Believe in Music Week update: She Rocks Awards tonight, TEC Awards, Peter Frampton 'Phenix' Les Paul, Gibson, KRK, more...

 Here is the latest news roundup surrounding NAMM's Believe in Music Week...

TONIGHT! WATCH THE SHE ROCKS AWARDS LIVE! The 9th Annual She Rocks Awards is just days away! Our honoree and performer lineup includes Nancy Wilson of Heart, The Go-Go’s, Cherie Currie; drummer Cindy Blackman Santana, Evanescence front woman Amy Lee, comedian Margaret Cho, and many other amazing female role models. Join us for this year's fabulous online show hosted by Lzzy Hale(Halestorm), pre-show hosted by Lyndsey Parker (Yahoo Entertainment/ SiriusXM) with opening act Magnolia Boulevard sponsored by PRS Guitars. Plus, we have a few surprise guest appearances in store!  The She Rocks Awards will stream live on Friday January 22, 2021. The event begins with our virtual red carpet at 5pm PT/8pm ET hosted by John Stapleton of M.A.C Cosmetics, followed by the pre-show starting at 6pm PT/9pm ET. The awards ceremony begins at 6:30pm PT/9:30pm ET on Believeinmusic.TV, Parade.com and AXS.TV.  Click below and RSVP for the link to watch the show! Catch our virtual version of this inspiring and energizing event! Here are links to watch.  Friday January 22, 2021 5pm PT / 8pm ET   She Rocks Awards Virtual Red Carpet, hosted by John Stapleton, Senior National Artist MAC Cosmetics Streaming on:  Parade.com/SheRocks AXS.TV and our Facebook and YouTube 6pm PT / 9pm ET   She Rocks Awards Pre Show featuring Magnolia Boulevard, hosted by Lyndsey Parker, Yahoo Entertainment/SiriusXM 6:30pm PT / 9:30pm ET   She Rocks Awards hosted by Lzzy Hale (Halestorm) All streaming on:   Parade.com/sherocks Believeinmusic.tv AXS.tv

