Upcoming Conventions Mel Bay Publications will exhibit at the following conventions:
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June 10, 2011
Induction of Mel Bay as St. Louis Walk of Fame Honoree Set for June 30
A ceremony to induct Melbourne (Mel) E. Bay (1913 - 1997) as a 2011 St. Louis Walk of Fame honoree has been scheduled for Thursday, June 30, 2011. Festive live music starts at 11:00 a.m and ceremony begins at 11:30 a.m. The ceremony will include the unveiling of a bronze star and biographical plaque located in front of 6178 Delmar, St. Louis, MO, across the street from the Moonrise Hotel.
Mel Bay, during a lifetime of 84 years, made significant contributions to modern guitar education and laid the foundation for the continued growth and advancement of the instrument in the St. Louis region, the nation and throughout the world. Born in the small southern Missouri sawmill town of Bunker and growing up in Desoto, Mel Bay realized at the age of 14 he had a talent for music. After twenty five years of performing music professionally, Mel Bay, from his downtown Kirkwood business establishment, pursued guitar instruction and wrote, published and distributed a diversity of “how to play” books that inspired multitudes of aspiring guitarists, including many accomplished and celebrated professionals. In excess of 20 million copies of Mel Bay’s Modern Guitar Method series have been sold worldwide. An obituary in the December 1997 issue of U.S. News and World Report magazine referred to Mel Bay as “the George Washington of the guitar world”.
The St. Louis Walk of Fame is a non-profit organization founded in 1988 to provide a showcase for the cultural heritage of St. Louis and to advance the knowledge, awareness and appreciation of great St. Louisans and their accomplishments.
The actual St. Louis Walk of Fame consists of sets of brass stars and bronze plaques honoring individuals from the St. Louis area who made major national contributions to our cultural heritage. Nominees for the St. Louis Walk of Fame must fulfill two main criteria including: 1) they must have been born in St. Louis OR spent their formative or creative years here; and 2) their accomplishments must have had a national impact on our cultural heritage.
Each year nominations are accepted for accomplished individuals from fields such as art, music, architecture, literature, journalism, civil rights, education, science, sports, acting, entertainment and broadcasting. The Walk of Fame selection committee consists of over 120 St. Louisans including the chancellors of all area universities, key people from local libraries, arts organizations and historical societies, media journalists, and other citizens with an informed understanding of St. Louis’ cultural heritage.
This showcase of the best independent and unsigned artists of the year will be headlined by multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated band Everclear. Proceeds from the event will go to Music Saves Lives, an organization that connects music and entertainment to important life-saving causes.
Additional musical acts supporting the group are After Midnight Project, Culprit, Starving for Gravity, Amy Heffernan and Leftover Cuties. This event will be exclusively available to members of likeZEBRA.com.
Interested fans can visit www.likezebra.com/live to request a free ticket. Free tickets will be randomly distributed to those who sign up. For those who want to buy a ticket to guarantee entry, single, pair and VIP packages are available to purchase at http://www.likeZEBRA.com/live.
In addition to the free ticket giveaway, one lucky winner will win a round-trip flight for two from anywhere Southwest Airlines flies. This prize also includes $500 and two VIP passes to the show. If the randomly-selected winner lives within 100 miles from the event, they will win limo service to the concert.
Make sure to request your tickets today.
Nov. 9, 2010
Music Publisher Mel Bay Launches Vast e-Book Catalog Pacific, Mo.
Mel Bay Publications, Inc. today made learning music easier with the release of more than 1,000 e-books.
“Continuing its proud tradition of teaching the world to play everything from guitar to harmonica, Mel Bay is once again transforming the way people learn to play music by offering e-books,” said Bryndon Bay, corporation president and third-generation Bay. “Our company was founded on the principle that music instruction should be available to everyone, everywhere. E-books make that possible in a more convenient way.”
Mel Bay will use digital delivery of PDF documents, allowing users access to more than 1,000 titles from any compatible device. More than 2,500 e-books will be available by January 2011. Consumers can purchase the e-books online at www.melbay.com.
