3rd Musical Roots Contest Offers Chance to Open for Surprise Artist

Shure has announced the opening of the 2003 Shure Musical Roots Contest on www.shure.com/roots, the third annual event featuring a contest, concert, and cause celebrating the inspiration behind the music. This year, Shure's annual Roots contest takes on a new twist by awarding the grand prize winner the opportunity to perform as the opening act for a well-known headlining artist at the Shure Musical Roots benefit concert in Anaheim, CA on January 16, 2004. To participate, Shure is calling on amateur musicians to submit an original music composition, along with a brief essay about the decade and genre of music that most represents the source of the entrant's inspiration by October 31, 2003.

In addition to the trip to perform at the Roots benefit concert, the grand prize winner will also receive $5000 in Shure gear (retail value) and a cover story in On Tour with Shure magazine. Five runner-ups will win a KSM27 studio microphone and a pair of E2 earphones. Contest entries can be submitted online in MP3 format, or by mail on a CD or cassette. The original compositions will be evaluated by a panel of Shure music experts, and will be rated based on creativity, performance, and production values. Entrants are also required to write an essay of up to 100 words about the decade and genre of music that best represents the greatest part of the entrant's musical roots. The contest is open to legal residents of the United States and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 or older. Entries will be accepted both online and by mail through October 31, 2003.

As part of the celebration of the influence of music on our lives, Shure Musical Roots also seeks to educate people about the many ways of enjoying a lifetime of music through hearing preservation. This "cause" portion of Roots ties in directly with the Shure Bid for Hearing initiative which seeks to donate funds to hearing conservation charities to help educate people about the growing dangers of noise-induced hearing loss. For more about Shure Bid for Hearing, please visit www.shure.com/hearing.

For more information, visit their web site at www.shure.com/roots.