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 MARINO DE SILVAPresident/Executive Producer: Blues Idol President: Cohn-De Silva Entertainment, Los Angeles President/Founder: Angels On Earth Foundation MARINO began his career as a musician, becoming an international award-winning guitarist who played shows with Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, Keith Richards and ZZ Top, among others. In addition, he has several Gold albums to his credit as a solo artist, including the critically acclaimed "Blues for Lovers". In early 2003 Marino founded Cohn-De Silva Entertainment with the legendary Larry Cohn, ex President of Epic Records and Playboy Entertainment and Founder of Sony/Legacy's "Blues 'n Roots" series. "Impresario/guitarist" Marino is also President and Founder of Angels On Earth, a music-for-healing non-profit foundation, supported by Elizabeth Taylor, Muhammad Ali, Carlos Santana and Diane Warren, to name but a few. Marino was honored as "Humanitarian of the Year" at the 2001 Los Angeles Music Awards, and received the "Paws of Fame" award from the Wildlife Waystation the same year in recognition of his "support and commitment to animals worldwide". In response to the 9-11 tragedy, Marino produced one of the most successful and creative musical projects, "Guitars for Freedom" featuring some of the greatest guitar players in the history of music. Marino digitally remastered unreleased Jimi Hendrix and Santana tracks, as well as Grammy-winners Steve Vai, Albert Lee, Martin Barre (Jethro Tull), Alan Holdsworth and a host of other guitar greats. Marino brought the guitar world together for this project, receiving a special award from the Carvin Guitar Company for producing this commendable project. Marino also won the award for "Best 9-11 Tribute Album" from the Los Angeles Music Awards 2002. Due to the overwhelming response to "Guitars for Freedom", Marino produced the follow up "Guitars For Freedom II" which was released on the anniversary of 9/11, and featured Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Jeff Beck, Mick Ronson, Steve Lukather and Michael Landau, and other greats. "Talkin' to Angels", produced by Marino, received the 2003 Los Angeles Music Award for "Spiritual Album of the Year" and features some of the greatest names in the history of classic rock, including members of Jethro Tull, Santana, Three Dog Night, Supertramp, Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers, Chicago, Kansas, Canned Heat, Robin Trower, Montrose, Gamma, Sons of Champlin, Tower of Power and Toto, and features a special appearance from Bonnie Raitt. |
 LAWRENCE COHNAdvisory Board Chairman: Blues Idol President: Cohn-De Silva Entertainment, Los Angeles. LARRY COHN is the creator and producer of Sony Music/Legacy Recordings’ award-winning Roots 'N' Blues series. He has received five Grammy Award nominations during his career, winning in 1991 for "Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings." In that year he also received the Memphis Blues Foundation's W.C. HANDY AWARD for the Johnson set and was also given a special award by the Foundation for his work in "KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE." Sony Music, Inc. also presented Cohn with its first PRESIDENT'S AWARD for his work on the Robert Johnson project. In 1994 Cohn's book "NOTHING BUT THE BLUES: THE MUSIC AND THE MUSICIANS" won the RALPH J. GLEASON Book Award, given jointly by BMI and Rolling Stone Magazine, as well as the much coveted DEEMS TAYLOR AWARD, given by ASCAP. The book was also inducted into the MEMPHIS BLUES FOUNDATION'S HALL OF FAME. Trained as a lawyer, Cohn has been a Vice-President at CBS/Epic Records, where he was responsible for signing Billy Joel, Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon, Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter, Johnny Otis among others. Cohn sits as a voting member on the Hall of Fame Elections Committee of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), as well as being an alternate on the Best Historical Project Committee. He also sits on the Board of Directors of the Blues Foundation. He has also been selected as “one of the 100 Most Important People in the music business.” |
 EDGAR WINTERMusician A Blues legend for more than twenty years, Edgar has written hit songs, toured extensively with great commercial success and explored the realms of rock, boogie, R&B, jazz, and pop, to introduce listeners to his diverse musical influences. His latest album "Winter Blues" was released to critical acclaim, heralded as a "masterpiece". "They Only Come Out At Night", Edgar's definitive Platinum album, became a huge commercial success, climbing to Number One on the Billboard chart, selling more than Two Million copies in the US alone. Another landmark recording for Edgar was his collaboration with Johnny Winter on the classic "Together" album, which also featured Rick Derringer. Edgar has recently been expanding his role in the movie soundtrack arena with writing one of the key songs "Good Ol' Shoe" for the critically acclaimed Oscar nominated hit movie "Wag The Dog" which starred, Robert DeNiro and Dustin Hoffman. Edgar also recently re-recorded the classic "Magic Carpet Ride" for the Trimarks film "Starkid." Edgar Winter is alive and well and living in Los Angeles with his wife Monique. |
