Queen's Roger Taylor Reveals Finalists for "The Queen Extravaganza Tour"

Queen's Roger Taylor Reveals Finalists for "The Queen Extravaganza Tour"

FINAL AUDITIONS TO BE HELD DECEMBER 5 IN LOS ANGELES

WINNERS TO TOUR NORTH AMERICA IN GRAND PRODUCTION FEATURING CLASSIC QUEEN SONGS

BURBANK, Calif., Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the course of the past 10 weeks, vocalists, guitarists, drummers, bassists and keyboard players from across the U.S. and Canada have auditioned online at www.queenextravaganza.com, hoping to become part of "The Queen Extravaganza Tour," a major production launching in 2012 featuring performances of Queen's biggest hits. The contestants performed such Queen classics as "Killer Queen," "Somebody To Love," "Bohemian Rhapsody," and "Another One Bites The Dust," among others. Fans had until November 28th to vote to determine the 21 finalists (6 vocalists, 6 guitarists, 3 drummers, 3 bassists and 3 keyboard players with Taylor picking an additional five wildcard finalists). The full list of finalists is available at www.queenextravaganza.com. These 26 hopefuls will be flown to Los Angeles to meet Taylor and perform their final audition live on December 5th at Foo Fighters' Studio 606 West. Auditions and interviews with Taylor and the finalists will post throughout the day at www.queenextravaganza.com .

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111130/LA14388)

"I look forward to the final auditions with these 26 young musicians," said Taylor. "It's going to be a long and difficult day, but the end of the first stage of the long and exciting road to the opening of The Queen Extravaganza."

The buzz surrounding "The Queen Extravaganza Tour" has sparked worldwide interest with video submissions generating millions of views to date. Television host Ellen DeGeneres was so impressed with the level of talent, that she invited hopeful Marc Martel to perform his audition, a stunning rendition of Queen's "Somebody To Love," on her show. Fans around the country felt the same way, awarding Martel the MTV O Award for Best Fan Cover. His performance from The Ellen DeGeneres Show can be viewed at: http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2011/10/marc_martel_performs_somebody_to_love_1003.php

Launching in 2012, "The Queen Extravaganza Tour" will feature three vocalists and a five-piece band and will be booked by powerhouse agency CAA. Taylor is fully hands-on, taking the role of producer and music director.

The 26 finalist are as follows:

VOCALISTS
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Cody Bond
Albuquerque, NM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoUVwi7DeHs&feature=player_embedded

Selcuk Sami Cingi
Boca Raton, FL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvh4szHWODU&feature=player_embedded

Aisha Elmehdaoui
Seattle, WA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmDyRNcCN0s&feature=player_embedded

Jennifer Espinoza
San Antonio, TX http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg_zs-FIJus&feature=player_embedded

Michelle Jameson
San Marcos, TX http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YnwssK1zHM&feature=player_embedded

David Martel
Montreal, QC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSD9PeMZZwE&feature=player_embedded

Marc Martel
(Montreal, QC / Nashville, TN) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qmFEh5zsBY&feature=player_embedded

Tyler Martin
Edmonton, AB http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orHhQ0lsM78&feature=player_embedded

Sean Slaughter
Portland, ME http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOUY1zPx9Eg&feature=player_embedded

GUITARISTS
----------
Tristan Avakian
Toronto, ON http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBxAvY2hISI&feature=player_embedded

Richie Castellano
Staten Island, NY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3x9vvskQ9U&feature=player_embedded

Jason Du Preez
Vancouver, BC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXIsjPIM7lc&feature=player_embedded

Brian Gresh
Tulsa, OK http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjQLlXl-J3I&feature=player_embedded

John Notto
Hollywood, CA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWlHZzPj2yk&feature=player_embedded

Roy Ziv
Toronto, ON http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt1l-fcjYsQ&feature=player_embedded

Steve Zukowsky
Santa Monica, CA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi7NAHAn4xw&feature=player_embedded

DRUMS
-----
Zach Mullings
Boston, MA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhRjILqo_ww&feature=player_embedded

Billy Orrico
Denville, NJ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_33v1fCMxq4&feature=player_embedded

Nico Saavedra
Orange County, CA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=604-56p4R2U&feature=player_embedded

Tyler Warren
Camden, TN http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfNszLK9GJk&feature=player_embedded

BASS
----
Juano Davison
Laguna Beach, CA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trGx_DPqSD4&feature=player_embedded

Francoise Olivier Doyon
Quebec City, QC http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT_zCnHAZII&feature=player_embedded

Brian Weaver
Philadelphia, PA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVVA1Bh-XBU&feature=player_embedded

KEYBOARDS
---------
Tushar Apte
Los Angeles, CA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFw_0LJNARk&feature=player_embedded

Brandon Ethridge
New York, NY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_sYt2yMyWE&feature=player_embedded

Mac Willaert
Saint Charles, IL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN-gzcMVSX0&feature=player_embedded
For more information, visit www.queenextravaganza.com

ABOUT QUEEN'S STUDIO ALBUMS:

As the centerpiece in the 40th anniversary celebration, Queen's entire 15-album studio catalog has been reissued in a series of deluxe editions. Every note has been tweaked, every piece of artwork cleaned, freshened up and resourced, wherever necessary, with the legendary Bob Ludwig having done the remastering, working from the original source material. The first installment, comprised of the first five LPs (QUEEN, QUEEN II, SHEER HEART ATTACK, A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, A DAY AT THE RACES) was released May 17, the second installment (NEWS OF THE WORLD, JAZZ, THE GAME, FLASH GORDON, HOT SPACE) was released on September 13 and the final deluxe box set installment (THE WORKS, A KIND OF MAGIC, THE MIRACLE, INNUENDO, MADE IN HEAVEN) was released November 1 andis available now at on amazon.com.

www.queenonline.com

www.freddieforaday.com

www.queenextravaganza.com

SOURCE Queen's Roger Taylor

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111130/LA14388
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Queen's Roger Taylor

CONTACT: Sharrin Summers, +1-818-560-5787, Sharrin.summers@disney.com

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

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