Lorna MCA Records To Release 1998 `Grammy Nominees CD' To Aid NARAS Foundation's Educational Efforts
Release Date: February 10, 1998

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The annual "Grammy Nominees CD," which brings together top artists and top labels to aid ongoing charitable projects sponsored by NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences), will have a new home next year. On February 10, MCA Records will release the 1998 edition featuring a host of this year's Grammy nominated artists and songs, 11 tracks in all, in the categories of Record Of The Year, Best New Artist, and Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.

Artists and tracks representing the Best New Artist category on the "Grammy Nominees CD" are: Fiona Apple, "Criminal;" Erykah Badu, "On & On;" Paula Cole, "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?;" and Hanson, "MMMBop." Record Of The Year nominees included on the CD are: Shawn Colvin, "Sunny Came Home;" Sheryl Crow, "Everyday Is A Winding Road;" R. Kelly, "I Believe I Can Fly;" and Hanson and Cole's "MMMBop" and "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone?," respectively. In the category of Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, the compilation features: Fleetwood Mac, "Silver Springs;" Jamiroquai, "Virtual Insanity;" No Doubt, "Don't Speak;" The Rolling Stones, "Anybody Seen My Baby?;" and Hanson's "MMMBop."

"We are honored to join NARAS to release this year's Grammy Nominees CD," says Jay Boberg, President of MCA Records. "In addition to bringing great music to fans around the world, sales from the CD will benefit music education in our schools, and that makes us very proud to be involved with this project."

Adds Michael Greene, President and CEO of NARAS, "We are happy to have the opportunity again this year to enhance the public's awareness of the music in these top Grammy categories. Proceeds from this LP will enable the NARAS Foundation to expand efforts to provide music education to thousands of America's students and pave the way for additional CD releases in the future."

Since 1995, the annual Grammy Nominees CD has helped raise both awareness and funds to develop the NARAS Foundation, which reaches schoolchildren, musicians and educators around the country. The first compilation album in 1995 was certified Gold within six months of release; the second, Platinum, and last year's collection was certified Multi-Platinum. This remarkable success has provided funding for such programs as the National GRAMMY Concert Series for Children; the GRAMMY High School Jazz Ensembles; GRAMMY in the Schools, and most recently, the GRAMMY Signature Schools, a unique award for outstanding High School music programs.

The Universal Music Group encompasses MCA Records, MCA Records Nashville, GRP Recording Company, Geffen Records, Universal Records, Rising Tide, Interscope Records, Hip-O Records, Universal Music & Video Distribution, Universal Music International, MCA Music Publishing and Universal Concerts.

SOURCE MCA Records