New York, NY January 16, 2008: Cherry Lane Music Publishing Co., Inc., whose roster includes The Black Eyed Peas, John Legend and Wolfmother, has signed emerging indie folk/rock singer-songwriter Madi Diaz to a worldwide, long-term publishing agreement.
Born into a musical family, Diaz started performing in bars and clubs while still in her teens in Pennsylvania. During her high-school years she became a student at the renowned Paul Green Rock School in Philadelphia. Rock School, a documentary film about Green and his pupils, features Diaz as one of the school’s most promising talents. From there she went on to Berklee College of Music in Boston where she met band members, Kyle Hurlbut and Adam Popick, with whom she continues to tour and record.
Diaz's self-released debut album, Skin and Bone, showcases her evocative lyrics, striking voice and a melodic gift well beyond her 21 years. She’s already received airplay on Philadelphia’s WXPN and the station’s nationally syndicated program World Café, which declared her one of their "Next Artists to Watch." Diaz and her band are performing regularly in Boston, New York City and Philadelphia, and she recently opened for Linda Ronstadt at the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island.
Richard Stumpf, SVP of Creative and Marketing at Cherry Lane, commented: "Bringing Madi into the writer family at Cherry Lane is an extension of the philosophy the company has had for 47 years - sign great songwriters, work hard for them, and good things will happen. You only need to see Madi perform once to recognize her gift."
Ty Stiklorius, Madi Diaz's manager, commented on the signing: "We’re thrilled to be part of the Cherry Lane family. They have a deep understanding of the new models in music, how to help writing musicians succeed and reach new audiences. They aren’t your typical publishing company. They go far beyond."
Bruce Warren, Assistant General Manager for Programming of WXPN in Philadelphia remarked after Madi's live performance: "Madi was great. What a voice. Wow. I was stunned." The deal was negotiated by Stumpf and Keith Hauprich, VP of Business and Legal Affairs at Cherry Lane, Diaz's manager Ty Stiklorius and attorney Howard Sadowsky.