“E-books are great for those who are away from their print music library. Users can access their personal e-book library of music worldwide on any compatible device by logging onto their account,” Bay said.
To celebrate the e-book launch, Mel Bay is giving away one free iPad and a $250 credit for Mel Bay e-book purchases.* To register for the iPad sweepstakes or to browse and purchase music e-books, visit www.melbay.com.
About Mel Bay Publications, Inc.
Established in 1947, Mel Bay Publications produces and distributes a wide variety of instructional music books, DVDs, CDs, accessories and now Mel Bay OnDemand video downloads and e-books, which cover almost every type of instrument including: guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, dulcimer, harmonica, fiddle, percussion and more. Offering instructional materials for the most diverse and selective musicians, Mel Bay’s titles represent a number of musical styles including: classical, jazz, bluegrass, rock, blues, folk and others.
Melbourne E. Bay (1913-1997) changed the world of guitar instruction beginning with his cornerstone “Modern Guitar Method” and “Rhythm Guitar Chord System.” Sales of his Modern Guitar Method series are estimated to be well in excess of 20 million copies. Mel Bay established the structure for modern guitar education and by so doing, helped create the foundation for the continued growth and advancement of the instrument. It is difficult to find a guitarist worldwide who has not, at some point, studied one of Mel’s method books.
*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Must be 18 and a U.S. resident to enter.
Sweepstakes ends Nov. 30, 2010. For complete details, see Official Rules at www.melbay.com VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
Nov. 9, 2010
Mel Bay Introduces New Licensing Division
Mel Bay has launched a new division dedicated to licensing its legendary catalog that features thousands of songs and recordings in a range of genres. The division, headed by music business veteran, Julie Price, is anchored by a robust, web-based platform designed for music supervisors. The one-stop, song search and music licensing website: www.melbay.com/licensing, is formatted to assist music supervisors and all music users in their search for the right song by allowing them to search by genre, instrument, tempo and mood. In addition they will enjoy a quick and easy licensing process and assistance from a dedicated licensing staff.
Film/TV and media industry professionals will have access to Mel Bay's unique catalog of traditional and contemporary, American and World music. This includes a variety of acoustic and original arrangements of traditional music and quality, educated recordings of World music. Genres range from Bluegrass, Jazz, Italian, Celtic, Latin and Classical to Rock and more.
“The new website provides music supervisors and all music users easy access to search Mel Bay’s untapped catalog of quality recordings and original music.” said Julie Price, Director of Music Licensing. Beyond the website, Price emphasizes that her team is dedicated to finding the right music for licensees and states “Music supervisors should take advantage of my team's commitment to their projects and knowledge of the vast Mel Bay catalog.
Bryndon Bay, president of Mel Bay Publications, says of the new division, “We appreciate the important role that music supervisors play, and believe we are well-positioned to support them. During our 64-year history, we’ve collected a rich catalog of songs in various specialty genres. So many of our writers are also great performers and produce wonderful, quality recordings.”
About Mel Bay Publications, Inc.
Established in 1947, Mel Bay Publications produces and distributes a wide variety of instructional music books, DVDs, CDs, accessories and now Mel Bay OnDemand video downloads and e-books, which cover almost every type of instrument including: guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, dulcimer, harmonica, fiddle, percussion and more. Offering instructional materials for the most diverse and selective musicians, Mel Bay’s titles represent a number of musical styles including: classical, jazz, bluegrass, rock, blues, folk and others.
Melbourne E. Bay (1913-1997) changed the world of guitar instruction beginning with his cornerstone “Modern Guitar Method” and “Rhythm Guitar Chord System.” Sales of his Modern Guitar Method series are estimated to be well in excess of 20 million copies. Mel Bay established the structure for modern guitar education and by so doing, helped create the foundation for the continued growth and advancement of the instrument. It is difficult to find a guitarist worldwide who has not, at some point, studied one of Mel’s method books.
September 2010
Mel Bay & Paul Reed Smith Announces Partnership Mel Bay is excited to announce a partnership with Paul Reed Smith Guitars! Mel Bay, a leader in music instruction since 1947, is proud to pair with today’s foremost guitar manufacturer.
