You Could Be "The Next GAC Star"

May 2, 2008 - For years, the prevailing wisdom in country music has been that if you want to get discovered, you almost have to live in Nashville.

That may no longer be true, thanks to GAC and artist development firm Music Nation, with the introduction of The Next GAC Star. The talent competition, going on now, culminates in September, when six finalists will be flown to Music City for a two-part special in which the winner receives a recording contract and the opportunity to make a video which will air on GAC and GACTV.com.

"There are two phenomena currently at play in the music industry: the rise of consumer-generated music content on the Internet and the success of artists participating in national talent competitions," said Sarah Trahern, Senior Vice President of Programming for GAC. "Thanks to our relationship with Music Nation, we've incorporated both aspects into one show with The Next GAC Star. Viewers can upload their favorite performances online with the hopes of seeing themselves on the network and possibly winning it all."

Through July 14, GAC will accept videos, mp3s and photos from hopeful participants at GACTV.com/star. In addition, viewers in some cities will have the opportunity to tape video auditions in person at the GAC Summer Tour Bus, travelling to select markets in the coming months. Eight weeks of voting will begin May 23. The public, casting ballots via Music Nation's head-to-head player, will pick a weekly winner, as will a group of industry insiders. The 16 weekly winners will be pared down to six by a panel of celebrity judges, with those six taking part in the TV specials, Sept. 3 and Sept. 10.

"In the past, we've launched a number of successful talent searches for the rock, pop and urban genres, and this new partnership with GAC allows us to extend our brand into the devoted country music fan base," noted Daniel Klaus, Music Nation CEO. "This competition allows undiscovered artists a real shot at the career they dream of, in addition to having their music played on GAC."

For more information on The Next GAC Star, GACTV.com/star