 STEVEN ORTIZVice President: Blues Idol For the past six years, Steve has been an independent consumer product consultant to the entertainment industry. He has worked to create product lines with companies such as: Universal Studios; Walt Disney Art Classics; Warner Bros.; Lucasfilm, Ltd.: Sony Signatures; MGM; Viacom Consumer Products (Paramount Studios); USA Networks / Sci-fi Channel; Sega of America; Capcom Entertainment, Inc.; Marvel Entertainment; Twentieth Century Fox; Sega Music International; New Line Home Video; Namco; and The Licensing Group. Companies Steve has worked and consulted for include: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.; Orion Home Video; CBS/FOX Home Video; Animation Studio Mad House (Japan); A.P.P.P. Co., Ltd. (Japan); Columbia Tri-Star Home Video; Ebay; Palisades Toys; Dark Horse Comics; Gaumont; Cannal +; Urban Vision Entertainment; and Film Link International. Steve has also served as Vice President of Santa Monica based Streamline Pictures, an animation company that produced and distributed acclaimed Japanese animated feature films such as: Akira; Speed Racer: The Movie; Lupan the 3rd; and Vampire Hunter D. Steve plays and tours with several national acts and is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. |
 DENNIS L. SULLIVANChief Operations Officer: Blues Idol In addition to being an Advisory Board Member, Dennis is working on distribution licensing deals around the world for Blues Idol. Dennis began early in the music business under the group name of "Help", and later "Sullivan & Welch". Dennis has worked as a content licensing consultant to help companies' license movies from Hollywood studios for Video on Demand applications. Dennis worked as Worldwide Director of Public Relations for the 5th largest computer software company in the world and served on the Executive Management Committee for Paul Allen’s company Asymetrix. He holds several creative awards including the cousin to the ”Oscar"; the "Clio" for Anheuser-Busch-Inc (Budweiser Beer) for the Best National Consumer Promotion Campaign and Best Package Design. He has been recognized for his creative talent with One Show Awards, Obie Awards, CA Magazine, Institute of Outdoor Advertising Association (IOA) Awards, Andy Awards, Raindrop Addy Awards, and the San Francisco Society of Communicating Arts Award. He is currently a Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer for his own technology company that is redefining telecommunication and television. |
 RICK DERRINGERMusician Guitar legend Rick Derringer’s multi-faceted career has transcended and endured through nearly four decades, from “Hang on Sloopy” to “Free Ride”, classic rock to blues and jazz, his music continues to ensure his place in musical history. Rick Derringer originally wrote and produced “Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo” for blues guitar legend Johnny Winter, when he merged the McCoys, with Winter, forming “Johnny Winter And.” He then joined forces with Winter’s brother Edgar Winter, a great jazz, blues and rock musician in his own right. Derringer produced Johnny and Edgar Winter’s gold and platinum albums, including Edgar’s number one hits “Frankenstein” and “Free Ride”. “Free Ride”, Rick Derringer’s first release for Big3 Records is truly a rare work of genius and has the critics raving. Derringer has fused his guitar virtuosity with his songwriting and producing genius, resulting in a sound so right for this period in his life. Derringer toured as the opening act with some of the world’s leading rock superstars, including the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin. Over the years Derringer has appeared on stage with rock legends Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. |
 PAUL JOHN BIRCHJ.P. Dip.M MCIM MBA Managing Director Revolver Music Limited Paul Birch is an alumni of the J.L.Kellogg business school at Northwestern University in Chicago where he studied American consumer marketing under the world renowned Philip Kotler. |
