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August 28-30: Angel City Inaugural Bluegrass Festival in Unadilla  More

Aug. 29-Sept. 1: Montreux Jazz Festival at Underground Atlanta More

Sept. 10: Red Camera 101: A Seminar on the Basics From Production to Post More

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Uplifting Sports Documentary with Georgia Ties, 'Living is Winning' Released on DVD

Uplifting Sports Documentary 'Living is Winning' Released on DVD
Andrew “Drew” Johnston’s Amazing Story has Georgia Ties

Award-winning Producer / Director Linda Burns of Plexus Pictures and Writer / Producer Jeff Keating of Doghouse Pictures, with support from Ironman, Team and Training, and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, are proud to present Ironman Andrew Johnston’s inspirational tale. Pieced together from a total of 175 hours of footage, this compelling film follows Drew as his sense of humor, his positive attitude, and the support of friends and family help him overcome even the toughest of odds. ”Living Is Winning” is a human-interest story that everyone can relate to.

A retired professional cyclist, Drew surprised himself by falling in love with the sport of triathlon. He quickly rose to elite status, but season after season, injuries seemed to plague him. In 2004, at Ironman Lake Placid, a recurring leg injury forced his withdrawal from the race. Never one to quit, he was devastated, but the nightmare had only just begun. During a routine exam, doctors discovered something unimaginable; Drew had Leukemia. Caught early, the drug Geevec helped put his disease into remission, and Drew fought his way back to the sport, qualifying for and competing in the Ford Ironman World Championship. But Drew had unfinished business - Ironman Lake Placid. In 2007, he returned to the starting line to find he still carried the emotional weight of all the battles he thought were behind him. Now, you can share in his struggles and join in his triumphs, captured in this powerful documentary.

“The way you pulled together Drew's experiences told a very powerful story. There was no shortage of emotion in this video! I cried and laughed several times,” said Blair Lahaye, Ironman Director of Communications.

"Andrew's heart really shines in the film. He shows us what it means to be alive and why we shouldn't take life for granted. Bravo!”, raved Will Holt, Owner of The Bicycle Link.

"This DVD brings to life the amazing accomplishments that are possible for those living with cancer." said Michael King, the Operations Manager for Fox TV Atlanta.

“The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is proud to be associated with Drew Johnston and "Living Is Winning". Drew's pursuit of his goals, even in the face of a deadly disease, embodies the very essence of what LLS is about,” explained Nancy Klein, the Chief Marketing & Revenue Officer of LLS.

The project was financed by private Georgia investors, produced and edited in Georgia, and the subject of the documentary was born and raised in Georgia. The producers and crew were all Georgians, equipment all came from Georgia, and over 120 hours of footage were shot in the state.

For more information please go to www.livingiswinning.com.

Georgia Music Hall of Fame presents 'Live At Five' at Atlanta’s Hard Rock Café  CONTACT:
Lisa Love, Director
Georgia Music Hall of Fame
478-751-3087
llove@georgia.org

Georgia Music Hall of Fame presents 'Live At Five' at Atlanta’s Hard Rock Café

MACON, GA, August 11, 2008 — For the second year in a row, The Georgia Music Hall of Fame is bringing its “Live at Five” performance series to Atlanta with a series of five Thursday evening performances by well-known and rising Georgia musicians beginning Aug. 28. Performances will take place at 5 p.m. at the Hard Rock Café at the intersection of Peachtree Street and International Boulevard in the heart of downtown. Admission is $5, with proceeds benefiting MIKE, the museum’s Music in Kids’ Education program.

“In keeping with our mission to promote music events throughout the state, we’re delighted to offer this stellar lineup of artists to music fans in Atlanta,” says Lisa Love, the Hall of Fame’s director. “Plus, it’s only five bucks. Money may be tight and gas prices may be high, but that’s still a bargain, particularly for these artists.”

