Detroit Choir Featured in Chrysler Brand's 'Born of Fire' Commercial Releases New CD

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Nov. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

• $150,000 to be donated to several local charities, including The Marshall Mathers Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, Habitat for Humanity Detroit and Think Detroit PAL

The Detroit choir, "Larry Callahan and 'Selected of God,'" featured in the highly-watched and awarded Chrysler brand 2011 Super Bowl commercial, "Born of Fire," will release a new CD on Tuesday, Nov. 13 titled "The Evolution II." The new CD, available on Walmart.com and at select retailers, features 10 new tracks, including a gospel version of "Lose Yourself."

Joel Martin, producer of "The Evolution II," also announced that 8 Mile Style Music, the music publishing company of Eminem co-writers Mark and Jeff Bass, will donate $150,000 to various Detroit-area charities, including The Marshall Mathers Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, Habitat for Humanity Detroit and Think Detroit PAL. Each of the four charities currently receives a portion of proceeds from the sale of Chrysler brand's "Imported from Detroit" merchandise collection; each charity was selected by the brand because of their ongoing support of programs and initiatives that contribute to the youth of Detroit and surrounding communities.

"Chrysler's continued support of 'Selected of God' as Detroit ambassadors represents a sincere commitment and brand sensitivity that is unique to its competitors," said Martin, 8 Mile Style Manager. "We hope that the goodwill generated by the 'Imported from Detroit' campaign will resonate for many years to come and will inspire others to give back to their communities."

"The iconic finale scene in our 2011 'Imported from Detroit' Super Bowl commercial featured Detroit's own 'Selected of God' choir. Their presence and arresting voices captured the hearts of America and almost two years later we are proud to see Larry Callahan and 'Selected of God' choir crown their hard work with releasing their debut album," said Saad Chehab, President and CEO - Chrysler Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "Projects and sounds like this and the generosity of music publisher 8 Mile Style, who donated funds to the four charities that Chrysler brand's 'Imported from Detroit' merchandising supports, makes us stand a little taller in Detroit today."

The Detroit community is invited to attend a CD release party at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17 at the Second Ebenezer Church in Detroit. The Chrysler brand will be on-site to show its support and will have Chrysler brand vehicles on display and product brand specialists on-hand to answer questions.

"The Evolution II" can be purchased from select retailers and can be found on Walmart.com (www.walmart.com/ip/22025338).

The official music video for Selected of God's gospel version of "Lose Yourself" can be viewed on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg4lSGGOfzE).

About Selected of God Choir
Larry Callahan and Selected of God is a community-based choir affiliated with Praise Tabernacle in Grosse Pointe, Mich. In October 2008, Selected of God became an award winning choir by being named the Best Small Choir in the Detroit Region at the How Sweet the Sound Competition. Their travels include churches and concert halls across the Midwest and South, numerous churches and venues in their home city, Detroit.

About The Marshall Mathers Foundation
Through the Marshall Mathers Foundation, Eminem works with economically-disadvantaged and at-risk youths who reside in Detroit.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (http://www.bgcsm.org)
Established in 1926, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan is a nonprofit youth development organization serving nearly 23,000 youth annually at 12 Clubs located in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties. Boys & Girls Clubs represent a safe place where youth ages 6-18 (grades 1-12) can spend their after-school hours. Clubs are open five days a week throughout the year.

About Habitat for Humanity Detroit (http://www.habitatdetroit.org)
Habitat for Humanity Detroit is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit ecumenical Christian housing ministry providing decent, safe and affordable housing to low-income families in Detroit. Homeowners invest 250-350 personal sweat equity hours in pre-ownership training and assisting in the construction of their home. Their commitment to the program allows them to receive an interest-free mortgage. This is a "hand-up" program, not a "hand-out". Since 1986, the Detroit affiliate has rehabilitated and / or built new houses for more than 300 families. Financial support, gift-in-kind donations and volunteer labor allow Habitat for Humanity to continue building affordable homes for those in need. For more information please visit www.habitatdetroit.org or call (313) 521-6691.

About Think Detroit PAL (http://thinkdetroitpal.org/index.asp)
Think Detroit PAL was formed in 2006 with the merger of Think Detroit Inc. and the Detroit Police Athletic League. In partnership with the Detroit Police Department and community volunteers, Think Detroit PAL builds character in young people through athletic, academic and leadership development programs. In 2010, Think Detroit PAL served over 10,000 girls and boys through a combined 24 sports and academic programs, making it one of the largest youth organizations in the state of Michigan. More than 80 cents of each dollar donated to Think Detroit PAL goes directly into programming.

About the Chrysler Brand
The Chrysler brand has delighted customers with distinctive designs, craftsmanship, intuitive innovation and technology all at an extraordinary value since the company was founded in 1926.

Whether it is the groundbreaking, bold design of the Chrysler 300, the sleek elegant styling of the Chrysler 200 Convertible, or the family room on wheels functionality of the Chrysler Town & Country, Chrysler brand vehicles reward the passion, creativity and sense of accomplishment of its owners. Beyond just exceptionally designed vehicles, the Chrysler brand has incorporated thoughtful features into all of its products, such as the Stow 'n Go^® seating and storage system on the Chrysler Town & Country, the fuel-saving Fuel Saver Technology in the Chrysler 300 and Uconnect phone utilizing Bluetooth technology on the Chrysler 200 and Chrysler 200 Convertible.

The world-class interior of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan is beautifully crafted with high-quality materials that are soft to the touch, and offers tech-savvy entertainment features and smart storage and seating options including Stow 'n Go seating with one-touch fold-down function, dual DVD entertainment system, navigation and SIRIUSXM satellite radio with Travel Link making the Chrysler Town & Country the ultimate family vehicle. A 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine is a "Ward's 10 Best Engine" and produces a best-in-class 283 horsepower and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with a fuel economizer mode. Town & Country achieves 17 miles per gallon in the city, 25 on the highway.

The Chrysler brand's succession of innovative product introductions continues to solidify the brand's standing as the leader in design, engineering and value. The premium for the Chrysler brand is in the product, not the price.

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC