AARP and Foreigner Team Up to Launch 'Air Guitar For My Guitar' Competition

AARP and Foreigner Team Up to Launch 'Air Guitar For My Guitar' Competition

***Contestants Shred to Foreigner to Win Mick Jones' Guitar***

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AARP, the world's largest advocacy organization for the 50+ community, today announced it is teaming up with the legendary band Foreigner to launch "Air Guitar for My Guitar," an air guitar and lip-sync competition in conjunction with AARP's sponsorship of Foreigner's "Feels Like the First Time Tour." The competition, tour and other musical collaborations are part of AARP's year-long 50th anniversary celebration.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070209/NYF043LOGO )

"At AARP, we always try to connect with our members in fun and exciting ways, and this air guitar contest certainly fits the bill," said Emilio Pardo, EVP and Chief Brand Officer, AARP. "This is a great opportunity for our members and their families to unleash their inner rock star and celebrate our 50th anniversary with us in style!"

Competitors in the "Air Guitar for My Guitar" contest will vie for the chance to win Mick Jones' autographed custom Gibson guitar and a trip to Honolulu, Hawaii to party with the band on New Years Eve.

"We cannot wait to watch the videos," said Mick Jones, lead guitarist and founder of Foreigner. "I'm sure that we're going to see some fantastic air guitar players who'll look even better up there than some of us. It really is a great idea and we're happy to help AARP celebrate their 50th."

A constant fixture on radio and the charts since the late '70s, Foreigner has sold more than 70 million albums worldwide. The band just released NO END IN SIGHT: THE VERY BEST OF FOREIGNER, a comprehensive hits collection that includes both live and previously unreleased tracks. The album is currently on the Billboard Top 200 chart and features their current hit single "Too Late."

ABOUT THE CONTEST

To participate, contestants must air guitar/lip-sync to one of five Foreigner hit songs:

-- "Too Late"
-- "Cold as Ice"
-- "Hot Blooded"
-- "Juke Box Hero"
-- "Feels Like the First Time"

Contestants must then submit their video recorded entries on www.WinMickJonesGuitar.com. Contestants can also enter in person at a mobile recording studio at select Foreigner concert dates and the AARP Life@50+ member event. These dates and locations are:

-- August 10 - Des Moines, IA - State Fair
-- August 12 - Sedalia, MO - State Fair
-- August 16 - Erie, PA - State Fair
-- August 17 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
-- August 23 - Baraboo, WI - Ho Chunk Casino
-- August 24 - Chicago, IL - Paramount Arts Center
-- August 29 - Woodstock, VA - Shenandoah Fair
-- September 4-6 - Washington, DC - Life@50+ member event

The official contest runs from August 6th - Nov. 1st. AARP and Foreigner will pick the top 20 finalists and post them online on Nov. 17th. The public will get to vote for their favorite entry from Nov. 17th - 21st and the winner will be announced in early December 2008.

This is not the first time AARP has stepped into the music arena. In 2007, AARP's sponsorship of Tony Bennett's "The Best is Yet to Come" tour was a huge hit with AARP members. Earlier this year, AARP also collaborated with another leading organization celebrating its 50th anniversary -- the Grammy Awards -- on the Music Preservation Project, an ongoing initiative to preserve historic music recordings, photographs, films and cultural artifacts for future generations.

Additional information about "Air Guitar for My Guitar" and other AARP's 50th anniversary events and initiatives, including dates and ticket information for all concerts, is available online at www.aarp.org. Complete rules for "Air Guitar for My Guitar" contest can be found on www.WinMickJonesGuitar.com.

About AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 34 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's 39 million members and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

About Foreigner

Throughout the 70's and 80's, Foreigner was universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world, racking up scores of smash hits, multi-platinum albums, and sold out concert tours. From "Cold As Ice" to "Hot Blooded," "Urgent" to "Jukebox Hero," "Waiting For A Girl Like You" to the chart topper "I Want To Know What Love is", Foreigner's thrilling mix of blustery blues and impeccably crafted pop continues to captivate generation after generation of music fans. Today, 30 years later, Foreigner is an ensemble of talented musicians each adding their individual credentials to the mix to make the band stronger and more powerful than ever.

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Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070209/NYF043LOGO
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: AARP

CONTACT: Michelle Alvarez of AARP, +1-202-434-2555, malvarez@aarp.org;
Paul Freundlich, +1-212-334-6116, paulf@pfamedia.net, or Joanna Weislogel,
+1-212-334-6116, joannaw@pfamedia.net, both for Foreigner

Web Site: http://www.aarp.org/
http://www.winmickjonesguitar.com/

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