FONTANA
NORTH DISTRIBUTION ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH
“LORD OF THE STRINGS”
Fontana
North Distribution is pleased to announce that they
have entered into an exclusive distribution partnership
with Flash Entertainment, the label of East Coast
Music legend J.P. Cormier, a.k.a. “Lord of
the Strings”. Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist,
Cormier most recently turned heads with his triple
win at the 2007 East Coast Music Awards, bringing
home honours in categories including Instrumental
Recording of the Year for Looking Back: Volume 1
— The Instrumentals, Folk Recording of the
Year for Looking Back: Volume 2 — The Songs
and Bluegrass Recording of the Year for Take Five
. . . A Banjo Collection.
The
deal between Fontana North and Flash Entertainment
will facilitate the distribution of ten current
J.P. Cormier albums, including the three ECMA-winning
titles, as well as at least two new releases in
2007.
“Dealing
with the folks at Fontana North throughout the negotiation
and set up process has been a very refreshing experience
as a recording artist, and I feel there are big
things in the future for us now,” says Cormier.
Andre
Bourgeois of Instinct Artist Management, Cormier’s
manager says, “We are so pleased to be making
this next move in the ongoing evolution of J.P.’s
career with Fontana North. We’ve worked very
hard the last few years to develop the retail presence
of J.P.’s music independently, on both a regional
and national basis; but we’d hit a wall insofar
as what we have the capacity and resources to do.
Fontana will be the perfect augmentation to all
our efforts in taking J.P.’s extensive back
catalogue, as well as his ongoing new releases,
to the next level nationally in the coming months
and years. We are very excited about this!”
Matt
Smallwood, General Manager, Fontana North, says,
“All of us at Fontana North are very happy
to be working with Flash Entertainment and J.P.
Cormier and to help take their music to the next
level in Canada. J.P. has brought us an impressive
body of work and a loyal fanbase, and he will have
the whole Fontana North team backing him in accomplishing
his future endeavours.”
Cormier
has garnered multiple award nominations and wins
over his 23-year career, including Instrumental
Album of the Year at the First Annual Canadian Folk
Awards, the 2006 ECMA Folk Recording of the Year
for The Long River: A Personal Tribute to Gordon
Lightfoot, and a placing in the prestigious International
Songwriting Competition. He has shared the stage
with numerous renowned artists, including Waylon
Jennings, Charlie Louvin and Vince Gill.
About
Fontana North:
Part
of the MapleCore Ltd. family (MapleMusic Recordings,
Open Road Recordings, Maplemusic.com), Fontana North
is the premiere independent music distribution company
in Canada. Based in Toronto, Fontana North provides
full marketing, promotional and publicity support,
a nationally dedicated sales force and access to
the U.S. marketplace. Fontana North’s ever-growing
roster includes CP Records, Fierce Panda Canada,
Spinart, Delicious Vinyl, DRT, Ipecac, New West,
Palm Pictures, Quango Music Group, Trustkill, Urbnet,
as well as Gold-selling artists Massari and Theresa
Sokyrka.
