have done so with a familiar face: original vocalist Jesse Leach.

Leach sang on the band’s first self-titled album, which came out in 2000, and on their landmark 2002 Roadrunner debut Alive or Just Breathing. Leach left the band in 2002 and was replaced by Howard Jones, but his work on Alive or Just Breathing has always been revered by diehard, longtime KsE fans. Things have come full circle a decade later, and Leach and the band couldn’t be more pleased about this reunion.

The band revealed that Leach auditioned for the job he once held and pretty much blew everyone away and then some. The band stated, ”After much deliberation and careful consideration, we are pleased to announce that Jesse Leach has rejoined Killswitch Engage. Our job was to find the best person to fill Howard’s shoes: a decision based on talent and not familiarity.”

The band further said, “Truth be told, Jesse blew us away in auditions. The room seemed charged with electricity. He commanded both new and old material, and proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he wanted to do this. The choice became very clear and apparent.”

The band also is psyched to share the news with fans, saying, “This change is very exciting. We know you’re going to love it. This is truly a new era in KsE history  and it is ready to shred your face off. So, please help us in welcoming Jesse back into the KsE family; he is a rare and great talent, a fact that older KsE fans have known for years. Here is to a killer new record and a bright future. The five of us cannot wait to write this record and play shows together and bring that feeling to our fans. It’s been far too long.”

The “new” guy himself also commented on his return to the band after a decade-long absence, saying, “It is a great honor to rejoin my brothers after all of these years. After some discussion and much reflection, it was obvious to me this was the path I was meant to take. We got together and jammed on the ‘Howard-era songs,’ as well as some Alive or Just Breathing-era songs and we all felt the synergy.”
He continued, “I look forward to writing the new record, since the demos sound absolutely amazing,  as well as breathing new life and getting comfortable with the soulful songs Howard has written. It is a new chapter of my life filled with new and exciting challenges. I will give all that I can to honor the position I have been given and take nothing for granted. I will sing every note with all of my soul. I am very blessed and very thankful to be back in the KsE family! All things happen in their due time and now is the time for this reunion and new direction.”

KsE remain hard at work on their latest album, which follows 2009’s second self-titled album.

The band will perform at the New England Metal and Hardcore Fest on April 22, 2012. Leach last performed with KsE in March 2010 in New York City, Clifford Park, NY, and Wallingford CT.

Tour dates are as follows:

4/22 Worcester, MA @ Palladium (New England Metal and Hardcore Festival)

6/1-6/3 Rock Am Ring/Rock Im Park

6/8 Nickelsdorf, Austria @ Pannonia Fields II (Nova Rock)

6/15 Copenhagen, Denmark (Copenhell)

6/16 Gothenburg, Sweden (Metaltown)

6/22 Milan, Italy @ Arena Fiera Milano (Gods Of Metal)

6/24 Dessel, Belgium @ Festival Park ‘Stenehel’ (Grasspop)

More tour dates will be announced shortly.

Feb 7 – Stockbridge, GA @ The R.O.C.K. Show

He’s got a few gigs upcoming:

Benny Marchant Live Show At Rockwood Music Hall NY, NY

http://www.facebook.com/events/234416866644600/

Benny Marchant Live Show At The 8×10 Baltimore, MD

http://www.facebook.com/events/296816823709849/

Country star and native helps celebrate Mississippi’s contributions to American popular music

Mississippi’s musical artists are at the center of American popular music and that legacy is apparent in the number of Mississippians who have been recognized by The Recording Academy® with GRAMMY Awards®, GRAMMY Hall Of Fame® inductions and Lifetime Achievement Awards. On Thursday, February 9, this year’s “Mississippi Music Celebration at the GRAMMY Museum” at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles will celebrate that unparalleled musical legacy and specifically honor Mississippi’s pivotal role in the development of American popular music. The event is part of GRAMMY® Week, a preamble to the GRAMMY Awards ceremony scheduled on Sunday, February 12.

On February 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Museum’s Clive Davis Theater, Mississippi’s Music Celebration features a performance by Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives. Previous Mississippi Music Celebrations at the GRAMMY Museum have included performances by Lifetime Achievement Award-winner David “Honeyboy” Edwards, blues guitar legend Hubert Sumlin, The Williams Brothers, Dorothy Moore, Shannon McNally, Jimbo Mathus, Eddie Cotton and the Homemade Jamz Blues Band.

“Mississippians take pride in our reputation as the true ‘Birthplace of America’s Music,’” stated Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant. “Deborah and I are delighted to host and showcase the legacy and legend of Mississippi’s musical heritage.”

Recognizing the achievements of artists from around the world, the annual GRAMMY Awards celebrate the wealth of American popular music, whose development is hard to imagine without the contributions of Mississippi artists. In positioning itself as the “Birthplace of America’s Music,” Mississippi draws on the legacy of music pioneers such as Sam Cooke, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson, Hank Jones, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Leontyne Price, Charley Pride, Pops Staples and Muddy Waters. The state can also look to modern day music makers like Brandy, Faith Hill, North Mississippi Allstars, The Band Perry, Paul Overstreet, LeAnn Rimes, Williams Brothers, Hayley Williams (Paramore) and Cassandra Wilson.

