American Suzuki Hits the Road With Rock Band Kutless - VIDEO ENHANCED STORY
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Suzuki Signs on as Title Sponsor of Kutless' Hearts of the Innocent Tour
BREA, CA - August 10, 2006: American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), widely known for its high-performance motorcycles and life-enthusiast-focused automobiles, today announced a partnership with BEC/Tooth and Nail/EMI rock band Kutless.
A joint effort of ASMC's Automotive and Motorcycle Divisions, the agreement makes American Suzuki the exclusive title sponsor of Kutless' upcoming concert tour, which will be known as the Hearts of the Innocent tour powered by Suzuki. The tour marks Suzuki's first foray into the music industry and further connects the company and its products with a wide-ranging consumer demographic of those who choose to live life instead of watch it go by.
"Suzuki is thrilled to partner with Kutless, one of the hottest, young, up-and-coming rock bands in the country," said Gene Brown, vice president of marketing, ASMC Automotive Operations. "Just as Suzuki is dedicated to providing fun and exciting products for consumers, Kutless shares a similar commitment to providing exhilarating entertainment for music fans."
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"Kutless is honored to partner with Suzuki, a company that shares our passion for living life to its fullest," said Kutless frontman Jon Micah Sumrall. "The Hearts of Innocent record is a call to our generation to stand strong and faithful. We are pumped to get back out on the road for a full-throttle rock-and-roll show that will be more than just a great night of music."
The Hearts of the Innocent tour powered by Suzuki supports Kutless' latest album Hearts of the Innocent, which was released in March, debuting at No. 45 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart, No. 2 on Nielsen SoundScan's Top Christian/Gospel Albums Overall chart and No. 1 on its Top Christian Rock/Alternative Albums chart. The Hearts of the Innocent tour kicks off Oct. 25, in Birmingham, Ala., with Knoxville, Tennessee-based heavy metal band Disciple as the show's opening band.
The Portland, Oregon-based quintet has emerged recently as one of music's hottest acts. Kutless already has played before nearly two million fans in the past four years and has had eight radio hits from the band's first three CDs -- Kutless, Sea of Faces and Strong Tower. Kutless' music also has been featured in television and film. On the NBC hit TV show "Scrubs," in an episode this season titled "My Bright Idea," the Kutless song "All of the Words" played for almost two minutes during a pivotal scene of the popular comedy. Additionally, the band's groundbreaking video for the song "Shut Me Out" has been placed on an exclusive Microsoft/Wal-Mart DVD Xbox giveaway, estimated to reach 350,000 gamers, and Target Stores recently debuted the "Shut Me Out" video on Target TV (Red Channel) nationwide.
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ASMC will complement its sponsorship with a number of promotional activities surrounding the tour, including an online sweepstakes. Beginning in September, fans will be able to register online at www.kutless.com/tour for a chance to win one of three exciting Suzuki products, including the all-new 2007 Suzuki SX4 compact sport X-over, 2007 Suzuki RM-Z450 and 2007 Suzuki DR-Z400SM.
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Designed for those who live an adventurous life, the all-new SX4 features a handsome five-door hatchback design and sophisticated standard all-wheel-drive system to offer an unexpected level of functionality at an affordable price. The championship-winning RM-Z450 offers supremely balanced performance -- strong, controllable power delivery complemented by extraordinarily lightweight handling -- to give riders confidence on the track. The DR-Z400SM combines the versatility and performance of Suzuki's renowned DR-Z400 with street-legal capabilities.
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"We're thrilled to have helped launch the exciting partnership between Kutless and Suzuki," said Kathy Armistead, whose Commercial and Sponsorship Department at William Morris Agency in Nashville, along with Kutless' Platform Management, helped broker the Kutless-Suzuki partnership. "In an unprecedented tour and retail alliance, both parties have an amazing opportunity to connect with their respective fans and customers."
Hearts of the Innocent tour powered by Suzuki concert schedule:
Wednesday Oct. 25 Birmingham, Ala.
Thursday Oct. 26 Knoxville, Tenn.
Friday Oct. 27 Cincinnati, Ohio
Saturday Oct. 28 Griffin, Ga.
Sunday Oct. 29 Indianapolis, Ind.
Monday Oct. 30 St. Charles, Mo.
Wednesday Nov. 1 Duluth, Minn.
Thursday Nov. 2 Fargo, N.D.
Friday Nov. 3 Minneapolis, Minn.
Saturday Nov. 4 Chicago, Ill.
Tuesday Nov. 7 Detroit, Mich.
Thursday Nov. 9 Huntington, W.Va.
Friday Nov. 10 Pittsburgh, Pa.
Saturday Nov. 11 Albany (Clifton Park), N.Y.
Sunday Nov. 12 Buffalo (Hamburg), N.Y.
Monday Nov. 13 Souderton, Pa.
Tuesday Nov. 14 Manheim, Pa.
Thursday Nov. 16 Bedford, N.H.
Friday Nov. 17 Baltimore, Md.
Saturday Nov. 18 Waterbury, Conn.
Sunday Nov. 19 New York, N.Y.
For more information on the Hearts of the Innocent tour powered by Suzuki, visit www.kutless.com.
About American Suzuki
The Motorcycle/ATV Division and the Automotive Operations of American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), Brea, Calif., were founded in 1963 and 1985, respectively, by Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC). ASMC markets its vehicles via an extensive dealer network in 49 states. ASMC's parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation, based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, automobiles and marine engines. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, it has over 250 distributors in 119 countries.
About Kutless
With multiple #1 singles and four hit albums, Kutless' bold lyrics and driving, guitar-based music have garnered them legions of fans worldwide. Launched by original members Jon Micah Sumrall (lead vocals) and guitarists James Mead and Ryan Shrout, the band formed first as a modern rock/worship band at Warner Pacific College in Portland in 2000, influenced by Christian rock predecessors such as the Supertones as well as mainstream modern rockers like Staind, Creed, and Incubus. Kutless signed to Tooth & Nail/BEC in late 2001 and released its self-titled debut the following year, a CD which went on to become the fastest-selling debut in the label's history. Hearts of the Innocent marks the recording debut of the band's newest members, drummer Jeffrey Gilbert and bass player Dave Leutkenhoelter, both formerly of alt-rock band Seven Places. Kutless places a big emphasis on giving back and has often played events to benefit battered women and children and cancer victims. Last year, they raised more than $50,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief and recently signed on as an artist representative for world child relief agency Compassion International.