New Level of 'Airness' Reached as Hot Lixx Hulahan Wins 2008 Cuervo Black U.S. Air Guitar Championship

    SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The competition was brutal.
 Twenty-four of the nation's top Air Guitar stars each took the stage at The
 Grand Ballroom this weekend and one-by-one, over the course of three hours,
 attempted to head bang their way to victory. But San Francisco native Hot
 Lixx Hulahan (Craig Billmeir) was the victor, giving a face-melting
 performance that had the audience aghast he truly was playing ... no
 guitar. Proudly wearing the 2008 Cuervo Black U.S. Air Guitar Championship
 belt, Hot Lixx Hulahan became the sixth person in American history to win
 the national competition, and later this month will represent the U.S. at
 the 2008 Air Guitar World Championships in Oulu, Finland.
 
     "Jose Cuervo congratulates Hot Lixx Hulahan on becoming the 2008 U.S.
 Cuervo Black Air Guitar Champion, and we wish him the best of luck as he
 goes on the represent our country in the World Championships," said Toby
 Whitmoyer, Brand Director, Jose Cuervo. "Every performer was 'air'-tastic
 in their own right, but in the end, Hot Lixx showed what it took to be a
 champion. Like Cuervo Black Tequila, which in its boldness brings people
 together, Hot Lixx did the same, and won the hearts, minds and mania of the
 judges and air- ficionados."
 
     Regional finalists competing this weekend in the 2008 Cuervo Black U.S.
 Air Guitar Championship Presented by TouchTunes were (listed by stage
 name/region won):
 
 

     -- Big Rig (Aspen)
     -- Mcnallica (Boston)
     -- Bettie B. Goode (Brooklyn)
     -- Nordic Thunder, (Chicago)
     -- Derek Not-So-Smalls (Cleveland)
     -- Magic Cyclops (Denver)
     -- Joseph of Air-imathia (Des Moines)
     -- Stryker (Detroit)
     -- Houston Rockit ( Los Angeles)
     -- Airosol  (Minneapolis)
     -- Shreddy Mercury (New York City)
     -- Windhammer (Philadelphia)
     -- Hardcore Henry (Phoenix)
     -- Ricky Stinkfingers (Portland)
     -- D.R.U.S.A. (Salt Lake City)
     -- Rockness Monster (San Diego)
     -- Awesome (San Francisco)
     -- Chuck Mung (Seattle)
     -- Guitarsonist (Las Vegas)
     -- Rip Darko (Houston)
     -- M.O.D. (Austin)
     -- The Guardian (Dallas)
 
 
     Each competitor tested his or her skills in three key judging
 categories: Technical Merit, Stage Presence and, of course, "Airness," the
 most intangible and essential skill in this rocking art form. The
 Championship Finals consisted of two rounds, during which each contestant
 was judged by a panel of air guitar experts. In Round One, each regional
 rock star performed one- minute of a song of their choice. In Round Two,
 the top competitors from Round One performed to a surprise compulsory song.
 The only rules: all guitars must be invisible; air on the side of caution
 and drink responsibly.
 
     TouchTunes Corporation, the largest interactive out-of-home
 entertainment network, is the official jukebox sponsor of the 2008 Cuervo
 Black U.S. Air Guitar Championship.
 
     About Jose Cuervo
 
     Jose Cuervo is the largest producer of Tequila throughout Mexico and
 around the world. In addition to Jose Cuervo Black Medallion, the Jose
 Cuervo portfolio of Tequilas includes Jose Cuervo Especial, the world's
 best-selling Tequila, Jose Cuervo Clasico, Jose Cuervo Tradicional, Jose
 Cuervo Platino, Jose Cuervo Golden Margarita, Authentic Jose Cuervo
 Margaritas, Jose Cuervo Margarita Mix and Jose Cuervo Reserva de la
 Familia. For more information, visit www.cuervo.com.
 
     Jose Cuervo Tequilas are imported and marketed in the United States by
 Diageo North America, a subsidiary of Diageo PLC. Based in London, Diageo
 PLC is the world's leading spirits and wine company and is traded on the
 NYSE under the symbol DEO. For more information, visit www.diageo.com.
 
     About U.S. Air Guitar
 
     Founded in 2003, U.S. Air Guitar is the official Air Guitar Association
 of the United States and is responsible for operating the US Air Guitar
 Championships, official Regional events, and specialized "Dream Team"
 events. US Air Guitar is devoted to taking our nation's unofficial pastime
 out of the recreation room and putting it up on the world stage. US Air
 Guitar is an official member of the World Air Guitar Association. Entering
 its sixth year in the US and its eleventh year world-wide, official
 national championships currently are held in 21 Countries around the world,
 including the USA, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France,
 Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and the United Arab
 Emirates, with more countries participating every year. Each country will
 send one representative to The Air Guitar World Championships, held
 annually Oulu, Finland. For more information, visit: www.usairguitar.com.
 
 

     Contact:
     Alexandra Sklansky
     Taylor PR
     212.714.5702
     asklansky@taylorpr.com
 
 
 

SOURCE Jose Cuervo