The Spirit of Pro Audio Innovations Celebrated at the 36th Annual NAMM TEC Awards   CARLSBAD, Calif. – January 22, 2021 – Winners of the NAMM Technical Excellence and Creativity (TEC Awards), honoring the best in professional audio and sound production, have been announced in a virtual event on the final day of NAMM’s Believe in Music week, a global online gathering to unify and support people who bring music to the world.  Presented by NAMM on Believe TV, the annual event recognized the highest achievements in the pro audio and sound worlds of music making, live performances, video games, television and films.   Universal Audio picked up the day’s biggest collection of prizes in the Technical category for its Apollo x 4 (Computer Audio Hardware); Neve 1084 Preamp & EQ Plug-In (Signal Processing Software-Dynamics/EQ/Utilities), and the company’s LUNA Recording System (Workstation Technology/Recording Devices). Two pro audio brands who each have a long history of sound gear innovations took two awards a piece, also in the Technical category. They are JBL and AKG both recognized for professional gear in several categories including Amplification Hardware-Studio & Sound Reinforcement, Headphone/Earpiece Technology, and respectively, as well as additional categories listed below.   “Despite the global pandemic, the industry continued to innovate, creating one of the largest collectives of product Nominees in the 35-year history of the awards. And given the world engaged in virtual interaction on an unprecedented level, the products honored helped connect us all by delivering music and sound across the world,” shared Eric Geer, TEC Entries & Nominations Supervisor.    Many projects in Creative categories were recognized as well, including the Disney+ show featuring the evergreen Star Wars-theme: “The Mandalorian, Season One” (Television Sound Production). A salute to the posthumous legacy of Prince won out in Remote Production/Recording or Broadcast for “Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince, CBS.” A full list of winners in Creative Excellence is below.   For the first time, award content, including category and a 35-year retrospective videos, were streamed live to Believe in Music attendees for free. Viewers enjoyed companies and experts who were feted in 22 Technical Achievement categories and seven Creative Achievement categories.   Recently, the TEC Awards also announced the induction of five historical audio products into the TECnology Hall of Fame. The honorees were selected by a panel of audio experts, including authors, educators, engineers, and other professionals. The TECnology Hall of Fame honors audio products and innovations that have made a significant contribution to the advancement of audio technology and production. The inductees included the Western Electric 639A Ribbon Microphone (1938); RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer (1957); 3M M56 16-Track Recorder (1968); Constant Directivity Horn, Don Keele (1975), and the Near Field Monitoring, Ed Long (1977).   If you missed the event premiere, parts of the program are still watchable online after registering online http://attend.believeinmusic.tv.     Sponsors for today’s event supporters included The Les Paul Foundation, , Antelope Audio, C.F. Martin & Co., EastWest Sounds, Electro-Voice, Retro Instruments, sE Electronics, Allen&Heath, Apogee, Austrian Audio, Broadjam, d&b audiotechnik, Genelec, Harman, Leapwing Audio, Mackie, McDSP, Meyer Sound, OWC, Pioneer DJ, Sessionwire, Shure, Tracktion, Universal Audio, WonderWonder Sound, Cinema Audio Society, EIPMA (Entertainment Industry Professionals Mentoring Alliance), G.A.N.G. (Game Audio Network Guild), GeerFab Audio, Grace Design, IsoAcoustics, iZotope, L-Acoustics, MPSE (Motion Picture Sound Editors), Shenzen Maono Technology, Softube, Sonic Scoop, Strymon, Studio Expresso, ThumbStopper, WSDG and Hotone Audio.   Congratulations to the winners of the 36th Annual NAMM TEC Awards:   TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT Amplification Hardware - Studio & Sound Reinforcement JBL - DSi 2.0   Audio Apps & Hardware/Peripherals for Smartphones & Tablets Eventide - Blackhole    Computer Audio Hardware Universal Audio - Apollo x4   DJ Production Technology Native Instruments - TRAKTOR KONTROL S3   Headphone/Earpiece Technology AKG - K300 Series   Large Format Console Technology Solid State Logic - ORIGIN   Microphone Preamplifiers Neve - 1073OPX   Microphones - Recording AKG - Lyra   Microphones - Sound Reinforcement s sE Electronics - V Series for Drums   Musical Instrument Amplification & Effects Ampeg - Heritage 50th Anniversary SVT   Musical Instrument Hardware Moog - Matriarch   Musical Instrument Software  Celemony - Melodyne 5   Production Essentials   Audinate Dante AVIO Adapters   Signal Processing Hardware    API - 2500+ Stereo Bus Compressor   Signal Processing Hardware - 500 Series Modules      AMS Neve - RMX16   Signal Processing Software - Dynamics/EQ/Utilities  Universal Audio - Neve 1084 Preamp & EQ Plug-In   Signal Processing Software - Effects    Waves - Abbey Road Saturator   Small Format Console Technology      Allen & Heath - Avantis   Sound Reinforcement Loudspeakers  JBL - EON ONE Compact   Studio Monitors           Genelec - W371A Adaptive Woofer System   Wireless Technology    Shure - Axient Digital AD3 plug-on wireless transmitter   Workstation Technology/Recording Devices  Universal Audio - LUNA Recording System   CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT Studio Design Project   Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU-FM Design   Film Sound Production             “1917,” Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Pictures/Entertainment One   Interactive Entertainment Sound Production              “Star Wars Jedi - Fallen Order,” Respawn Entertainment   Record Production/Album       Hyperspace, Beck, Capitol Records   Record Production/Single or Track     Fear Inoculum, Tool, Tool Dissectional and Volcano and RCA   Remote Production/Recording or Broadcast  “Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince,” CBS   Television Sound Production   “The Mandalorian (Season 1),” Disney+     ABOUT THE TEC AWARDS Presented annually by NAMM during The NAMM Show, The  TEC Awards recognizes the individuals, companies and technical innovations behind the sound of recordings, live performances, films, television, video games and other media in 22 Technical and 7 Creative Achievement Categories. The Les Paul Innovation Award is given at the event in tribute to musical artists and others whose work has exemplified the creative application of audio technology. Through its Hall of Fame, The TEC Awards also honors the pioneers of audio technology and the music industry’s most accomplished producers and audio technicians. The NAMM Foundation’s TECnology Hall of Fame celebrates innovations and ground breaking technical achievements of the past. For more information, visit www.tecawards.org. Gibson Celebrates the Iconic Career of Peter Frampton with New Peter Frampton “Phenix” Les Paul Custom VOS Photo credit: Rob Arthur Above: Peter Frampton with his Peter Frampton “Phenix” Les Paul Custom VOS.   NASHVILLE, TN (January 21, 2021) For the past 127 years, Gibson has been synonymous with creating and shaping sound. The new Gibson era celebrates the iconic models of the Gibson Golden Era while leaning into the future with inspiring instruments that nurture new players across generations, and genres of music. Gibson has announced it will celebrate the iconic Peter Frampton this year with the release of the new Peter Frampton “Phenix” Les Paul Custom VOS guitar from Gibson Custom Shop. Frampton has been a signature Gibson and Epiphone artist for over twenty-five years.   Frampton’s storied career began at 16 as the lead singer and guitarist for the British band The Herd. By 18, he co-founded one of the first supergroups – the seminal rock act Humble Pie. A multi-platinum-selling artist, his fifth solo album, Frampton Comes Alive!,remains one of the top-selling live records of all time with over 17 million copies sold worldwide. In 2007, he won the GRAMMY Award for “Best Pop Instrumental Album”for Fingerprints and in 2014 was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame.   His touring years have included work with a who’s-who of the top names in music, such as David Bowie, Stevie Nicks, Gregg Allman, Ringo Starr, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cheap Trick, Steve Miller Band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings, and many others. Frampton’ssession work includes collaborations with artists who have made their mark on the industry including George Harrison, Harry Nilsson, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Entwistle,Mike McCready, and Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam), among many others. His recently released memoir, Do You Feel Like I Do?, debuted on the New York Times Best Sellerlist.   “My brand-new Gibson Les Paul Custom VOS is here and boy is it good,” says Peter Frampton. “I couldn’t be more pleased with the look and sound. Gibson has gone that extra mile in every area to make this feel and sound the closest to my original, storied Phenix Les Paul Custom guitar. The neck and weight of this mahogany guitar will amaze you at how great it feels and how light it is (and it’s even a hair lighter than the Phenix). This is the real deal. Thank you, Gibson!”   “It was such a thrill and a privilege to work with Peter on this project,” says Mat Koehler, Head of Product Development at Gibson Brands. “Thanks to recent technology we were able to get the guitars to feel and sound closer than ever to Peter’s iconic original. The incredible craftspeople at Gibson Custom Shop are proud to honor Peter’s indelible legacy in music with these instruments. Each one is inspiring and magical like the man himself.” GIBSON: EMERGES AS MUSIC INDUSTRY LEADER  ICONIC, NASHVILLE-BASED BRAND SETS THE STAGE FOR THE FUTURE

