Friday, May 25, 2012

Bonsai competition coming to Portland!!


The delicate art of Bonsai is something that is unfamiliar to a majority of the United States. To gain more interest and appreciation for the art, Portland, known for being a city of natural beauty, will embrace Bonsai through an exciting event taking place in October of 2013. Two of the world's leading experts; Michael Hagedom and Ryan Neil are proud to be the creators of the First Annual Artisan Cup of Portland Bonsai Exhibition.

This is the only one Bonsai competition in the US and it will be held at the prestigious Portland Art Museum.  Submissions are open to all and will consist of photographs with detailed descriptions of the trees chosen. Once selected, 5 qualified Bonsai professionals will be evaluating based on a number of criteria.  Then the top 3 trees with the most votes will be awarded cash prizes ranging from $3,000 to $10,000 dollars.

The Artisan's Cup will definitely be a huge tourist attraction, as well as another great reason for residents of Portland to love the city they are living in.

The Artisan Cup of Portland Bonsai Exhibition will take place October 4th, 5th, and 6th, 2013 at The Mark Building inside The Portland Art Museum, 1219 Southwest Park Ave. Portland, OR 97025. Donations for this nonprofit event are currently being accepted.  Please contact us for more information and support this incredibly universal, beautiful and green art form!

For more information on the event, visit www.artisanscupofportland.com




Thursday, May 17, 2012

LA Music Awards nominates Grit artist Justine Dorsey!!!


May has been quite a busy month for the Grit team, but we’re working hard and lovin’ every second of it!

So did you hear the incredible news? Grit artist Justine Dorsey has been nominated by the LA Music Awards in two very competitive categories; Female Singer/Songwriter of the year and Hot AC Single! This is Justine’s second time being nominated; the first time she was the youngest person ever to be nominated in the Singer/Songwriter category. The prestigious event takes place at the famous Whisky-a-go-go on Thursday, June 14th, 2012, so mark your calendars. We’re rooting for you Justine!



 Below you can read a little Q&A with the glorious Justine Dorsey:

1. How does it feel to be nominated a 2nd time for the LA Music Awards?

To be honest, I’m rather surprised! My dad had submitted me on a whim, and I just found out about the nomination. I’m flattered- there are so many people that submit- and also proud. It feels good to be recognized for my work on this level.

2. What does it mean to you to be nominated in two categories and what do you think of those categories?

I’m nominated in both Best Female Singer/Songwriter and Hot Adult Contemporary Single. I’m just honored to be nominated in both categories! Female Singer/Songwriter is, in my eyes, one of the harder categories, so it feels good to know that someone thinks I stand out from the crowd! As for Adult Contemporary Single… It’s kind of funny to me because I’m technically not an adult- but hopefully that shows people that my music is really relatable not just to teens but to adults too.

3. LA is probably the most competitive music scene next to NYC.  What do you think the market/industry sees in you that makes you stand out?

I don’t know if that’s something I can really answer… I guess it’s the fact that my music comes from an honest place. I’m not going to write about things that don’t affect me, or moments I haven’t experienced. And when your music truly affects you, listeners can feel that.

4. Do you know the criteria for judging?   Can you share anything with us?

I don’t know much about the criteria, but I do know that there are over 600 applicants!

5. Any quotes from Randy or Steve on your nominations?

“It’s rare that an artist can share their musical take on the world, in a completely believable, unaffected and infectious way.  Justine does that. Her songs are clearly reflective of an American teenager’s angst, humor and innocence, but somehow ….she does it with the wisdom and polish that accomplished songwriters, many times her age, are still searching for.   It’s great when the award shows get it right.”  -Randy Sharp

6. Do you have that competitive desire to win or are you happy with simply being nominated?

Well of course winning would be great, but mostly I’m just happy to be nominated! There are a lot of applicants in these particular categories, so when I say it’s an honor just to be nominated, I really mean it.

7. Your EP is due out in a couple of weeks.  The timing couldn’t be better.     Was this sheer coincidence?

It is good timing, huh? Really just sheer coincidence. We picked the release date for the EP without even thinking about the LA Music Awards. My dad remembered that they were picking the artists to be nominated around now, and like I said, just submitted me on a whim! So it was really perfect timing, but not planned at all.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

GRIT gratitude!


GRIT PR & Promotion has always prided itself on the motto of ‘strength in diversity’ and 2012 is turning out to be quite an amazing adventure for all of us!
We are stepping up our game to provide services to not only some of the hottest rising stars in the music biz, like singing sensation Justine Dorsey, powerhouse LexRox, and management of Emmy Nominated Hip Hop artist T.O.N.E-z and more! Grit is also creating avenues to promote a variety of exciting events, such as the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and the Independent Music Conference 2012!    







For all you boxing fans, we’ll be launching Grit Boxing Promotions by 2013!
At Grit, we’re dedicated, enthusiastic and professional. Relying on automated services is not our style. Instead we’re all about “human” automation, which gives our clients the best opportunity for a dynamic campaign with successful results.
There’s never a better time to express gratitude and so thanks to everyone for making Grit what it is today!
Stay tuned to see what we’re up to next!!!

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Indie Mad MP3 Radio presents: The Biz!

Just when you thought that you knew everything about Grit's very own founder and president, Laurena  Marrone, you better think again!!

On Friday, May 4th, at 4 pm EST, Laurena is pumped up to be hosting her first of many shows on Indie Mad MP3 Radio called "The Biz."

Every other week, tune in for valuable tips about how to market, publicize, promote and be successful in the music industry!

Not only that but you'll get to hear some of the hottest Indie artists that are climbing the charts.


So what are you waiting for? You gotta tune in and get in on the Biz!!

Follow the link here: http://indiemadmp3.ning.com/