The QueerCentric

os Angeles, CA – August 8, 2015 – Three time Grammy and Emmy nominee, comedian Margaret Cho has announced she will embark on a national U.S. run in support of The psyCHO Tour this fall. Margaret will hit various cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and her hometown of San Francisco before embarking on a string of European dates this winter.

Margaret has been developing brand new material over the last several months and said: “I’m so thrilled to announce that I will be back out on the road. This show is about insanity, and about the anger I feel about everything happening in the world right now, from police brutality to racism to the rising tide of violence against women. It makes me all so crazy – hence the title: “The psyCHO Tour” – there is no “I” in team but there is a “CHO” in psycho”. When men go off on something – they are “passionate” and “driven” and when women go off on something we are “hysterical” and “crazy”. I’m trying to bring some joy to the hysteria and insanity. ”

From singlehood to Boko Haram to Bruce Jenner’s transition to female empowerment, Margaret tackles difficult subjects with sensitivity and razor sharp insight. A pioneer amongst women in comedy, Margaret doesn’t take anything for granted. “It’s a wonderful thing to be known as a ‘safe haven’ for people who feel disenfranchised. The audience at my shows don’t necessarily consider themselves traditional comedy fans. I seem to be a secure alternative for people who don’t think they’re being represented in society. They come because my point of view satisfies a lot of what needs to be said out there, and that makes me really proud.”

A big part of Margaret’s show are tributes to her “father in comedy,” Robin Williams and her “mother in comedy,” Joan Rivers, who passed away within a month of one another. Margaret was very close to both of them; her friendship with Robin encouraged her to start the #BeRobin campaign to raise awareness and funds for the homeless community. Her friendship with Joan reinforced Margaret’s desire to remain fearless.

The story of Bobby Jo Valentine is a rare one: it’s about vulnerability and courage, raw talent and hard work. With truly transcendent lyrics and a voice that touches the soul, Bobby captures the heart of audiences across the country. His songs — all based on highly personal experiences — contain nuggets of pure gold, resonating and reaching to to the listener, no matter their walk of life.

Bobby Jo is a master lyricist. His sense of realism, charm and infectious vocal melodies have earned the praises of industry veterans like Brian Lucey, mastering engineer for The Shins and The Black Keys: “Bobby writes with a sweetness and honesty seldom heard in acoustic pop music.” Just as importantly, those same attributes have earned Bobby Jo an ever-expanding fan base and the West Coast Songwriter Association’s Songwriter of the Year Award.

with credits worked from Sheryl Crow to Five for Fighting and other greats; David Hayes, known best for his work with Van Morrison for 40 years, brings his timeless sound to the bass tracks; and Dave Tweedie, one of the biggest drummers in the pop industry today, adds syncopated, catchy rhythms. Other instruments – accordions, steel guitar, piano, organ – and several guest performers help create clear, honest soundscapes for his stories to be told. All these things come together to echo Bobby’s impressive lyrical depth.

Bobby Jo’s albums have garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews, but more noteworthy are the responses to his honest, raw, resonating live performances. Dubbed “The nicest guy ever to pick up an acoustic guitar” by LA Weekly, his unique brand of hopeful folk/pop has also recently been featured in a commercial for the new Ford Fusion.

Bursting with energy, realistic optimism and filled with uplifting, honest messages about hope and life’s struggles, Bobby Jo continues to gather new listeners with every live performance. “Armed with just a guitar and ukulele, Bobby aims straight for the heart.” -Bruce Kaplan, Folk Unlimited

Bobby Jo lives 30 miles north of San Francisco with his partner, and travels around the nation for 15-20 shows each month, developing a loyal following with warm, inviting melodies and lyrics filled with depth and hope.

Additional Press

Winner, 2013 Rising Star Contest (Judges include CAA Agent Brad Bissel, Rick Young of Warner Music, and Radio Industry Executives)

Appearance in a new 2013 Ford Fusion commercial

Winner, Songwriter of the Year

“Witty wordplay, clever melodies…the nicest guy to ever pick up an acoustic guitar.”

“Bobby Jo Valentine’s vocals express raw, tender emotions and his lyrics are refreshingly original. His audience will be charmed with “Be Mine” and touched deeply with “Fly,” running the gamete of emotions that make for an entertaining and heartfelt journey.”

“It’s really lovely.”

“5 out of 5 stars. Bobby writes with a sweetness and honesty seldom heard in acoustic pop music.”

