•home


Photo Files
(Click for high-res
JPG images)

Photo Caption: Pictured are Guitarmageddon King of the Blues champion Matt O’Ree (left) and legendary blues guitarist B.B. King. Photo by Robert Knight.

Photo Caption: Guitarmageddon King of the Blues Champion Matt O’Ree gives his award-winning performance at the House of Blues in Chicago. Photo by Robert Knight.

Photo Caption: Pictured is Guitarmageddon King of the Blues judge John Mayer (left) with competition winner Matt O’Ree. Photo by Robert Knight.

 


(Click to download full press release in Microsoft Word DOC format)

Return to Guitar Center INDEX


GUITAR CENTER CROWNS MATT O’REE THE NEXT KING OF THE BLUES

— New Jersey guitarist takes reign at the nation’s largest guitar competition —

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA, July 24, 2006 — Showcasing his musical talents in front of a packed house at the House of Blues Chicago, New Jersey’s Matt O’Ree was crowned the nation’s best undiscovered blues guitarist at Guitar Center’s (Nasdaq:GTRC) 2006 Guitarmageddon: King of the Blues grand finals. In addition to the King of the Blues battle between the nation’s top seven amateur guitarists, Guitar Center helped kick off the Chicago Blues Festival with a collaborative performance by legendary blues guitarist B.B. King and GRAMMY® award-winning artist John Mayer, who paid tribute to the genre’s roots, according to Jay Wanamaker, Executive Vice President, General Merchandise Manager for Guitar Center.

"Guitar Center's King of the Blues gives aspiring artists the opportunity to become nationally recognized for their talents and further their careers.” Wanamaker said. “From sharing the stage with blues greats B.B. King and John Mayer to fronting a band led by GRAMMY award winner Pete Anderson, this was truly a night they’ll never forget. We hope a successful music career lies ahead for each of our talented contestants.”

In addition to the competition and exclusive joint performance with King and Mayer, Guitar Center assembled a group of L.A.-based hip-hop musicians to open the event with a special one-time set orchestrated by the Beat Junkies’ DJ J ROCC. To further illustrate the resurgence of the blues, the special set featured classic blues samples mixed in with today’s top hip-hop tracks.

Representing Holmel, NJ, 34-year-old O’Ree has played blues guitar for more than 20 years. O’Ree is known as a top-notch performer and instructor throughout the New York blues scene. Aside from connecting with the crowd, O’Ree stood apart from the other six contestants with his rock-influenced style of the blues.

“The King of the Blues experience was bigger and better than I ever could have imagined,” said O’Ree. “To share the stage and shake hands with B.B. King — one of the blues’ greats — was the most memorable moment of my life. By being able to perform in front of industry legends and receive such recognition, Guitar Center has provided me with the opportunity to develop my career well beyond what I could have done on my own.”

O’Ree was selected from more than 4,000 undiscovered guitarists nationwide who participated in the four-tiered competition that began in February 2006. According to the 10 judges, which included Rick Neilson (Cheap Trick), Hubert Sumlin (Descriptor), Dave Mason (Traffic), and Marcy Levy (Eric Clapton), O’Ree excelled in the categories of originality, technique, style, stage presence and overall performance.

In addition to the coveted “King of the Blues” title, O’Ree took home more than $40,000 in prizes, including a 2006 Scion tC, a trip to L.A. to record with GRAMMY-winning producer Pete Anderson, a one-year Gibson endorsement deal, a Gibson ‘59 reissue, and a Gibson GA20 amplifier, among other prizes.

Photo File: ORee_King.JPG
Photo Caption: Pictured are Guitarmageddon: King of the Blues champion Matt O’Ree (left) and legendary blues guitarist B.B. King. Photo by Robert Knight.

Photo File: ORee.JPG
Photo Caption: Guitarmageddon: King of the Blues champion Matt O’Ree gives his award-winning performance at the House of Blues in Chicago. Photo by Robert Knight.

Photo File: Mayer_ORee.JPG
Photo Caption: GRAMMY®-winning artist John Mayer (left), who helped kick off Guitar Center’s 2006 Guitarmageddon: King of the Blues grand finals, is pictured with champion Matt O’Ree. Photo by Robert Knight.

…ends 466 words

 

About Guitar Center
Guitar Center is the leading United States retailer of guitars, amplifiers, percussion instruments, keyboards and pro-audio and recording equipment. Our retail store subsidiary presently operates 183 Guitar Center stores across the United States. In addition, our Music & Arts division operates 90 stores specializing in band instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors and students. We are also the largest direct response retailer of musical instruments in the United States through our wholly owned subsidiary, Musician’s Friend, Inc., and its catalog and web site, www.musiciansfriend.com. More information on Guitar Center can be found by visiting the Company’s web site at www.guitarcenter.com.

The Guitar Center logo is a registered trademark of Guitar Center, Inc. Other brand or product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

MEDIA CONTACT: Robert Clyne, Neilson/Clyne at (615) 662-1616



 

 


Copyright ©2006, Neilson/Clyne, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Contact: info@neilsonclyne.com