Above: James "JC" Curleigh, President and CEO of Gibson Brands.   NASHVILLE, TN (January 22, 2021) For the past 127 years, Gibson has been synonymous with creating, inspiring, supporting and shaping sound. Gibson has emerged as the legitimate industry leader by leveraging its’ iconic past and leaning into the innovative future. Gibson is played by the best and brightest artists, across generations and genres and is widely considered as the most relevant, most played, and most loved guitar brand around the world. Gibson is gearing up for another record year with compelling new products, innovative new platforms, stunning artist collaborations, dealer-focused solutions, and momentum around Gibson Gives, all moving the iconic, Nashville-based brand forward in 2021 and beyond.    Led by James “JC” Curleigh as President and CEO, a passionate music lover, Gibsonshifted into 127-year-old start-up mode, with a clear focus on leveraging the iconic past and leaning into the innovative future. Starting with a renewed obsession to make the best guitars by prioritizing craftsmanship, the authenticity players want, and quality across the board, Gibson doubled down on Nashville, aka Music City USA and made significant investments in technology and efficiency design at the Gibson USA and Gibson Custom Shop factories. The addition of MESA/Boogie and new leadership and talent have infused Gibson Custom Shop, Epiphone, Kramer, and KRK, optimizing supply chains and driving healthy growth with modern methods and an integrated digital platform in the U.S., and for exports worldwide. In 2021, two years after moving from obstacles to opportunities, Gibson has kept its promises by creating award-winning, high-quality guitars and gear, expanding to new levels of global support to promote our artists, fan engagement, and giving back worldwide through Gibson Gives.   “Over the past two years we have been obsessed with balancing our iconic legacy and our innovative future across all areas of Gibson Brands. From the quality of our guitars, the connections with artists, the partnerships with our dealers, and the positive feedback from our fans, the future looks bright,” explains James "JC" Curleigh, President and CEO of Gibson Brands. “And despite the challenges of 2020, a new generation of guitarists has been created and existing guitarists are more engaged than ever, so it’s up to us to keep this momentum going in 2021 and beyond.”   Watch the brief clip Gibson Brands NAMM 2021 - A Message from our CEO James “JC” Curleigh, out today: HERE.

