Country Band From Northern Illinois Gets Most Online Votes to Win 2011 Briggs & Stratton Corporation "Battle of the Bands"

Country Band From Northern Illinois Gets Most Online Votes to Win 2011 Briggs & Stratton Corporation "Battle of the Bands"

SLAMABAMA tops nearly 200 bands and will play World's Largest Music Festival - Summerfest - July 2nd

MILWAUKEE, June 2, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Briggs & Stratton Corporation today announced that SLAMABAMA is the winner of its 2011 "Battle of the Bands" following the three-month-long contest on Facebook. The country band that has played throughout Chicago and northern Illinois and has band members from the Dixon/Tampico, Ill. area, SLAMABAMA beat out nearly 200 bands from around the world. The band will now perform July 2nd on the Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard stage at Milwaukee's Summerfest, the World's Largest Music Festival.

"Winning the Briggs & Stratton Battle of the Bands contest is really a dream come true for all of us," said J Juliano, guitarist and one of the lead singers for SLAMABAMA. "We knew it would be tough competing against top bands from all over, but thanks to our many fans who voted for us here in the Midwest and from around the world, we will be playing Summerfest and helping open for Phil Vassar! That's a great opportunity for any band and we are very thankful!"

SLAMABAMA members include J Juliano, guitar/lead vocals; Rosanna Juliano, lead vocals/percussion; Dennis Gilpatrick, bass/backing vocals; and Derek Bernal, drums. SLAMABAMA's music style is often compared to major touring acts Sugarland and Lady Antebellum. The band's unique harmonies have also helped SLAMABAMA play more than 200 dates over the last two years. SLAMABAMA won the Briggs & Stratton Battle of the Bands in the final round by gaining more votes than the other top three finalists, Matthew Haeffel, from Milwaukee and A Hero en Route, from Evansville, IN.

"Every year, bands from around the world continue to bring their very best to our contest and we are extremely proud of all of them," said Todd Teske, Chairman, President & CEO of Briggs & Stratton. "We congratulate SLAMABAMA and their many, many fans whose votes will now put the band front and center at the World's Largest Music Festival, Summerfest on July 2nd. We hope everyone can come out and enjoy the great music they'll see that night and throughout Summerfest on our new Big Backyard stage."

SOURCE Briggs & Stratton Corporation

Briggs & Stratton Corporation

CONTACT: Brian Knox, +1-414-276-6237, bknox@zeppos.com

Web Site: http://www.briggsandstratton.com/

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