 CHRIS ANDREWSChris Andrews is an entrepreneur and innovator in music, business and electronic publishing. He has helped to shape our culture by being the world's first CD-ROM producer, launching the first CD-burning system, and pioneering digital broadcasting methods with his company Livecast. Originally trained as a product manager at leading companies such as Hewlett-Packard and Newsbank, Chris also pursued his love for music by being the architect/executive producer of the Grammy digital media programs and Head of Business Development for the overall organization. A highlight of his over 10-year relationship with the Grammys was the Grammy Webcast, the world's largest music webcast, with major sponsorships from such companies as IBM, Apple, and Ericsson. Over 250 major recording artists had their first experience being on digital media, and being on the Internet, in a production which Chris Andrews executive produced. Launching VentureMakers LLC in 1999, Chris Andrews combined many aspects of his past work to focus his ideas for early-stage development of entertainment and publishing-related intellectual property. His investors include diverse leaders in both music and technology, including recording artist Clint Black, and the chairman of the world's largest laser company. Chris received a patent for his Automated Multiple Person Negotiation System, and has numerous patents pending in music and digital media. He also has coined and created a number of registered trademarks including Idea Capitalist, Livecast, and WebRecord. Chris Andrews is the author of dozens of published industry articles, and is the author of the book, "The Education of a CD-ROM Publisher - An Insider's History of Electronic Publishing." Published originally in 1993, this book had excellent reviews including one in Database Magazine which said, "...the most entertaining and informative book written about CD-ROM." In the last chapter of this book, Chris reveals his first two predictions of significant events in the next decade, which is now 2003 - these predications accurately describe DVD and the advent of CD-burning technology and use to its present state. The current publisher is Information Today, the leading publisher of electronic publishing books. |
| DENIS DEGHER President: Red Zone Entertainment Owner: Red Zone Studios, Santa Monica, California DENIS is a Grammy-winning producer/engineer and has worked with Buddy Guy, Miles Davis, Andrea Crouch, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Johnny Cash and many others. He is a noted audio lecturer, and author of over 100 published articles featured in Billboard, EQ, Pro Sound News and Mix Magazine. |
| LARRY TAYLOR Musician LARRY is a living legend, a part of music history as bass player with CANNED HEAT. He has played every major music festival, including the original Woodstock in 1969. He has also played on several Grammy winning albums including two with John Lee Hooker. He has also recorded with Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones), John Mayall, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and many others. |
| RICHARD INNES Musician Celebrated drummer Richard Innes has worked with a Who’s Who of the Blues, from John Lee Hooker to The Fabulous Thunderbirds. His credits also include Albert King, Albert Colins, Otis Rush and Lightnin’ Hopkins. |
 RICK BOOTHPresident, Intrepid Artists International Inc. Rick Booth has a Bachelor of Science degree from Wofford College and is a highly respected artist representative in the blues world, and has been since 1990. Over the years he has worked with blues legends Johnny "Clyde" Copeland, Dickey Betts (Allman Brothers), GE Smith, Walter Trout, Bernard Allison, Kenny Neal, and Chris Duarte to name just a few. In 1994 Rick formed Intrepid Artists International Inc. and handles many of the rockin' blues and roots artists on today's modern scene. Intrepid Artists has been a player and active participant in the blues community since its doors opened. In 1997 Rick was presented with a KBA Award by the Blues Foundation for "Best Blues Agent." He also served on the Blues Foundation Board of Directors from 2001-2003 and still is used as a consultant to the Foundation. As President of Intrepid Artists, Rick feels that it is important to preserve the Blues' storied past while at the same time promoting upcoming artists who are the future of Blues and will carry the torch for Blues. |
 RUTH McCARTNEYCEO McCartney Music and Multimedia Inc. Ruth is a respected music industry veteran, communications expert and strategist with a strong marketing, cross-promotions, and entrepreneurial background. She has provided consulting and production services for Fortune 100, corporate, high-tech, higher ed and entertainment companies. Ruth's brainchild is the online Customer / Fan management tool iFanz® iFanz.com® technology provides online data management and fan correspondence broadcasting to both MMI clients and others including FleetwoodMac.com, Kellie Coffey, the Estate of Tupac Shakur and the Carl Perkins Fan Base. Formerly, Ruth was a singer/songwriter and recording artist on BMG/Jupiter Records and has headlined tours in Russia, Lithuania, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Siberia for a total of 9 times. The tours sold well over a million concert tickets and Ruth donated all of her proceeds to aid the 40,000 Armenian Earthquake victims left homeless by their devastating quake in 1989. As a songwriter, Ruth penned a gold single for Randy Crawford and has songs in several movies starring Julia Roberts, Faye Dunaway, Christina Applegate, Jonathan Schaech and Molly Ringwald. |
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