Gramicci to Sponsor Spring Tour by Folk Rocker-Ryan Matthews

For Immediate Release

GRAMICCI TO SPONSOR SPRING TOUR BY
AMBIENT FOLK-ROCKER MATTHEW RYAN

AGOURA HILLS, Calif. (4/16/08)—Gramicci will be hitting the road this spring with singer- songwriter Matthew Ryan.

The outdoor lifestyle apparel manufacturer has signed on as sponsor of a multi-city East Coast and Midwestern tour of Ryan and longtime band Vs The Silver State. Scheduled to kick-off on May 1 in Asheville, N.C., the tour comes on the heels of the April 1 release of the ambient folk-rocker’s 11th album, the critically acclaimed Matthew Ryan vs The Silver State (MRVSS).

Gramicci’s sponsorship will be promoted via print ads and direct mail post cards distributed to lifestyle stores in markets where Ryan is to appear. All will incorporate the slogan “Brought to you by Gramicci: Never the Norm natural and organic clothing.”

Confirmed show dates for Matthew Ryan vs The Silver State are:

May 1ASHEVILLE, NCThe Grey Eagle
May 2ATLANTA, GAEddie’s Attic
May 3CHARLOTTE, NCThe Evening Muse
May 4RALEIGH, NC Berkeley Café
May 6ARLINGTON, VAThe Iota
May 7NEW YORK, NYThe Living Room
May 8PHILADELPHIA, PAWorld Café Live
May 9PITTSBURGH, PAThursday’s
May 10 INDIANAPOLIS, INSam’s Saloon
May 13 CHICAGO, ILSchuba’s
May 14 CLEVELAND, OHBeachland Tavern
May 15 ANN ARBOR, MIThe Ark
May 16 FORT WAYNE, INCome2Go
May 17 NASHVILLE, TNMercy Lounge

Included with each ticket purchased will be a copy of MRVSS to be redeemed at the venue on the day of show.

Ryan has performed on CBS-TV’s Late Show with David Letterman and NBC’s Late Night with Conan O’Brien. His songs have been featured on Fox-TV’s House, the WB Television Network’s One Tree Hill and Dawson’s Creek.

MRVSS was recorded with Ryan’s longtime band, The Silver State featuring Brian Bequette (guitars, bass and piano), Steve Latanation (drums and backing vocals), Doug Lancio (production, engineering, mixing, guitars, bass and piano), and Molly Thomas (violin), and features guest vocalists Kate York and Thad Cockrell.

The new album has received critical acclaim in VanityFair.com, Paste Magazine and Harp, amongst many others. Recently, the disc was highlighted in USA Today as one of ten noteworthy albums spun by editor Ken Barnes. First-week sales cracked the Top 100 on the CIMS (Coalition of Independent Music Stores) charts.

Ryan grew up in an Irish working class family in the Philadelphia suburb of Chester. MRVSS is an arrival that’s been 25 years in the making for the singer-songwriter. “Everyone I know and love is in this record, including myself,” he explained. “There’s a lot of myself in there. ‘It Could’ve Been Worse,’ ‘They Were Wrong,’ ‘Drunk and Disappointed’…they all speak to where I’ve been, where my friends have been, but not where we’re going. I want us all to figure that out. I want everyone to win.”

“Gramicci is honored to be helping share Matthew’s music to new audiences,” said Marty Weening, president of Gramicci, which is based in Agoura Hills, Calif. “His music, message and mindset speak to us and our customer, so Gramicci hitting the road with him is perfect karma.”

For more information on Matthew Ryan, visit www.matthewryanonline.com.

About Gramicci

Gramicci, considered the ‘soul brand’ of the outdoor industry, is associated with the iconic styles of the outdoor industry including its introduction of the G-climbing pant over 25 years ago. Under the leadership of Marty Weening, the company has, in recent years, evolved into a major resource and partner for outdoor lifestyle apparel. The brand is now known for its natural fiber technologies, distinct fabrications and washed-out and weathered garment finishes sold within four distinct product segments: Authentic Originals, Built For Sport, Gramicci Life, and Greenicci. For more information, visit: www.gramicci.com
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Media Contacts: General apparel, retail and business media—Lisa Kreda or Bill Parness, Parness & Associates (732) 290-0121, parnespr@optonline.net; Outdoor trade and consumer media—Beth Cochran, BC/OC-What’s Up PR (406) 579-7909, cochran@whatsuppr.com;

Media contact for Matthew Ryan: Monica Hopman, THINK PRESS, (818) 291-9513, monica@thinkpress.net

GR1-Gramicci Sponsors Ryan Tour – 4-08