This year’s lineup includes:

Aug. 28:
Three5Human — Led by singer Trina Meade and guitarist Tomi Martin, whose plentiful collective touring and session credits range from OutKast to Mick Jagger, Daemon Records band Three5Human inspires excitement and emotion in audiences and critics alike. The band’s repertoire ranges from edgy rock narratives to songs that explore the harsh realities of child abuse and poverty.

Caroline Aiken with special guest JP Blues — Caroline Aiken’s performances are known for their high energy and jaw-dropping guitar playing. She’s an accomplished singer/songwriter who can cut it up on a 12-string guitar and woo the crowds with her piano ballads. Accompanying her will be JP Blues, who began playing large festivals by age 11. He’s since collaborated with an impressive list of artists, including Michael Falzarano (Hot Tuna) and Buddy Cage (New Riders of the Purple Sage).

Sept. 4:
Sonia Leigh — Songwriting is in Sonia Leigh’s blood. Her father, who taught her guitar, and her grandfather, who wrote a song recorded by Hank Williams, planted the seed that would blossom in the heart of a child from rural Florida, since transplanted to Atlanta. With gritty vocals and poetically compelling lyrics, Sonia's music grabs listeners by their heartstrings and leads them on an intoxicating ride into a glorious Georgia sunrise.

Marshall Ruffin — Columbus, Ga.’s Marshall Ruffin has a jazz guitar performance degree from Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music but don’t let the pedigree fool you; the guitarist and singer/songwriter has an appealingly gritty delivery, as befits a resident of Ma Rainey’s hometown. Newly signed to Jammates Records, the youthful Ruffin now is playing roots and blues venues all over the southeast.

Sept. 11
Gareth Asher — Bowdon, Ga. native Gareth Asher was raised on a steady diet of old school funk, rock and soul, eventually incorporating those disparate vibes into his own sound. Asher had a youthful epiphany when he stumbled upon the sounds of Otis Redding, and he’s aimed for a musical career ever since. “I just want to make people feel something the way I do,” he says.

Oh Dorian — Oh Dorian is Macon, Ga.’s Heather Kemp, whose piano-and-vocal driven music maps out routes in the wilderness of emotional pain, the dark spaces of vulnerability. Instead of being crafty, tossing off clever lyrics here and there, Oh Dorian strings you along some scenic path before turning on you with a knife…. but only because she cares.

Sept. 18
Randall Bramblett (CD release party with New West Records) — Arguably the ultimate “team player” in American rock/blues/soul music, the Jesup Ga.-born Randall Bramblett has made himself so valuable as a singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter for other artists that his solo work has too often gotten short shrift. A fluent master of piano, organ and saxophones—and with a distinctive vocal rasp that oozes R&B/soul tradition—Bramblett boasts a top-drawer resume that traces the Southern rock lineage (Gregg Allman, Sea Level, Gov't. Mule, Widespread Panic), adding side trips into blues/R&B (John Hammond, Francine Reed, Johnny Jenkins), alt-rock (Vigilantes of Love) and rock icons (Steve Winwood, Levon Helm) along the way.

Sept. 25
The Selmanaires — Named after the address of their first practice space, on Selman Street in Atlanta’s Reynoldstown neighborhood, this Atlanta indie-rock quartet has earned local and national critical raves for their angular, rhythmic music, hearkening back to the best of the post-punk era while pushing those sounds admirably forward.

Anna Kramer & The Lost Cause — Named best local singer/songwriter by Atlanta’s Creative Loafing and called “a little lady with a big guitar,” Atlanta’s Anna Kramer has turned heads with her International Hits debut, which followed a buzzed-about independent album. Ably backed by her rhythm section, Kramer’s music has earned comparisons to everyone from Lucinda Williams to The Rolling Stones.

Finally, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc., will host a membership drive during the series. Museum members receive annual free admission, a 10% music store discount, a subscription to Georgia Music magazine, guest passes and discounted admission to Live at Five. For more information, please visit Georgia Music Hall of Fame or Atlanta Hard Rock Café.

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