Guitar Center Offers Unsigned Singer-Songwriters a Chance to Win a 3-Song EP With Grammy Winning Producer John Shanks and $10,000 Cash as Part of New Artist Discovery Program Launching October 3rd

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Guitar Center (http://www.guitarcenter.com), the world's largest retailer of musical instruments and equipment, today announces Guitar Center Singer-Songwriter, an artist discovery program which aims to find the nation's best unsigned singer-songwriter.  Continuing their commitment to unsigned artists, and thanks to an incredible array of partners, Guitar Center will provide unsigned artists with a career-altering prize package including recording 3 songs with accomplished Grammy Award-winning Producer John Shanks - whose resume boasts 60 million records sold, 43 #1 singles and 67 #1 albums with artists including Sheryl Crow, Colbie Caillat, Kelly Clarkson, Keith Urban, Melissa Etheridge, Bon Jovi and Alanis Morissette - recording time at Converse Rubber Tracks studio and $10,000 cash . Artists can sign up today at http://www.guitarcenter.com/songwriter.

Full Prize List:

• 3-song EP with Grammy Award-winning producer John Shanks
• $10,000 cash
• Studio time at Converse Rubber Tracks studio in NYC
• New gear from Fender, Taylor, Shure and Ernie Ball
• Worldwide distribution from TuneCore including Free Album, Music Video and Global Songwriting Service

"Often the only thing standing between a great artist and their dreams is an opportunity," says Dustin Hinz, director of music and entertainment marketing at Guitar Center. "Guitar Center Singer-Songwriter is another way we continue to deliver on our ongoing commitment of providing unsigned artists with opportunities they need to be discovered."

"I'm thrilled to be able to help Guitar Center give a potentially career-altering opportunity to an unsigned artist," says Shanks. "Helping an artist hone their sound is something I relish as a producer, and I can't wait to see what the winner has to offer."  The winner will have the incredible opportunity of working with as accomplished a producer as Shanks.  His multiple Grammy wins, millions of records sold, and hundreds of top albums and singles speak to his prowess, and as Sheryl Crow says, "John knows how to make stuff sound like it belongs on the radio."

Guitar Center has commissioned WHOOZNXT.com, a leading digital music company, to power the first round of the competition. WHOOZNXT.com is the first platform to track an artist's fan growth across top social networks and music portals. Competing artists will be ranked based on their online fan growth during the first round. Ten singer-songwriters will then be hand selected by Shanks from the list of top ranked artists to travel to Los Angeles where they will perform live during event's finale.

Partners for Guitar Center Singer-Songwriter include: Shure, Fender, Taylor, Ernie Ball, TuneCore, Converse, ASCAP, Filter Magazine and Whooznxt.

Guitar Center's commitment to unsigned artists runs deep with a full calendar year of programs that aim to provide musicians with the opportunity and exposure they need to be successful.  In addition to Guitar Center Singer-Songwriter, these include:

• Guitar Center On-Stage is an annual competition that provides unsigned artist that chance to open for established artists such as Motley Crue, KISS and Jane's Addiction.
• Guitar Center Presents Your Next Record provides emerging artists the chance to win the ultimate career-altering opportunity and record their music with legendary artists. Unsigned band Twin Berlin was recently selected to record an EP with Travis Barker, and have him write, record and perform on their single. Past Your Next Record competitions have featured Slash and Keith Urban. http://www.YourNextRecord.com  
• Guitar Center's King of the Blues is a nationwide amateur guitar skills competition with the goal of finding the next great undiscovered blues guitar player. This year's winner, Jonathon "Boogie" Long, performed alongside Grammy-winning guitarist Warren Haynes at the Grand Finals in LA, and won an incredible prize package valued at over $50,000. http://gc.guitarcenter.com/kingoftheblues/
• Guitar Center's Drum-Off, entering its 23rd year, is the nationwide search for the next great undiscovered drummer. Drummers from across the nation compete in the world's largest drum competition, vying for thousands of dollars in prizes and the coveted title of Guitar Center's Drum-Off Champion. The grand prize package is valued at nearly $50,000. http://gc.guitarcenter.com/drum-off-2011/

About John Shanks
John Shanks is one of the hottest and most influential producers working today.  On top of that, he is a hit songwriter and accomplished guitar player.  John has produced and/or written 43 #1 singles, 67 #1 albums and sold over 60 million records to date in the genres of Rock, Pop and Country music.  In 2005, he won the Grammy for Producer of the Year. To people in the industry, his work is considered the gold standard.  "John's records have become the sound of Top Forty Radio," Clive Davis told Rolling Stone.  "He's the father of that guitar-driven kind of pop sound."

About Guitar Center
Guitar Center is the world's largest retailer of musical instruments and equipment, including guitars, amplifiers, drums, keyboards, as well as pro-audio and recording gear.  Our retail store subsidiary presently operates 220 Guitar Center stores across the U.S. We are also the largest direct response retailer of musical instruments in the United States through our wholly owned subsidiary, Musician's Friend, Inc., and its catalog and Web site, www.musiciansfriend.com. In addition, our Music & Arts division operates more than 100 stores specializing in band instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors and students. More information on Guitar Center can be found by visiting the Company's Web site at www.guitarcenter.com.

The Guitar Center logo is a registered trademark of Guitar Center, Inc. Other brand or product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

SOURCE Guitar Center