Click the photo above to play the video.   In 2021, Gibson will continue to build on the growth, success, and earned momentum that the music world has come to expect from Gibson Brands. The year started off with the industry shifting announcement that MESA/Boogie will join Gibson Brands, a move that will further strengthen the company’s leadership position in the industry and pro audio division. Next will be the focus on delivering the Gibson experience in innovative new ways. First is the launch of the new Gibson App, a comprehensive app designed for guitarists at all skill levels to watch, learn and shop. Second will be the opening of the Gibson Garage, a unique ‘real’ place in Nashville designed to provide guitar enthusiasts with a unique experience centered around the iconic brands of Gibson, Epiphone, Kramer, KRK, and MESA/Boogie – compete with a ‘live’ stage, customization and made-to-measure options, exclusive products, brand collaborations, and even guitar repair and restoration. Third, will be bringing the Gibson Brands to life online and in-stores, at all the best Guitar Dealers around the world, including our new partnership with Reverb, rounding our Gibson’s own omni-channel experiences.    To keep pace with this growth, Gibson Brands will be investing more than ever in 2021 to continue their obsession with quality, innovation, increase capacity across all facilities, and strengthen their foundation. This will include the launch of the ‘state-of-the-art’ Gibson Repair and Restoration Center also located in Nashville, and several new innovative platforms like the Gibson Murphy Lab at the Custom Shop, a new Color Lab located at Gibson USA factory, and a new Sound Lab to be announced soon.      Central to our iconic brand are our artist partners, who have been our voice, driving innovation, connection, and culture progressively forward. The Gibson Alliance and the KRK Kreator Alliance are the official forums which include our legendary musicians, innovative movers and shakers, and new talent. The Gibson Alliance includes musicians from Slash, Billy Gibbons, Margo Price, Luis Fonsi, Sergio Vallin, Lzzy Hale, Alex Lifeson, Jared James Nichols, Emily Wolfe and more. The KRK Kreator Alliancefeatures artists, producers, and engineers, including Scott Storch, Jacquire King, Dave Pensado, Steve Marcantonio, Tina Guo, Ali Stone, Javier Garza, Cut Chemist, GianMarco Zignago, Dave Way and more. The Gibson Alliance and KRK Kreator Alliance teams focus on thought leadership, R&D and product development, and mentorship of the next generation of players, as well as philanthropic opportunities.    Gibson celebrates a wide-ranging group of creators and honors theirs influence,diversity, and inclusion, which is ever-growing. From innovators including Captain Kirk Douglas of The Roots and Marcus King, as well as welcoming new talent to the Gibsonfamily like female powerhouse Orianthi and multi-instrumentalist Celisse, every one of our artists has a story that expands the many ways Gibson Brands connects with our fans around the world. We grow through our artists and they help us stay socially engaged and united to people through music and songwriting. Today, and through the years, our artist partners have all brought new dimensions to our brands and they represent fans of all races, creeds, and regions across the globe.    In 2021, the first class from the Gibson Generation Group (G3) --a global, two-year youth mentoring program--will graduate. The Gibson Generation Group is currently represented with 20 highly talented, undiscovered, young musicians spanning in age from 11 to 20 years-old from India, Spain, China, Norway, France, the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, the U.K., and the U.S. The G3 provides these players with one-of-a-kind career opportunities only Gibson can offer. Once selected, G3 artists receive one-on-one mentoring from the global Entertainment Relations Team, obtain access to our massive online and social platforms, interview, performance and promotion opportunities and attention for their music, are showcased worldwide alongside our legendary artists.   In mid-2019, the brand re-launched its charitable arm Gibson Gives, and now also KRK Kares, both 501(c)(3) foundations that believe in the power of music, and that getting instruments into the hands of those with a desire to make music is a truly life-changing event. Gibson Gives immediately committed to donating 1,000 guitars in 1000 days to charities and in November 2020 sailed above and beyond the initial goalpost by donating 1100 guitars in 500 days. Gibson Gives works extensively with other charities, to support and raise funds including The Recording Academy (GRAMMYs) MusiCares, Guitars For Vets (helping U.S. military veterans with PTSD), ‘Let’s Stay (In) Together’ Apollo Theater Benefit, Women Who Rock (raising $45,000 in Oct. 2020 for breast cancer research at Magee Women’s Research Institute) Ryan Seacrest Foundation (placing instruments in their U.S. hospitals), MyMusicRx® Children’s Cancer Association (music lessons for hospitalized kids and teens facing cancer) and the Do it for the Love’ Foundation (a wish-granting nonprofit organization for people living with life-threatening illnesses). Gibson Gives believes investing in music education will yield better people, better leaders, and a better world. GG is outfitting schools with music resources in the U.S and worldwide with Playing For Change, Save the Music, Notes for Notes, Life by Music, Samanlego School (Vitoria, Spain), Gallatin High School(Bozeman, MT), Maplewood High School (Nashville, TN), Manos Escuela de Guitarra(Aguascalientes, Mexico), Give A Note, the Teenage Cancer Trust (London, U.K.),Music Heals Foundation (Vancouver, B.C.) and much more to come in 2021. 100% of all donations to and from Gibson Gives go towards giving the gift of music and since inception, Gibson Gives has provided thousands of guitars and related value-in-kind in-excess-of $30 million.    Across all of Gibson’s brands and collections, the story continues to be told with iconic and emerging artists that inspire the now and nurture the next generation of Gibson, Epiphone, Kramer, MESA/Boogie, and KRK fans. Gibson:   GIBSON.COM | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | GIBSON TV   Epiphone:   EPIPHONE.COM | TWITTER  |  INSTAGRAM  | FACEBOOK  | YOUTUBE   Kramer:    KRAMERGUITARS.COM | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE   MESA/Boogie:   MESA/BOOGIE.COM  | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK  KRK:   KRKMUSIC.COM | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE     About Gibson: Gibson, the leading iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for 127 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, Gibson Brands has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson Brands portfolio includes Gibson, the leading guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, which has been on every stage since 1873, Kramer, the original MADE TO ROCK HARD guitar brand, MESA/Boogie, the home of tone, and KRK, behind great music for over 30 years. Gibson Brands is dedicated to quality, innovation, and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by Gibson Brands. Learn more at Gibson.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Gibson TV, and Instagram.