“At Mel Bay, we are excited to be working with PRS,” says Bill Bay, Chairman of the Board at Mel Bay. “We have spent more than 60 years creating quality music for the serious guitarist, so it is only fitting to extend this special offer to PRS Signature Club members!”
Receive an Educational Supplement package with purchase of any PRS guitar. This offer is available to any purchaser of PRS guitars. Each package is unique and contains books, CD(s), and a DVD featuring Paul Reed Smith. Nine packages are available to choose from:
Basic Learn to Play
Intermediate Learn to Play
Pro
Blues
Jazz
Rock
Technique
Lead/Soloing
Rhythm/Backup
Additionally, Signature Club members receive 25% off all purchases on www.melbay.com. Plug in your PRS Signature Club number as a promo code during checkout at www.melbay.com to receive your discount.
Visit www.prsguitars.com/signatureclub to sign up and learn more. Signature Club Members outside the U.S. must call in their order to receive discount.
July 7, 2010
Marija Temo Performances & Workshops
Marija just landed a national commercial for Taylor Guitars/GE Capital!
It is hitting the national network starting tonight, July 6th!
Marija is playing the guitar music from the beginning of the commercial to the end. Some of the music she composed and arranged. Quite comically, they put the head of Deb Barker, GE representative, on Marija's body during the guitar scene, so you wouldn't know it's her playing. "It was an absolute blast, amazing adventure, and a wonderful challenge. I am really grateful for the opportunity and experience."
See Marija's website, Latest news page for network and print listings. Also, Marija has started a Facebook Fan Page which will list each day's airing times, as well as upcoming future concerts and events.
It would be great to hear your comments and especially from which state you see the commercial! Here is the commercial posted on YouTubehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joFFBdEEmgA
The Córdoba Guitar Festival was founded by Paco Peña, exactly thirty years ago and is now one of the great places to see and learn the three important aspects of flamenco; Cante, the song; Baile, the dance; and Guitarra, guitar playing.
The host city of course is Córdoba, Paco Peña’s birthplace and home to a thriving flamenco scene. The city of Córdoba is slightly larger than Canberra with about the same population. It is smaller than its two famous neighbours, Seville to the West and Granada to the South East.
The Córdoba Guitar Festival is an annual and world famous event that takes place during the first fortnight in July and attracts the worlds best guitarists, teachers, craftsmen, composers and performers.
Keith Calmes to receive Outstanding Educator Award
Keith Calmes will be receiving an Outstanding Educator Award from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) later this month for his work as a guitar teacher at Wall High School. Professor Calmes joined Wall High School in 2005 as guitar instructor and currently teaches approximately 170 guitar students at the school. These students include those in beginning guitar classes and after-school ensembles with the latter performing regularly in the community.
In the future, Calmes plans to create a four-year curriculum for guitar at Wall High School. On May 1, 2010, Wall High School will be hosting their first guitar festival which is aimed at fostering growth in the pre-college-level guitar community in New Jersey.
April 30, 2010
Indiana Dulcimer Festival
Come join them in Woodburn, IN (the dulcimer capital of the midwest) as Folkcraft Instruments hosts the 1st annual Indiana Dulcimer Festival. Being held July 17 and 18, 2010, this festival is expected to set the standard of folk festivals nationwide with its unique 3-2-1 approach...
3 great instructors (Bing Futch, Stephen Seifert, Lois Hornbostel)
2 amazing concerts (one each evening)
1 incredible weekend (so long as you attend!)
