EMI Music Publishing and GI Jams Complete Worldwide Administration Agreement

EMI Music Publishing and GI Jams Complete Worldwide Administration Agreement

Music project dedicated to artists and songwriters from the US armed forces aims to provide showcase for potential new stars

EMI Music Publishing, the world’s leading publisher of popular music, has signed a global administration agreement with GI Jams ®, the Nevada based multi-media company launched by songwriters Denny Randell and Biddy Schippers to promote and develop the talents and original music of active and veteran United States military troops.

GI Jams was founded in 2009 to showcase, support and promote US military artists and their music, giving serving and retired service men and women an outlet to find an audience for their original songs and performances. The GI Jams website at www.gijams.com enables artists who sign up to build individual artist profile pages, including their music, pictures, bios and blogs, with fans and friends able to follow their work and buy track downloads 100% of the profits from downloads on the GI Jams website go to the artists and writers who created the work.

While the site is open to all budding stars from the military, Randell, Schippers and their team work with talented GI Jams artists whenever possible to create further opportunities for them to develop a career in music. Under the terms of the agreement with EMI, GI Jams will provide the opportunity to these talented songwriters discovered through the site to connect into EMI Music Publishing’s global network of offices in order to create valuable revenue opportunities from administering their works and pitching them for uses including movies, TV, commercials, and video games.

GI Jams is rolling out a series of compilations and live shows featuring music highlighted on the site. The first GI Jams live show was held in Las Vegas to celebrate Veterans Day in 2010, while the ‘GI Jams Compilation Album Vol 1’ was released in April of this year. Artists and writers featured include Marine Lt Col Jerard Brewer, Air Force Airman Corey Bower, rock band American Attitude (all Air Force and Navy members) and the Army Sergeants of The Joe Speed Band, as well as Army veteran and Hammond organ virtuoso Ric Ulsky, heavy rockers Destruction Evolution (including veteran Air Force and Army band members), and Dark & McDermid (with a Marine veteran lyricist). Also included on the CD is helicopter pilot Adrian Manuel, along with a video of him performing his song ‘Freedom’ from his Blackhawk helicopter in Iraq – a first for a music video.

Denny Randell and Biddy Schippers are both hugely successful songwriters themselves. Randell’s songs, including ‘Let’s Hang On’, ‘Working My Way Back To You’, ‘Native New Yorker’ and ‘Can’t Get Enough Of You Baby’, have sold more than 200 million records worldwide, with three songs featured in the smash hit musical ‘Jersey Boys’. His collaborator and partner Biddy Schippers has also written international hits and, together with Randell, a series of charting songs in the U.S. and across the globe.

Denny Randell commented: "Biddy and I are so excited for GI Jams to be working together with EMI Music Publishing, the greatest of music publishing companies, to provide the opportunity for the worldwide administration and promotion of our military artists’ original songs. Many of these songs get written in tents and barracks, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as on military bases here and all over the world. It is fantastic to be joining forces with EMI Music Publishing to further our goal of promoting the music of these greatly talented men and women of our Armed Forces”

EMI Music Publishing Vice President of Legal & Business Affairs Stephen J. Dallas said: “We’ve been privileged to work with Denny for a considerable time now, and we’re excited about partnering with him and Biddy as they continue to build this important new enterprise. GI Jams provides active and veteran service men and women with a valuable outlet for their musical talents, and we’re looking forward to representing their original compositions across the world.”

GI Jams has been featured by international media including Reuters, CNBC, MSNBC, and Forbes since its launch, and has received support from the likes of Senator John McCain who visited with Randell and Schippers at a homecoming event for several of its artists returning from active duty in Iraq. Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman recently proclaimed May 20 as “GI Jams Day” in the city.

EMI Music Publishing is the world's leading publisher of popular music, representing more than one million copyrights including some of the best known songs ever written. Iconic songs in the EMI Music Publishing catalog include “New York New York”, “You’ve Got A Friend”, “The James Bond Theme”, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, “Always On My Mind”, “Over The Rainbow”, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and “Singin’ In the Rain”. Its current hit-making writers and producers include Arctic Monkeys, Beyoncé, James Blunt, Jay-Z, Norah Jones, Pink, Stargate, Tinie Tempah, Kanye West and Amy Winehouse.

Enquiries:
EMI Group
Dylan Jones, +1 212-492-1230
djones@emigroup.com