Ford Announces the Completion of ‘Gimme the Gig’ Indie Music and Band Search Contest

* Winner to be chosen at live Hollywood show on Feb. 17
* Seven bands will compete out of 2,500 that applied
* Grand prize includes working with Don Was to produce two original songs

IRVINE, Calif.,– Ford Motor Company and Grammy® Award-winning producer Don Was have announced the culmination of their seven-month competition, titled “Gimme the Gig,” sponsored by the 2011 Ford Fiesta. The grand prize-winning band will be chosen during a live performance taking place Thursday, Feb. 17, at the world-famous Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles.

The live concert event will showcase performances by the seven top-voted up-and-coming bands selected from a pool of 2,500 total applicants during a seven-month-long competition launched on June 1, 2010. Legendary Grammy Award-winning producer Don Was will host the competition. The concert will also stream live online at the contest’s official website, www.gimmethegig.com.

“Gimme the Gig was a natural complement to the launch of Ford Fiesta because of the demographic of start-up bands and Fiesta’s association with music, such as American Idol and the SYNC AppLink feature,” said Tom Grill, U.S. Western Ford Market Area sales and marketing manager. “The promotion has exceeded our expectations in the number of participants and awareness for Fiesta in the western states.”

The grand prize gives the winning band the opportunity to work with Was and have two original tracks produced by the legendary producer. Also included is production, studio fees, remixing and engineering. The band will also retain ownership rights to its two recordings.

More than 250,000 people participated online during the competition from across the country. The finalists, who were announced last week on the official website and Facebook, include Eyeshine (Granada Hills, Calif.), Jake Newton (Los Angeles), Lost in Atlantis (Phoenix), Lost Point (Littleton, Colo.), Perry Acker (Gig Harbor, Wash.), Roosevelt Radio (Oakland, Calif.) and Wooster (Santa Cruz, Calif.).

The competition called for video submissions from bands to perform original songs. Voting online narrowed down the bands to the top five and two “wild cards.” Fans were treated to live performances that took place in 75 West Coast locations. Each location was staged as a “Fiesta Lounge” to coincide with the launch of the 2011 Ford Fiesta.

Concert details:
Who: Don Was and the seven Gimme the Gig finalist bands
What: Live concert where winner of contest will be chosen
When: Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011 at 7 p.m. PT
Where: Whiskey A Go Go
8901 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, Calif., 90069
Extra: Live streaming on www.gimmethegig.com

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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.

About Don Was
Don Was is a Grammy Award winning record producer, musician and bassist who most recently produced the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street released in May. He recently finished working on the Stone Temple Pilots’ album.