Guitar Center and GRAMMY® Award-Nominated Electronic Supergroup Above & Beyond Launch Second Installment of Cover Me Program

ANNOUNCEMENT HIGHLIGHTS:

- Winner will receive studio time with Above & Beyond, a feature with Beatport, new gear, $10,000 cash and more

- One of Guitar Center's many programs designed to support emerging musicians, Cover Me opened for submissions on April 29

News provided by

Guitar Center

May 02, 2016, 08:00 ET

LOS ANGELES, May 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Guitar Center has partnered with the critically acclaimed electronic supergroup Above & Beyond to present the second installment of Cover Me, an artist discovery program offering aspiring musicians the chance to take their careers to the next level. The program embodies Guitar Center's mission to support emerging musicians and present undiscovered artists with a shot at their big break. Guitar Center's Cover Me opened for submissions starting Friday, April 29, and will close on June 30, 2016.

Unsigned artists across the country can submit their cover of Above & Beyond's 2015 hit "Blue Sky Action" featuring Alex Vargas at guitarcenter.com/aboveandbeyond. Submissions will be ranked on their social media engagement and fan growth throughout the submission period, and the top-ranked 100 artists will be reviewed by Above & Beyond, who will then handpick the winner.

"We're always impressed by the quality of the fan cover versions we get sent, so it's exciting to have the support of Guitar Center to help us find the next generation of talented musicians." - Above & Beyond

Guitar Center's Cover Me Winner Will Receive:

Studio time with Above & Beyond in Las Vegas, NV
A feature article on Beatport.com
New gear from Pioneer, Roland, Sennheiser, Marq Lighting, QSC and 8DIO
$10,000 cash

Guitar Center's Cover Me program launched in its first year in 2015 and garnered nearly 13,000 submissions. Grammy award-winning producer and DJ Zedd hand-selected Seattle native Ty Acord, AKA Lophiile, as the winner of the program. Zedd was so impressed with Lophiile's winning remix to his hit single "I Want You To Know feat. Selena Gomez" that he released the track on Interscope Records in September 2015. Additionally, Lophiile was asked to remix Zedd's hit single "Beautiful Now feat. Jon Bellion," which was also released on Interscope Records in October 2015.

Watch Above & Beyond discuss the Cover Me program here: https://youtu.be/q0T4bqFt8zE

"Our focus at Guitar Center has always been to provide aspiring musicians of all genres in music with the tools, the opportunities, and the platforms they need to be successful in their musical journey. Above & Beyond are legends in the electronic space and we're thrilled to partner with them to find this next great undiscovered talent." - Jake Cheung, Manager, Music Marketing and Artist Relations, Guitar Center

About Above & Beyond:
Over their four critically acclaimed studio albums, along with their acoustic project, Above & Beyond have continually been celebrated for placing real musicianship and songwriting at the heart of what they do. While their famed club mixes have resonated with the dance generation, the songs behind them have touched fans of all ages across the globe. As influenced as much by Jeff Buckley or Bon Iver as they are by their deep love of electronic music, Above & Beyond's songs and lyrics have been sung back to them at the world's biggest stadiums and stages - from Alexandra Palace, to Madison Square Garden, to LA's Forum, to their famed one million people gig at Barra Beach in Rio de Janeiro in 2007. For more, visit Aboveandbeyond.nu, or follow them on Facebook: Facebook.com/aboveandbeyond, Twitter: Twitter.com/aboveandbeyond, and Instagram: Instagram.com/aboveandbeyond.

About Guitar Center:
Guitar Center is the world's largest retailer of guitars, amplifiers, drums, keyboards, recording, live sound, DJ, and lighting equipment. With more than 270 stores across the U.S. and one of the top direct sales websites in the industry, Guitar Center has helped people make music for more than 50 years. In addition, Guitar Center's sister brands include Music & Arts, which operates more than 120 stores specializing in band & orchestral instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors and students, and Musician's Friend, a leading direct marketer of musical instruments in the United States. With an unrivalled in-store experience, an industry-leading online presence and passionate commitment to making gear easy-to-buy, Guitar Center is all about enabling musicians and non-musicians alike to experience the almost indescribable joy that comes from playing an instrument. For more information about Guitar Center, please visit www.guitarcenter.com.

You can visit our press room at http://www.guitarcenter.com/pages/press-room, and send media inquiries to [email protected].

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160501/362109

SOURCE Guitar Center