“If Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, and Regina Spektor were to combine forces, you would have Bobby Jo Valentine. Soulful and uplifting, soothing and calming, Valentine’s music is the perfect blend of indie and modern pop/rock. Often times it is quite difficult to switch from genre to genre or to switch styles and tones, but Bobby Jo Valentine does so with ease. His voice is passionate and beautiful, using his soothing ways to demonstrate his musicality and versatility. His musicality separates himself from any other artist out there presently, and A Place To Belong is the proof.”

-----Jack Mozie

Jack Mozie is a singer, songwriter, and producer. Born and raised until the age of 12 in Lima, Peru, he showed interest in talent in music at a very young age. He began performing in school and taking music classes from the age of six. At the age of twelve, his mother brought him to Seattle where he would spend his teen years and develop as a songwriter.

Jack Mozie release his first album, Sealed For Your Protection, at the age of 21 under the name “Ramiro”. He is mostly known for his songs “Society”, “Candy”, and “Save Me”.

Influenced by many artists such as Shakira and Queen, Mozie has adopted a pop rock style to his music, however, his influences are not just limited to pop. Mozie was exposed to folk and pop music from other countries and languages at a young age. Every day growing up was a new style and genre of music.

Jack Mozie released his second album, Iron fist, at the age of 23. He gained popularity in the Seattle Music Scene with songs like “Tina”, “Jump”, and “Iron Fist”.

After the release of his latest single “Stardust”, Mozie begun work on his next album, due for release 2016.

------Ty Herndon

Ty Herndon is a master of the ties that bind. The Grammy Nominated and Dove Award Winning Country Recording Artist has the ability to connect with an audience far beyond his onstage performance.  Ty Herndon has a passion and commitment to his music that shows in his lyrics.  “If I haven’t lived it, I haven’t sung it” as Herndon says.  For a career spanning two decades with 20 Billboard chart songs and 5 million albums sold, Herndon sees no signs of slowing down.

Starting as a teenager, Ty Herndon performed at OPRYLAND USA, won Best Male Vocalist on the iconic “Star Search,” and proceeded to receive the title Texas Entertainer of the Year in 1993.  In 1995, Herndon signed with Epic Records, where he made his chart debut with “What Mattered Most,” which became his first #1 single and won Song of the Year from Music Row Magazine.  His album of the same title debuted at #15 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and had the biggest first-week shipment in the history of Epic Records Nashville.

Since then, Ty Herndon has continued to find success and overcome the hurdles that come with fame.  He has released ten more albums, most recently Lies I Told Myself (2013), which highlights the original style that made him famous and also demonstrates his growth as an artist.  With this album Herndon found a new platform for bonding with fans.  He invited folks to participate in his album launch via a well-publicized Kickstarter campaign that allowed fan investors to be involved both financially and emotionally.  The end result was a testimony to Herndon’s affinity for connection; devotees more than doubled the original funding goal.

In November of 2014, Ty Herndon was the first major market male country artist to publicly come out as gay.  Herndon received a wave of support that only strengthened his relationship with fans.  Using his celebrity power for the better good, Herndon is in the planning stages of a new coalition called RALY (Rescue A Life Y’all) to help save lives and raise awareness for those with addiction or identity issues.  This is not the first time he has reached out to make a difference.  In the past he’s utilized his talents to work with organizations such as the Trevor Project, Make A Wish, St. Jude, and Feed the Children.

Today Ty Herndon is spending his days writing music and collaborating with all of his famed country colleagues and new up and coming artists to create the best album yet.  Still the same redneck he’s always been, the king of connecting continues to exhibit all signs of a country superstar who is here to stay.

Introducing our go-to guy, Ulises Mark Chavez is the visionary leader and creator ofengaygeNOW & engaygeSEATTLE! Having grown up in Los Angeles, California, Mark got an early start with making social connections, and using his entrepreneurial spirit to bring others together in social settings.

Mark moved to Seattle in 2009, where he immediately become involved in the LGBTA community. With his development of Gay People in Seattle (GPiS), a social networking group that hosts monthly mixers at local restaurants in the Puget Sound area, Mark started bringing people together in the hopes of breaking the “Seattle Freeze” stigma. Mark has over twenty years of event planning experience, between Los Angeles and Seattle. He also has over eighteen years of project management experience, and is also a well-known community volunteer. Being fluent in English, Spanish, and conversational French, Mark has been able to bring our community even closer together, ensuring that all in our community feel welcome and accepted.