KRK BEYOND BELIEVE IN MUSIC WEEK 

WHAT:

KRK, a member of the Gibson family of brands, believes that music has the power to bring people together, and that’s exactly what NAMM is all about. Believe in Music Week may be coming to a close, but KRK is just getting started. The company has put together an awesome timeline of events and virtual content that expands beyond this week, including:

• Product Announcements
• Virtual Performances
• Tips & Tricks Videos
• Interactive Q&As
• Artist & Producers Panels
• Social Media Contests
• And much, much more!

WHEN: 

Here’s what’s coming up next week:

 

Tuesday, January 26 at 3 p.m. CST: Beats by J-Black Live Performance

• Finger drumming afficionado Jblack will be performing live and providing insight on how you can master your own beats.

Wednesday, January 27 at 12 p.m. CST: Sound Advice with Jacquire King

• Tune in to the second episode of this new original series to gain invaluable insight on mic placement from this GRAMMY award-winning producer. 

Friday, January 29 at 3 p.m. CST: Kordelya Live Performance

• Don’t miss this live performance from LA-based lo-fi, R&B singer, songwriter, and producer Kordelya.

Additional events will be taking place from now until early March. Visit the KRK blog for a complete list of performances and videos: https://bit.ly/3c4qHQL. 

WHERE: 

To tune into all of KRK’s video content scheduled through early March, be sure to follow the brand on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube at @krk.music. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Over the past three decades, KRK, part of Gibson Pro Audio, has become synonymous with quality design and unparalleled performance in the world of studio monitors, subwoofers, and headphones. KRK offers products that meet the diverse needs of home studios and professional studios alike no matter the style of music or application. For more information, visit www.krkmusic.com.