San Francisco, California based solo acoustic guitarist, Lawrence Blatt is among a diverse group of independent musicians named as winners of the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards.  Guitarist and composer, Lawrence Blatt, has been performing his finger-style-guitar compositions for over 30 years. His release: Out Of the Woodwork is the culmination of that history in layers and organic part writing. With thirteen soothing guitar melodies, many of which are played in open tunings, the collection can be called "acoustic solitude".  After spending years studying classical music as a violinist, Blatt's melodic yet intricate interaction of moods that lay beneath his alternate tunings are balanced by careful dynamics and intonation.  Out Of the Woodwork was named as one of five finalists for IMA album of the year in the New Age category.

IMA Finalists will now advance to the final round of judging by a distinguished group of influential artists and industry insiders.  The Judges who will determine this year’s IMA Winners include Suzanne Vega; Snoop Dogg, Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers; Les Claypool of Primus; Ray Davies of The Kinks; Susan Tedeschi, Frank Iero of My Chemical Romance; blues legend Charlie Musselwhite; Judy Collins; Rolling Stone contributing editor Anthony DeCurtis, MTV Music Supervisor, Carrie Hughes, Kevin Lyman of Vans Warped Tour and many others. IMA Winners and Finalists winners will appear in the 10th Anniversary edition of The Musician’s Atlas 2008, on sale December 18, 2007.  Regarded as the industry’s most comprehensive contact directory, The Atlas is used by independent musicians and entrepreneurs to market and sell music more successfully.

Developed and coordinated by Music Resource Group, publisher of The Musician’s Atlas, the Independent Music Award program delivers a variety of premiums to Winners including:
 
Year-long marketing campaigns, partnerships and distribution alliances, that will place the Winners in front of millions of music fans and industry decision makers around the world.
 
The IMA Winners CD compilation will be distributed to 10,000 music fans and industry at events such as SXSW, Ozzfest, The Warped Tour throughout the year and promoted to more 650 US & Canadian college & public radio stations.

eMusic will promote IMA Winners to millions of their subscribers throughout 2008.

Borders Books & Music will promote IMA Winners more than 11 Million of their customers.

•Exposure to nearly 10 million viewers of ManiaTV.com and Havoc TV.

Music fans will be casting their votes for their favorite IMA Finalists at www.IndependentMusicAwards.com   at the IMA Vox Populi Jukebox.

For more information on the Musician’s Atlas and the Independent Music Awards contact :

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