October 23, 2009 – Readers of SoulTracks (www.soultracks.com), America ’s most popular soul music website, have begun voting to choose the winners of this year’s SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Awards. From now through November 8th, voters will be deciding the winners of the largest international awards dedicated to independent soul music.
This year, however, the voting takes on new meaning: For the 2009 Awards, SoulTracks has adopted Detroit ’s Cornerstone Schools (www.cornerstoneschools.org), a collection of urban schools that provide children of the city with an excellent education, preparing them for life and leadership. As part of this effort, SoulTracks will donate $1.00 to Cornerstone for every SoulTracks reader who votes in this year’s online SoulTracks Awards poll. Initial ballots were sent out by email to SoulTracks readers on October 23, and additional ballots will be sent out daily to all new free email signups at SoulTracks through Saturday, November 7th. Any visitor to www.soultracks.com can sign up for free.
“We are extremely grateful to Chris Rizik and all the SoulTracks readers who vote online in the SoulTracks Awards poll. Music is so integral to a child’s education and development. At Cornerstone, all third graders receive and learn the violin, which instills discipline and dexterity,†says Hope Redmond, Vice President Development. “Cornerstone’s music program extends beyond the strings program and includes choral music and piano, important programs that are void at most schools today.â€
In addition, as part of the Awards, a contribution will be made by SoulTracks to the Philill Foundation (www.philill.org), a foundation formed by music legend Phil Perry and his wife Lillian designed to advance health and wellness education in underprivileged areas.
The SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Awards will be presented via an international radio broadcast on Monday, December 7, 2009, hosted by Atlanta-based music luminary Jodine Dorce and broadcast via a network of soul music internet radio stations around the world, including her JodinesCorner.com.
Further information about the SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Awards can be obtained by visiting http://www.soultracks.com/2009-awards-finalists.
About SoulTracks: SoulTracks (www.soultracks.com) is America ’s most popular website dedicated to classic and modern soul music, with over 10,000,000 visits to date by soul music fans around the world. SoulTracks features hundreds of biographies of classic and modern soul artists as well as news, CD reviews and “Where Are They Now?” features. It is also the creator of the annual SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Awards, the leading awards in the world celebrating independent soul music.
About Cornerstone Schools: Cornerstone Schools has served Detroit families since 1991. Cornerstone provides an excellent education to students in Pre-K through 8th grades. The school tracks 8th grade graduates and achieves an impressive 95% high school graduation rate. Cornerstone Schools is a 501 3c non-profit organization. Visit www.CornerstoneSchools.org for more information on Cornerstone Schools and how they are helping to change Detroit one child at a time.
