California-born vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Amelia Ray currently resides in Madrid where she performs original soul rock music solo, and with her band, The Conjugal Experiment. A young music scene veteran, Amelia has been performing in the United States and in Europe for almost 20 years. She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, was a featured artist for Radio Campus Lille in France, and even performed in Iceland. She has shared the stage with Chuck Rainey, Elliott Randall, Rob Bargad, Maia Sharp and Kenny Aronoff, to name a few. Since her arrival in Spain, she has graced such renowned stages as Sala Clamores and The Bourbon Cafe in Madrid, and the Casa de las Conchas in Salamanca.

Amelia's music is at once rock, jazz, country, gospel, pop, and blues. "Once you realise how closely connected different styles of music are, you can start to play with the boundaries of those styles, and create something new and invigorating. But at the root, I'm always trying to make good, old finger-snapping music that makes you perk up your ears, and move your feet." With influences ranging from Nina Simone, Steely Dan, and Inti-Illimani to Led Zeppelin, Jellyfish and King Crimson, Amelia admits "it's hard to sit still". It isn't just about fun, though. Amelia's groove-heavy tunes often carry important social and political themes. In 2006, her anti-Bush gospel rock tune, "Whos'yerdaddy?" spent several weeks on the American Idol Underground Top 40 charts.

Amelia's songs have been featured in films such as the German documentary Schwarzenberg (2007), and the powerful film about forgiveness, "A Killing in Choctaw" (2004). Her version of "Long Time Ago" was recently included on the Sensory Lullabies: A Tribute to Jellyfish compilation.

2008 brings the release of Amelia's seventh album, titled, "ON", a European tour, and a return to Iceland for a Winter artist's residency.
 

SOUL ROCK ARTIST AMELIA RAY RELEASES ON, HER SIXTH INDEPENDENT STUDIO ALBUM

MADRID -- California-born, Madrid-based soul rock vocalist/composer Amelia Ray unveils her first Spanish studio project. The album, entitled, "ON", will feature brand new rock, reggae, pop and gospel compositions, as well as a surprising cover track from Otis Redding.

Recorded and produced exclusively by Ray at her "Out of 3 Sigma Studios" in Madrid, the album is a veritable aural candy store. Each song stands alone as a potential single or as an ideal track for use in TV, film or commercial.

Included are the gospel tune, "Eldoret", based on the violence in Kenya ("This has the trappings of another genocide"), the classic rock cooker, "The Arsonist" (an imagined conversation between a photojournalist and his model, a man who is burning himself alive - inspired by a newspaper photo) and the doo-wop of "Blackberry", a song about the dangers of using your PDA (personal digital assistant) of the same name to cheat on your lover. Also included is a reinterpretation of the Otis Redding ballad, "Cigarettes and Coffee" as an upbeat duet. "I wanted to rock the song out a bit, and make it much more playful - like Tammy and Marvin singing about onions," she says.

Ray released her first self-produced album in 1993. Her 2005 release, "Music for Autistic People" featured Steely Dan recording and touring guitarist Jon Herington. And her 2001 release, "Mr. Gibson Scores Again" (dedicated to Negro Leagues baseball player Josh Gibson) continues to make waves - in February 2008, the hit single "Whos'yerdaddy" made #1 on Neil Young's "Living With War" charts, and is frequently one of the Top Ten songs on Artist Underground.com's Jazz Charts.

"ON" is Ray's sixth independent studio release. Ray played all guitars, some bass, sang lead and backing vocals, and recorded and mixed the project. Invited musicians include Spain-based musicians Mari-José Estivariz (bass), Alejandro Nieva (saxaphone), Jorge Perez (drums), David Starlight (vocals), and French rapper Yoshi. Amelia's compositions have been featured in films such as the German documentary Schwarzenberg (2007), and the powerful film about forgiveness, "A Killing in Choctaw" (2004). Her version of "Long Time Ago" was recently included on the Sensory Lullabies: A Tribute to Jellyfish compilation.

ON will be released on July 18, 2008 simultaneously on iTunes and at CDBaby.com.

ON Tracklist:

1) The Arsonist
2) Heavy
3) Another Corny Love Song
4) To Be the Thing You Forgot
5) Eldoret
6) Cigarettes and Coffee
7) This House
8) Blackberry
9) Winner
10) Unconditional

Contact:
Tabitha Hank
Out of 3 Sigma
Calle del Amparo, 9
1-Ext-Dcha
28012 Madrid
Spain
Phone: +44.020.8133.3532 / +1.415.508.4210
Fax: +34.91.468.2441
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