AOL Music Selects Mat Kearney for Breakers New Music Series

AOL Music has chosen to feature Mat Kearney in their innovative emerging artists series, Breakers, whose alumnae include John Legend, 50 Cent, Michelle Branch, The Game and other highly successful acts. Kearney is one of six artists to receive the honor this spring, which entails his music being featured on AOLMusic.com and across the AOL Music and Radio Networks. Mat will also tape an AOL Music Session this spring.

"I'm honored to be on one of the artists featured as an AOL Breakers," says Kearney. "I really appreciate AOL's belief in what I'm doing."

This watershed moment in Kearney's career coincides with another -- the release of his major label debut, Nothing Left To Lose, which Aware/Columbia Records releases April 18. The title track is currently in the Top 15 on the AAA radio charts and continues to climb.

While in college, the Oregon-native visited Nashville on a summer break. In the country music capital he began writing emotionally complex songs dealing with redemption and spirituality that were inspired by the works of Southern writers such as Flannery O'Conner and William Faulkner. After writing four songs, Kearney called home to say he would not be coming back and began performing at songwriter nights at local venues alongside Nickel Creek and Duncan Sheik. Following a performance in Chicago, Aware Records president Gregg Latterman immediately signed him.

Nothing Left To Lose features 13 original tracks produced by Robert Marvin and recorded at Bridge Street, The Smokehouse and Sweetbriar Studios. Kearney plays acoustic guitar and is joined by Paul Moak (guitar), Lynn Nichols (guitar), Tony Lucido (bass), Lindsay Jamieson (drums) and others.

Released via an independent label, Mat Kearney's first album, Bullet, sold nearly 40,000 copies. He is currently finishing a tour with The Fray and will tour with Matt Wertz beginning April 5. Please see reverse for itinerary and visit http://www.matkearney.com/.

Recent success stories coming out of the AOL Music Breakers program include Kearney's Columbia labelmates John Legend and Teddy Geiger as well as Fall Out Boy, Sugarland and Panic! At The Disco. Other artists featured as Breakers include Avril Lavigne, Josh Groban, 50 Cent, Michelle Branch, The Game, Jet and Keyshia Cole.

AOL Music (http://www.aolmusic.com/) is the leading online destination for music, reaching millions of music fans a month through a rich array of programming, products and services that make it easy to discover, experience, listen to and buy music online.

                             MAT KEARNEY TOUR
                  * with The Fray and the Cary Brothers
                             ** with The Fray
                               + with Train
                            ++ with Matt Wertz

  March 1*        Metro                         Chicago, IL
  March 2*        The Rave Bar                  Milwaukee, WI
  March 3*        Varsity Theater               Minneapolis, MN
  March 10**      Paramount Theatre             Denver, CO
  March 19+       The Fillmore                  San Francisco, CA
  March 22**      Iowa Memorial Union           Iowa City, IA
  March 23**      The Pageant                   St. Louis, MO
  March 24**      Madrid Theatre                Kansas City, MO
  March 29**      The Intersection              Grand Rapids, MI
  March 30**      St. Andrews Hall              Detroit, MI
  April 2**       House of Blues                Chicago, IL
  April 4**       Headliners Music Hall         Louisville, KY
  April 5++       Park West                     Chicago, IL
  April 7++       The Canopy Club               Urbana, IL
  April 8++       Hope College                  Holland, MI
  April 10++      Beachland Ballroom & Tavern   Cleveland, OH
  April 11++      20th Century Theater          Cincinnati, OH
  April 13++      Mississippi Nights            St. Louis, MO
  April 14++      Rhino's                       Bloomington, IN
  April 15++      Exit/In                       Nashville, TN
  April 17++      Rex Theatre                   Pittsburgh, PA
  April 19++      North Star                    Philadelphia, PA
  April 20++      Jammin' Java                  Vienna, VA
  April 21++      Axis                          Boston, MA
  April 22++      Knitting Factory              New York, NY
  April 23++      Starr Hill Music Hall         Charlottesville, VA
  April 25++      The Loft                      Atlanta, GA
  April 27++      Warehouse Live                Houston, TX
  April 28++      Antone's Nightclub            Austin, TX
  April 29++      Gypsy Tea Room & Ballroom     Dallas, TX
  May 10          Aladdin Theater               Portland, OR
  May 11          WOW Hall                      Eugene, OR
  May 12          Chop Suey                     Seattle, WA
  May 16          Cafe Du Nord                  San Francisco, CA
  May 18          Hotel Cafe                    Los Angeles, CA
  May 20          Club Congress                 Tucson, AZ
  May 21          Modified                      Phoenix, AZ
  May 24          Fox Theater                   Boulder, CO

SOURCE: Aware/Columbia Records

CONTACT: Tom Muzquiz, Columbia Records, +1-310-449-2503,
Tom.Muzquiz@sonybmg.com; or Carla Sacks, carla@sacksco.com, or Ross Clark,
ross@sacksco.com, both of Sacks & Co., +1-212-741-1000

Web site: http://www.columbiarecords.com/
http://www.matkearney.com/
http://www.aolmusic.com/