Mississippi has embraced its status as the “Birthplace of America’s Music” through initiatives like the B.B. King Museum and the Delta Interpretive Center, Elvis Presley’s birthplace in Tupelo and the Mississippi Blues and Country Music trails statewide. The Mississippi Blues Trail is a top tourist attraction that brings visitors to 150 sites statewide. The Blues Trail even reaches outside of Mississippi, from Portland, Maine; to St. Louis, Memphis and New Orleans, and to Chick Hearn Plaza in Los Angeles. The trail recognizes the birthplaces of Blues legends, such as Muddy Waters and B.B. King, and historic juke joints and recording studios. The newer Country Music Trail honors the state’s country greats, including Charley Pride, Tammy Wynette, Faith Hill and Jimmie Rodgers.

In April 2010, the State of Mississippi and the GRAMMY Museum announced the first ever satellite GRAMMY Museum to be built on the campus of Delta State University in Cleveland, Miss. This announcement further solidifies Mississippi’s position as the “Birthplace of America’s Music,” but also builds on a strong relationship between the state and The Recording Academy, which has produced the annual Mississippi GRAMMY Legacy Celebration in venues across Mississippi over the last five years.

“Mississippi music is more than just a historical fact,” said Jon Hornyak, senior executive director of The Recording Academy Memphis Chapter. “The state is giving birth to more American Music every day in a renaissance that spans genres and geography, from Biloxi to Clarksdale to the North Mississippi hill country. The Mississippi Music Celebration at the GRAMMY Museum continues to demonstrate the wealth of talent from the state. This year’s performance will undoubtedly follow that pattern as Marty Stuart and his band show the audience that Mississippi talent is as good as it gets.”

For more information about Mississippi music trails and museums, visit the official Mississippi Development Authority’s Tourism website, http://www.VisitMississippi.org.
About the Performers

Marty Stuart was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi. It’s been said that Stuart is the “lynchpin”: the unbreakable connection between blues and rock and bluegrass and country and gospel, between music and history, between music’s heart and soul and mind, between its past and present and future.

Since starting out singing gospel as a child, the bluegrass stint with Lester Flatt in the 70s, the six years with Johnny Cash in the 80s, and coming up with his smash “hillbilly rock” hits of the 90s, the four-time GRAMMY winner, platinum recording artist, Grand Ole Opry star, country music memorabilia preservationist, stylist, designer, photographer, songwriter, all-around renaissance man, charismatic force of nature and (perhaps, first of all) leader of the extraordinary, versatile touring and recording band, The Fabulous Superlatives, Stuart has shown a showman’s zest for every conceivable flavor of country music. Not to mention, a missionary’s zeal for bringing the importance of the music and its themes home to long-time fans and newcomers alike.

Musicologist Peter North cites, “Marty Stuart seems wrapped in his destiny at this point in time.  Not only is Stuart known as country music’s most notable ambassador/caretaker, but as its main archetypical crusader.  He has without question evolved into one of the most important roots musicians and visionaries in America.”

“I’m always on the prowl for the kinds of recordings that inspire and make a difference,” Stuart says. “What stirs me now is traditional country music.  It’s the music I most cherish, the culture in which I was raised.  It’s the bedrock upon which country music is built, the empowering force that provides this genre with lasting credibility. It’s beyond trends and it’s timeless. It’s too precious to let slip away.”

<http://www.facebook.com/events/217175895040021/>
SHOW (WITH STRINGS) IN CALIFORNIA!

I’d like to invite you to a benefit concert that I’m playing for the incredible HOPE International <http://www.hopeinternational.org/site/PageServer>
organization on February 16th! Thrilled to be playing alongside a String Quartet!! I’ve said it before, but playing with strings is one of my very favorite things to do. I can’t wait to be a part of this lovely evening! The concert is ALL AGES and is being held at the James Armstrong Theatre in Torrance, CA – all of the info can be found right here. <http://www.facebook.com/events/217175895040021/>

Seating is limited, so make sure you RSVP ASAP! Email:
fuze@mosaic.org to RSVP!

See you soon, California! I’ve missed you these cold winter months.

To learn more about the incredible things HOPE International <http://www.hopeinternational.org/site/PageServer>
are doing, pleasevisit here
<http://www.hopeinternational.org/site/PageServer>
.

YEARBOOK POLL

There will be lots of shows/touring this year, which I am truly excited about! Part of the fun of playing shows is deciding on which songs I want to play… Now that my “Yearbook” project is complete, I cant wait to bring these new songs along on tour! 36 new songs is a lot to choose from, so I’d like to invite you to vote on which songs you enjoyed most from “Yearbook.” I created a poll and would love to hear from you, as I’m working on which songs will be a part of my upcoming set lists.