Cost: $140 (price includes classes, sessions, and concerts for both days)
April 20, 2010
See Mel Bay Author Chip Ritter Insane Drum Clinic with Seth Davis Saturday, May 1st 2010- Tucson, AZ
Sticks N’ Strings Music Center Presents
Chip Ritter – Seth Davis INSANE Drum Clinic Tour
Event Time - 5pm Saturday, May 1st 2010
Location -
Sticks N Strings Music Center
8796 East Broadway Boulevard
Tucson, AZ 85710-4035
(520) 296-3479
INSANE Drum Clinic – Sticks N Strings Music Center TV Ads (running in store)
Chip Ritter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8N8TmBWqe8
Sponsored by: Trick Drums USA, Paste Cymbals, Pro-Mark Drumsticks, Drummer From Another Mother Clothing, and Mel Bay Publications
A Week-long Celebration of the Mountain Dulcimer with great player-teachers, classes for all skill levels, concerts, field trip, jams, and outdoor beauty in a scenic new mountain setting.
www.dulcimerville.com
Black Mountain, North Carolina
Mon., June 7 – Sat., June 12, 2010
March 16, 2010
Play With and Learn From Pat Metheny, Larry Carlton, Scott Tennant and Alex De Grassi
August 29 – September 5, 2010 at the Flathead Lake Lodge in Bigfork, MT
Your chance to learn from and play with some of the best guitarists in the world, including Pat Metheny, Larry Carlton, Scott Tennant, Alex DeGrassi.
Six days of intimate workshops, master classes, jam sessions and an opportunity to have private lessons for both the serious and casual student in rock, blues, jazz, acoustic, classical, and for beginners;
Exclusive evening performances every night;
Courses for all levels of guitar player and for people who want to begin playing for the first time. The classes will be limited in size to insure personalized instruction.
A special beginner class is offered
A week-long stay at the 4 star Flathead Lake Lodge including all of its amenities.
We hope you will join us!
David Feffer, Chairman
Crown of the Continent Guitar Foundation
2010 Drummers for Jesus Celebration on March 26th, 27th - Dallas, TX
The Drummers for Jesus Celebration starts with an energetic concert that includes a kaleidoscope of musical styles. Featured will be the "Rhythm Alliance", a group of some of the finest percussionists on the planet.
This is a one-of-a-kind event -- great fun for the entire family!
The International Drummers for Jesus Celebration is a two-day event of drummers and percussionists who use their drumming to spread the message of Jesus Christ. This is the 5th annual event for the organization. The celebration starts with an energetic concert that includes a kaleidoscope of musical styles. Featured in this production is the "Rhythm Alliance", a group of some of the finest drummers and percussionists on the planet. Also new this year is a 100+-member SLAM JAM drum orchestra. People will not want to miss this one-of-a-kind performance.
The second day focuses on a day of drum clinics and teaching.
There are also exhibits and sponsor giveaways.
FEATURED ARTISTS: Aaron Spears, Teddy Campbell, Gerald Heyward, Nisan Stewart, Gorden Campbell, Marvin McQuitty, Calvin Rodgers, Richie Gajate Garcia, Lil Mike Mitchell, Chip Ritter, and Jerome Flood.
Drummers for Jesus was formed in Dallas, Texas in 2002. Drummers for Jesus is a world-wide network of drummers and percussionists who promote the message of Jesus Christ through fellowship activities.
March 26-27, 2010 (Friday concert 7:30 pm; Saturday clinics 9 am - 2 pm)
Juan Martín Canadian Tour - 2009
Oct 07 Sackville, NB, Mount Allison University
Oct 08 Halifax, NS, St Matthews Church
Oct 09 Liverpool, NS, Astor Theatre
Oct 10 Riverview, NB, Riverview Arts Centre
Oct 11 Charlottetown, PEI, Carrefour Theatre
Oct 13 Prince Albert, SK. E.A. Rawlinson Centre
Oct 14 Fort MacLeod
Oct 15 Open
Oct 16 Edmonton, AB, Festival Place
Oct 17 Kelowna, BC, Okanagan Mission Community Hall
Oct 18 Mission, BC, Venue TBA - but gig is confirmed
Oct 19 Open
Oct 20 Open
Oct 21 Open
Oct 22 Quesnel, BC, Billy Barker Casino Theatre
Oct 23 Vancouver, BC, Kay Meek Centre
Oct 24 Pender, BC, The Performance Centre
Oct 25 Nanaimo, BC, Port Theatre
Mel Bay is proud to support the Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival. The ninth annual festival is just 10 miles southwest of St. Louis. This year the free, award-winning, family jazz and blues fest recreates the music of the Las Vegas jazz scene during the 1960s. Not unlike Vegas at that time, this year's festival offers great entertainment, food and spirits along the strips of Gore, Allen and Lockwood Avenues. Be sure to check out Mel Bay's Lick Library author, Matthew Von Doran at 4pm on the Allen Avenue Stage. Listen for a dazzling array of styles and tune-in to retro sophistication born in the Las Vegas heyday that is still alive today.
