Platinum Recording Artist Lyfe Jennings Gives Boost to Legendary Chicago Indie Retailer, Dedry Jones, at 'The Experience' Consumer Event

The platinum-selling urban/pop musician Lyfe Jennings was the featured artist in "The Experience," a highly successful consumer event held at Chicago's DuSable Museum of African-American History on June 1, 2006. Granting fans an intimate performance and up-close conversation, Lyfe joined the ranks of such esteemed artists as John Legend, Patti LaBelle, CeCe Winans and Lalah Hathaway, all of whom have previously participated in this special event.

"The Experience" with Lyfe Jennings was a customer appreciation event giving Lyfe Jennings and The Music Experience an opportunity to thank consumers for their ongoing support of retail. Lyfe's performance at "The Experience" was recorded for an exclusive limited edition "live" CD which consumers will receive with the purchase of "The Phoenix," Lyfe's eagerly-awaited sophomore album, available in stores on Tuesday, August 15 from Sony Urban Music/Columbia Records. The value-added CD, "The Experience with Lyfe Jennings," is a "first" in the music industry for independent retailers across the country.

"The Experience," a series of fan-only consumer events, allows consumers to enjoy a personal conversation with an artist who is interviewed about his/her career, personal interests and latest album release. The interviews are typically followed by an intimate performance and autograph session. Each fan attending "The Experience" receives a copy of the participating artist's latest album, which is included in the event's ticket price. Dedry Jones, the creator of "The Experience," has helped drive Chicago consumers back to bricks & mortar retail through creative marketing strategies including exclusive fan-only events such as "The Experience."

Dedry Jones, a Chicago native, entered the music industry as a part-time employee of Spin-It Records while working as a graphic arts photographer and coordinator for RR Donnelly and Sons. In 1989, Dedry Jones opened the legendary independent retail store, Track One Records. In 2003, Mr. Jones opened his current retail outlet, The Music Experience. Mr. Jones was a founding member and spokesperson for The United Music Retailers, the nation's second oldest retail coalition.

Lyfe's debut album, the critically-acclaimed "Lyfe 268-192," was certified RIAA platinum in January 2006.

It's been an amazing year for Lyfe, whose recent duet with Alicia Keys, a soul-shaking version of the Curtis Mayfield classic, "People Get Ready," may be heard in the Jerry Bruckheimer film, "Glory Road."

Lyfe closed out 2005 with his highly successful "Lyfe Experience" headline tour, which included guest artists Goapele and Vivian Green. Lyfe spent the larger part of summer 2005 on tour with his Grammy-winning Columbia Records labelmate John Legend.

A two-time #1 Billboard Heatseekers album (2/20/05 & 3/6/05), "Lyfe 268-192," was released on August 17, 2004 and immediately established the worldly and poetic Lyfe as an aesthetic force of nature with mainstream and underground support.

Rolling Stone (Nov. 11, 2004) found Lyfe's songs " ... eloquent in their depiction of struggle ..."

"Filled with a genuine rawness reminiscent of Sam Cooke or Donny Hathaway," wrote the edgy New York taste-making YRB, "'Lyfe 268-192' is a thought-provoking journey into the soul of a man whose lyrics tell a melodic story of the everyday realities that affect us all, yet allows us to exhale because somebody finally gets it."

Lyfe brings the full force of his songs to his concert audiences, winning converts wherever he plays. "Bringing only an acoustic guitar to the hallowed 125th Street venue," wrote the hip-hop bible The Source (July 2004), "Lyfe won over the notoriously demanding Apollo crowd and dominated the Amateur Show competition, winning five straight times."

SOURCE: Sony Urban Music/Columbia Records

CONTACT: Edwin Banacia of Sony Urban Music, +1-212-833-5072,
edwin.banacia@sonybmg.com; or Dedry Jones of The Music Experience,
+1-773-493-0154, Dedry@AMusicExperience.com

Web site: http://www.columbiarecords.com/
http://www.2lyfe.com/