Healthways' Strat5 Only Local Band Chosen to Compete Saturday in FORTUNE's Battle of the Corporate Bands.

Group represents the melding of Nashville's best-known monikers: Music City USA and nation's Health Care Capital

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- In an unprecedented representation of the two industries for which Nashville is best known (music and healthcare), Healthways' band Strat5 will compete this weekend in the 7th Annual FORTUNE Battle of the Corporate Bands at the Gibson Summer Jam for a chance to advance to finals at Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame October 5-6.

Strat5 is one of 18 corporate bands from across the country (and Australia) chosen to compete in the first round of the competition. Two winners will advance from each semi-final competition, the first of which was held July 7 in Los Angeles followed by Nashville on Saturday, July 14, and Austin, Texas, on July 28.

"Being in a rock and roll band has been a lifelong dream for many of us," says vocalist and Strat5 founding member Robin Davis, director of Knowledge Management and Proposals for Healthways, the nation's leading provider of Health and Care Support(SM) services designed to help people lead healthier lives and, as a result, reduce healthcare costs. "And like a lot of other people here in Nashville with careers outside of the music industry, we're musicians at heart. We're thrilled to represent Healthways, and Nashville, on Saturday night."

Strat5 got its start in 2005, after Healthways President and CEO Ben R. Leedle Jr. overheard founding members Davis, Nadine Conley, Jeff Elkins and Marty Leinwand discussing plans to start an all-Healthways rock and roll band. Although they hadn't yet scheduled a first practice, they soon found themselves booked for an inaugural gig, Healthways' annual company meeting, a mere four weeks away.

The name Strat5 was inspired by Healthways' program model, which stratifies members in its disease management programs into levels 1 through 4, with level 4 members requiring the most intensive interventions.

"We thought if Strat 4 is severe, Strat 5 must be extreme!" Davis says.

Since Nashville is Music City USA, it wasn't hard to find more musicians throughout the company to join the band. Today, Strat5 has 15 band members at any given gig and the occasional special guest. The breadth of the band's instrumentation reflects its Music City heritage. Electric and acoustic guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, harmonica, mandolin, horns, banjo and plenty of cowbell - sometimes played by Leedle - round out the band's blues - and soul-influenced rock and roll sound.

This is Strat5's first time in the FORTUNE competition. Over the past few years, the band has honed its sound at Healthways company-wide functions and charity events by playing mostly covers with the occasional original tune penned by Davis. The band's rehearsal space at Healthways offices in Green Hills and upcoming gig at a Healthways conference in Austin, Texas underscore the top-down support the band receives from the Company.

"Healthways has always been passionate about instilling a culture that inspires our colleagues to do their best work," says Chris Cigarran, Healthways senior vice president of Human Resources and Organizational Development. "One of the ways we do that is by supporting each other's goals and interests. When Strat5 takes the stage Saturday night, it will be with a built-in fan club cheering them on as they represent Healthways - and Music City, USA - at the Battle of the Corporate Bands."

Strat5 will compete against five other corporate bands during this weekend's Gibson Summer Jam being held at the Gibson Custom Shop, 1612 Elm Hill Pike, Saturday, July 14, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. CDT. For more information about the competition visit www.rockhall.com/fortunebattle/.

All media please RSVP to Jonathan Burns at [e-mail] or 615-627-7755 to be placed on the guest list.

About Healthways

Healthways (NASDAQ: HWAY) is the leading provider of specialized, comprehensive Health and Care Support(SM) solutions to help millions of people maintain or improve their health and, as a result, reduce overall healthcare costs. Healthways' programs are designed to help healthy individuals stay healthy, mitigate and slow the progression of disease associated with family or lifestyle risk factors and promote the best possible health for those already affected by disease. Our proven, evidence-based programs provide highly specific and personalized interventions for each individual in a population, irrespective of age or health status, and are delivered to consumers by phone, mail, internet and face-to-face interactions, both domestically and internationally. Healthways also provides a national, fully accredited complementary and alternative Health Provider Network, offering convenient access to individuals who seek health services outside of, and in conjunction with, the traditional healthcare system. For more information, please visit www.healthways.com.