Andy and I wanted to take a moment to send our thanks for the nomination of our instrumental, Angeline the Baker, for Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year.
Going into the studio to record this project, we really wanted to do just one or two takes of each song. That comes from realizing that often, the first take is when all the magic happens. One of the greatest things about bluegrass music is the incredible sponteneity that comes from the tradition of just sitting down and playing with friends, and that's what we wanted to capture.
We deeply appreciate each of the awards categories for which we've been nominated, especially knowing that these nominations come from our professional colleagues who know and love bluegrass music and are equally dedicated to keeping the tradition of bluegrass alive and vibrant.
Contact:
Danielle Berg
Shopatron, Inc.
805.547.2144
pr@shopatron.com
MEL BAY LAUNCHES ECOMMERCE POWERED BY SHOPATRON
Leading music publisher will drive online sales to retail partners and deliver a better website experience for consumers
San Luis Obispo, CA, July 7, 2009 – Shopatron, the leading provider of eCommerce solutions for music industry manufacturers, is proud to announce Mel Bay Publications as the newest addition to its roster of high-end music industry clients.
Shopatron will provide secure online checkout services, which will attach seamlessly to Mel Bay’s existing product catalog. Products in Mel Bay shopping carts will be purchased in a Shopatron-hosted checkout process. Mel Bay retailers will be engaged as order fulfillment partners, enabled through Shopatron’s Coex Freedom order exchange. Initially, Mel Bay will make products available for purchase with shipment or in-store pickup in the United States. The company expects to launch Shopatron-powered eCommerce in the United Kingdom later this year.
“We are always looking to better serve our customers. With Shopatron, Mel Bay dealers will make additional sales and profit from consumer orders placed online at www.melbay.com. We can offer our entire catalog to consumers for convenient online purchasing, while strengthening our relationships with retailers. It’s a win-win situation that lets everyone succeed,” said Bryndon Bay, President of Mel Bay Publications, Inc. “As an added benefit, customers have the option to pick up merchandise in their local music stores.”
“We are excited to welcome Mel Bay to the Shopatron community,” said Ed Stevens, Founder and CEO of Shopatron. “Mel Bay’s strong commitment to retailers will drive growth immediately and long into the future. Consumers will be better served and will be more likely to purchase a Mel Bay product when they visit the Mel Bay website.”
Mel Bay joins over 30 music industry manufacturers who use Shopatron’s Coex Freedom order exchange to enable fulfillment of consumer orders by retail partners across North America.
About Shopatron
Shopatron, Inc., the leading provider of global eCommerce solutions for consumer goods industries, allows its merchants to engage consumers with a fantastic experience, from shopping through fulfillment. Orders placed on Shopatron merchant websites are filled by a managed, distributed network of fulfillment partners, typically local retailers. Local fulfillment speeds delivery, motivates fulfillment partners to stock more inventory, and facilitates In-Store Pickup, a convenience valued by a majority of online shoppers.
Headquartered in San Luis Obispo, CA, Shopatron operates Coex Freedom, an order exchange with more than 600 merchants and 10,000 fulfillment partners across 35 consumer products industries. Some of Shopatron's merchant clients include Berkley Fishing, Brooks Running, Callaway Golf, D'Addario, Johnson Outdoors, Mammut, MK Diamond, Nordica, Panasonic, Spy Optic, Stearns, and Thule. For more information and a full client list, visit ecommerce.shopatron.com.
About Mel Bay
Established in 1947, Mel Bay Publications produces and distributes a wide variety of instructional books, DVDs, CDs, and accessories which cover almost every conceivable type of instrument including: guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, dulcimer, harmonica, fiddle, percussion and many more. Offering instructional materials for the most diverse and selective musicians, Mel Bay’s titles represent a number of musical styles including: classical, jazz, bluegrass, rock, blues, folk music and more.