Click here, to vote!!
<http://web.sleepingatlast.com/blog/2012/2/2/yearbook-poll.html>

<http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=breaking+dawn&x=0&y=0>
BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 DVD/BLU-RAY

Excited that the Twilight Breaking Dawn – Part 1 DVD/Blu-Ray will be released on February 11th! Right in time for Valentine’s Day, of course. Vampires and romance, oh my. Was such a privilege to be a part of this film… and as a fan of Blu-Rays in general, I couldn’t be more excited to have my music be on a Blu-Ray release for the first time! Cool! Neat! (Dork.)

Grab your copy here!
<http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=breaking+dawn&x=0&y=0>

Lots more news coming your way very sooooon. Thanks so much for reading!

Much love,

Ryan – Sleeping At Last

P.S. Here’s a list of things I love right now…

1. “Chronicle” <http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/fox/chronicle/>
(one of the best films i’ve seen in a long while. seriously great… go see it! crazy good.)

2. “Smart Dogs”
<http://www.lightlife.com/product_detail.jsp?p=smartdogs>
(i’m a vegetarian, but oddly enough, i miss hotdogs. these fake-hotdogs successfully fill that void in my life. mmm)

3. “/Film” <http://www.slashfilm.com/>
(my favorite movie blog… movie news, rumors, reviews, etc. pretty in love with it.)

4. Pixar Directors playing w/ Live Action Films <http://www.slashfilm.com/early-buzz-john-carter/>
(first, brad bird w/ “ghost protocol” recently… great. now andrew stanton for “john carter” – hoping it’s great. fingers crossed. i
believe!)

Centricity Music announced today the hiring of Steve Rice to head the company’s publishing division.  Rice, formerly with Integrity Music Publishing and EMI CMG Publishing, will oversee and be active with the development of songwriter relationships and Centricity Music’s publishing catalog.  Rice begins his new position immediately and reports directly to Centricity General Manager, Caren Seidle.  He can be reached at steverice@centricitymusic.com.

“Given Steve’s experience, success, and reputation in Christian music, all of us at Centricity feel very fortunate to have him join our team,” says Seidle.  “He brings innovative ideas and great relationships in the music community to our publishing area, which will benefit our artists and writers. This is an area we want to grow at Centricity, and Steve is poised to make that happen.

“I am eager to lead and serve one of the most extraordinary songwriting rosters in Christian music,” says Rice. “I have been nothing short of impressed with the tremendous songwriting talent and the brilliant creative team at Centricity Music. I look forward to working alongside both as we position the company for a robust future.  I am committed to work tirelessly on behalf of the songwriters, building upon their success and momentum to make Centricity Music Publishing the most creative and innovative home for Christian songwriters.”

Centricity Publishing was launched in 2005 and expanded in 2008. Since then the division has gotten song placements in film and television that include; One Tree Hill, Jane by Design, the NFL Network and more.  The company has also expanded their writer roster to include such notable songwriters such as James Teal, Josh Bronwlewee, and Geoff Hunker, along with the artists/ writers on Centricity Music’s roster.  Centricity Publishing has also enjoyed chart success with several top songs including; Jason Gray’s new single, “Remind Me Who I Am,” that is #15 on AC Monitor and #9 on AC Indicator, and Seth Mosley’s song for the newsboys, “Born Again,” that was at #1 for multiple weeks on the Billboard chart.  New cuts on current artist projects include; Peter Furler (“Reach,” “Matter of Faith”), Anthem Lights (“Can’t Shut Up”), Phillips Craig & Dean (“Speechless,” “Our God Is Here”), Country star Paul Brandt (“Together Again”), and KJ 52 (“You Are Not Alone,” “Feels So Good”).

About Steve Rice

Rice is a 25-year veteran of the Christian music industry, having served in senior management roles at Integrity Music, EMI CMG Publishing, BMG/Universal Publishing, Maranatha! Music, and Brentwood-Benson Music.   He’s viewed as one of the top “song men” in Nashville and was named Publisher of the Year by both ASCAP and BMI.  Rice has worked with some of the biggest names in Christian music including; Chris Tomlin, Switchfoot, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jars of Clay, Third Day, and Israel Houghton.  While at EMI CMG, Rice developed the highly successful Worship Together brand and worshiptogether.com, and expanded their copyrights in TV, film and gaming.  Signing with Centricity Music Publishing brings Rice full circle, as during his time at Brentwood-Benson Music he helped launch the Dove Award winning artist/songwriter, Aaron Shust, who signed with Centricity Music last year.  Rice lives in Nashville with his family.

About Centricity Music

Centricity Music is an independent recording and publishing company based in Bellevue, Washington and Nashville, Tennessee.  The company’s mission is to enable our artists to create life-changing experiences for the world. Centricity Music’s artist roster includes, Aaron Shust, Andrew Peterson, Downhere, Jaime Jamgochian, Jason Gray, Me In Motion, Remedy Drive, and Sixteen Cities.  For more information about Centricity Music visit online at www.centricitymusic.com.