Brianna teen for cash

Wyclef Jean Rocks the Hall of Fame for the John Lennon Songwriting Contest

Entertainment Editors & Music Writers

CLEVELAND--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--June 10, 2002

Maxell Song of the Year Winner and the USA Weekend/John Lennon

Songwriting Contest for Teens Winners Announced

For the first time in its five-year history, the Grand Prize winner in the Gospel/Inspirational category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest was selected as the winner of its Maxell Song of the Year, garnering a $20,000 award courtesy of the Maxell Corporation. Peter Brinkman, vice president of marketing of Maxell, joined Brian Rothschild, Executive Director of the JLSC, and Grammy Award winning performer/songwriter Wyclef Jean, to present the check to Clint Lagerberg of Philadelphia, PA, for his composition "Sow." The winner is selected by a stellar Executive Committee including Elton John, Carlos Santana, Joan Osborne, Barenaked Ladies, Carole Bayer Sager, Black Eyed Peas, and Enrique Iglesias.

"Maxell is proud of its five-year association with the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and with musicians of the caliber of Clint Lagerberg," said Peter Brinkman. "We became a founding sponsor of this contest because to a great extent the Maxell brand is associated with great music, high standards and quality -- the same attributes supported by this fine contest. We are excited to continue supporting the project."

The awards presentation, which took place at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, OH -- which is simultaneously displaying the John Lennon Exhibit, "Lennon: His Life and Works" -- also honored the two winners of the first USA Weekend/John Lennon Songwriting Contest for Teens: Leora Posner of Torrance, CA, in the Patriotic category and Brianna Blahnik of Cincinnati, OH, in the General category, who were each awarded $1000 U.S. Savings Bonds by Maxell as well as Yamaha equipment for their respective schools. Celebrity judges for the Teen Contest were Amy Grant, Mary J. Blige, Nick Lachey, and Wyclef Jean. Wyclef wrote music for the two winners' lyrics, which he performed at the festivities.

Also performing were six of the other Grand Prize winners of the JLSC, which awards prizes in 12 musical categories -- Rock, Pop, Folk, Hip-Hop, Country, R&B, World, Jazz, Latin, Gospel/Inspirational, Electronic and Children's. The twelve winners each receive $2,000 in cash, $5,000 in Yamaha Project Studio Equipment, and are offered a $5,000 advance on a publishing contract from EMI Music Publishing. In all, 120 winners split over $200,000 in cash and prizes.

The winners in attendance who performed their original songs were: Tom Sharp of Winfield, IL, who sang "Like Setting Myself on Fire," the World category winner; Children's category winner Daniel Cohen of New York, NY, who performed "What Would You Do"; Josh and Adam Pelleter (The Crest), Madison, WI, writers of the Hip Hop winning song "I Like the Dark"; Arthur Godfrey, of Prunedale, CA, Folk song winner for "Simple Man"; Yvette Pylant, R&B Grand Prize winner, of Fremont, CA, sang "Diti Dati Dae"; and Lisa Carver of Nashville, TN, performed her Country Grand Prize winning song "Ready 2 Fall."

The John Lennon Songwriting Contest is open to amateur and professional songwriters. Applications for this prestigious contest are available at www.jlsc.com or by calling 1-888-884-JLSC (5572). Submissions entered on Tonos.com will garner the entrant one free month's membership to the online networking source.

Note to Editors: Photos are Available Upon Request.