Melbourne E. Bay (1913-1997) changed the world of guitar instruction beginning with his cornerstone “Modern Guitar Method” and “Rhythm Guitar Chord System.” Sales of his Modern Guitar Method series are estimated to be well in excess of 20 million copies. Mel Bay established the structure for modern guitar education and by so doing, helped create the foundation for the continued growth and advancement of the instrument. It is difficult to find a guitarist worldwide who has not, at some point, studied one of Mel’s method books.
Mel Bay Publications is also the North American distributor of numerous books and DVDs by such distinguished publishers as Chanterelle Verlag, AMA of Germany, Walton’s of Ireland, Voggenreiter, Mallys Music, Lick Library, Stefan Grossman’s Guitar Workshop, Acutab, Learn Roots Music, and The Murphy Method.
Mel Bay Publications was proud to present this showcase of Flamenco style which featured internationally acclaimed Flamenco Guitarists and Mel Bay authors Juan Serrano and Corey Whitehead accompanied by world renowned Flamenco vocalist/singer Jesus Montoya. He has been a special guest artist on TV’s hit, “So You Think You Can Dance” as well as a 2007 Grammy Winner! Two excellent flamenco dancers enhanced the musical experience. Thank you to the excellent performers and to all in attendance.
During Summer NAMM 2008, Mel Bay's new Modern Guitar Method - Rock & Blues Supplements won "Best In Show" in the "Gotta Stock It" category. Six industry experts shopped the show, picked their favorite products and services, and presented those picks in five categories. The four new Mel Bay Supplements are products that the retail panelists "wish they had in their stores yesterday", and panelists "wish they had in their collections".
"Our goal was to give the Modern Guitar Method Expanded Edition and its supplements a depth and breadth previously unseen. This award confirms the feedback we are receiving that we hit our target.", says Bill Bay, president of Mel Bay Publications, Inc.
In support of the original, Mel Bay's Modern Guitar Method, Grade 1, the "Best In Show" supplements are entitled; Rock Studies, Play All-Time Favorite Hits By Ear, Learn Rock Favorites and Blues Jam Play Along. These new companion pieces bring a whole new level of fun to learning by teaching popular rock songs and blues improvisation.
Rock Studies covers the fundamentals of playing rock solos. This book and CD set teaches 16 different rock solos while explaining , hammer-ons, pull-offs, string bending, arpeggios, unison bends, pedal tones, playing over the changes and much more. Rock Studies includes tabulature, standard notation and play along tracks with a full band in the keys of C, Em, G and Am.
Through written examples and audio, Play All-Time Favorite Hits By Earbook and CD supplement teaches you how to play Louie Louie, Satisfaction, I Walk the Line, Let It Be, Light My Fire and Smells Like Teen Spirit.
Learn Rock Favorites teaches you visually how to hear and play Sunshine of Your Love, Proud Mary, Like A Rolling Stone, House of the Rising Sun, Blowin' in the Wind and Midnight Rider. This supplement book and DVD features a full band playing each tune and includes demonstrations of chords, strum patterns, guitar lines and improvising scales.
The Blues Jam Play Along book and CD is a supplement to Modern Guitar Method, Grade 1 and presents blues melody and recorded back up improvising track for seven blues songs. Blues tunes are presented in the keys of C, Am and G.
Mel Bay products are available through your local music store or through online dealers. Stock varies by site and location. The Mel Bay® name and logo, You Can Teach Yourself®, Gig Savers®, Guitar Sessions®, and Creative Keyboard® are registered trademarks of Mel Bay Publications, Inc. QuickTime and the QuickTime Logo are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. The Get QuickTime Badge is a trademark of Apple Computer Inc., used with permission.
Marija just landed a national commercial for Taylor Guitars/GE Capital!
The Córdoba Guitar Festival was founded by Paco Peña, exactly thirty years ago and is now one of the great places to see and learn the three important aspects of flamenco; Cante, the song; Baile, the dance; and Guitarra, guitar playing.