Mark’s love for travel, the arts, food, the local and surrounding community, has been a huge inspiration in his growth and development as a social connector. With engaygeNOW-SEATTLE, Mark’s desire is to use his passion for networking in order to help others make social and professional connections in Seattle, that will last a lifetime.

http://www.engaygenow.com/

https://www.facebook.com/engaygeSEATTLE

Through the planning of a variety of LGBTA events we create opportunities for people with similar interests to share new experiences and start building a stronger connection with the local LGBTA community, which includes you.

· Launched in 2014

https://www.facebook.com/groups/gpiseattle/

Eric Paul Leue is LA's very own transplant from East-Berlin. He was born in 1986, and has been an advocate for HIV awareness and education for over ten years.

Eric is the Director of Sexual Health and Advocacy for Kink.com and a Commissioner on the LA County Commission of HIV. He was also Eagle LA and Mr LA Leather 2014, and dedicated his title year to teach about PrEP, the daily regimen that prevents HIV infections. He has hosted 46 PrEP panels to date across the US, Canada, and Europe.

He writes articles, gives interviews and travels as much as possible to raise awareness, not only for PrEP, but also for Transgender Rights, Black Rights, Meth Addiction Help, Sex Education in schools, and of course to alleviate misconceptions about the Leather Community.

Links:

http://www.hivequal.org/hiv-equal-online/5-hiv-activists-give-the-10-worst-offenses-of-ahf-s-michael-weinstein?slide=1

He was raised amongst the olive-skinned natives of a Long Island town before transplanted to the rain-coated, black coffee loving capital of the Starbucks world. He learned early after being too school for cool that tending bar supported his addiction to structuring sentences into stories of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery and Young Adult.

Anthony is unafraid to make big moves in the game of life, but sometimes needs to be thrown off the plane to figure out how to fly. Like a nine-lived cat he always land on his feet, and when those thick-padded paws hit the dirt he bears a smile on his face and recants a knee-slapper he heard on his journey, laughing half-way through the joke and usually forgetting the rest.

A College Place native, before her career as a 16th District Representative, Maureen Walsh served as Dave Mastin’s Legislative Aid; also for the 16th District. She became a voice for the district of Walla Walla in 2005 as a Representative when she was inducted into the Legislature. Currently she sits on three committees; Early Learning and Human Services, Higher Education as well as Technology and Economic Development. She also serves on the Legislative Executive Work First Oversight Committee, the Children’s Legislative Oversight Committee and the Washington Institute for Public Policy Board of Directors.

In terms of precedence, Representative Walsh’s list includes addressing agriculture and water needs; making healthcare more affordable, making sure that youth have an opportunity in our constantly changing economy and protecting or most vulnerable members of the community including the elderly and those with disabilities. She believes in order for this to be accomplished that those with a leadership role within the government need to be held accountable.

Regarding the LGBT community, she is a secondary sponsor on a bill in the tentative 2015-2016 Legislative session that protects the rights and privacy of minors regarding their sexual orientation.

Due to her continued advocacy and hard work for all minorities- Walsh was named a top 40 candidate for the ‘Most Interesting Women In Politics’ in the Washington Post.

Outside of politics, Maureen owns Onion World, a business her and late husband Kelly started in downtown Walla Walla. She also puts a huge emphasis on family-spending time with her three grown children Murphy, Patrick and Shauna(who inspired her speech in 2012 and continued advocacy).

Thank you Representative Walsh for your commitment to be OUTSpoken!

Email:[email protected]

Phone (509) 527-4151

Logan Lynn is an American musician, writer, composer, singer, producer, LGBT activist and television personality from Portland, Oregon. He has released seven studio albums, fifteen music videos, four singles, three compilation records, five EP’s and one mixtape since 1998. Videos of Lynn’s singles have been featured on Logo, MTV, VH1 and Spike TV.

Based in Portland, Oregon, Lynn first gained national and international recognition in 2006 when MTV’s Logo channel began airing his music videos. He is the former host of “NewNowNext Music” and has done a number of televised commercial spots for the channel. Lynn’s “Feed Me To The Wolves” video was named one of 2008’s Top 10 Videos by the network.

Logan Lynn was signed to Caroline/EMI via The Dandy Warhols owned-and-operated Beat The World label from 2007 to 2010, when he announced that he would be going on hiatus to pursue activism work for the LGBT community full time.

In 2013 Lynn returned with a new record, a U.S. tour, a handful of videos, and the promise of a new sound on the way with what will be his 8th studio album, set for release in 2015.