Artists Lift Their Voices in Songs for Life; New CD Raises Funds To Fight AIDS In Southern Africa.

To download high-resolution, print-ready JPEG images, click on the thumbnail image above.

WARNING: these images are

very large (800K+)

Click here for caption

Photo Editors/Entertainment Editors/Lifestyle Editors

NOTE TO MEDIA: Multimedia assets available

A photo is available at URL:

http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.100703/bb2

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 2003

After nearly two years in development, Songs for Life, an album of uplifting songs performed by prominent international recording artists who donated their time and talent to help raise funds for the fight against HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa, is being released nationwide today. All proceeds from Songs for Life will benefit The Royal Initiative To Combat AIDS (RICA), a U.S. not-for-profit organization aimed at combating the spread of the virus in Southern Africa through education, research and treatment.

Inspired by the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa, Songs for Life features new tracks as well as never-before-heard remixes by Mary J. Blige, Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Gerald Levert, Joan Osborne and Britney Spears. The album also features previously released tracks by John Lennon, Paul Simon and Destiny's Child, selected because they underscore the album's theme of unity, hope and brotherhood. (See the attached song list for a complete list of tracks.)

"With songs both new and old from some of the world's best-known recording artists, Songs for Life is an amazing listening experience created to bring attention and critical funding to a life-and-death cause in Africa," noted Charles Armstrong, President, JAM Music and Entertainment Group. "JAM is thrilled to be instrumental in such an important lifesaving effort."

Distributed by EMI-Capitol Records, initiated and coordinated by Paul Marshall and promoted internationally by JAM Music and Entertainment Group, Songs for Life was produced under the guidance of the legendary Phil Ramone, who over the last three decades has produced some of the world's most successful recording artists, including Chicago, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Elton John, Liza Minelli, Paul Simon, Ringo Starr, Barbra Streisand and U2.

The concept behind Songs for Life was first introduced in 2000, and the album features South African artist Jonathan Butler and an all-star group of African artists, including Innocent Modiva, Margaret Motsage, Jabu Khanyle, Loyiso Bala, Zenzi Lee, and the Swaziland Redemption Choir, who together contribute the uplifting song, Every Breath, written by renowned songwriter Denise Rich. Rich also contributed the stirring Children of All Nations with South African composer Cedric Sampson.

Last June, a Songs for Life launch event held in the Delegates Dining room at the United Nations in New York was attended by over 400 people from the worlds of music, film, television, AIDS support, the arts and politics. Whoopi Goldberg attended to support RICA and her friend Geoffrey Holder, who hosted the event. Denise Rich, Miss Universe 2003 Amelia Vega, Freddie Jackson and dance-music recording artist Becky Baeling were also in attendance and treated to a series of performances by artists such as Gerald Levert, David Broza, Billy Gilman, The GE Smith Band, and The Swaziland Redemption Choir.

About the Royal Initiative to Combat AIDS

The Royal Initiative to Combat AIDS (RICA) was formed in 2002 to raise funds and greater public awareness to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic on the African continent, where the disease has afflicted a staggering 40 million people and infects thousands more every day. RICA identifies and supports non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other legitimate programs in Southern Africa whose mission coincides with RICA's goals of preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS by focusing on pregnant women; providing care to those affected, including AIDS orphans; undertaking HIV/AIDS-related research and providing HIV/AIDS treatment in Southern Africa.

                       Songs for Life Track List

Sacred Pledge, Patti LaBelle

Under African Skies, Paul Simon

Stronger (remix), Britney Spears

Love Like This, Avant

Happy Face, Destiny's Child

Keep Your Head (remix), Mary J. Blige

Home, Simply Red

Angel, Aretha Franklin, featuring K-Ci & JoJo

I'm Gonna Be OK, Gerald Levert

You Will Find Me There, Carole King

Reaching Out, Michael W. Smith

Children of All Nations, Judy Collins, Miriam Makeba & Billy
  Gilman

Follow It Through, Jonathan Butler

Hard Times Are Over, John Lennon & Yoko Ono

Open Our Eyes, Richie Havens

Every Breath, Zenzi Lee, T.K., Loyiso Bala, Jabu Khanyile,
  Innocent Modiva & Margaret Motasage

Love Is In Need of Love, Joan Osborne

Power To The People, John Lennon

Note: A photo is available at URL: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.100703/bb2