LOS ANGELES, CA. (Top40 Charts/ Fuel 2000) - Growing up in Cleveland, Dave Ritz spent his summers hanging around old Municipal Stadium, later Jacobs Field, cheering on his hometown Indians from the bleachers, watching batting practice, and taking part in on-field meet and greets with his baseball heroes Albert Bell, Robbie Alomar,
Sandy Alomar Jr., Jim Tome and Manny Ramirez.
Now, with the singer/songwriter's melodic powerhouse band Genuine Sun breaking through to major national acclaim, Ritz is taking himself-and his band mates Adam Marra (lead guitar), Tim Kollar (bass) and Joey Gerbasi (drums)-out to the ballgame this summer with innovative promotional giveaways of their independent debut CD Return at minor league ballparks around the country.
Fans at over 40 parks-from Lancaster, California, to Lexington, Kentucky, and Lowell, Massachusetts, will win copies of the critically acclaimed collection in a variety of fun ways: between innings on field, trivia contests, text messages, being a lucky seat holder, etc.
In early July, fans at Classic Park, home of the Indians' Single-A affiliate Lake County Captains in Eastlake, Ohio, not only had the opportunity to win copies of Return-they also had the unique opportunity to hear the band perform live! All summer, Genuine Sun is setting up something of a musical residence there, performing sets of their music before and after the team's games on the patio near where ticketholders enter and exit the stadium.
In August, Ritz is also scheduled to perform an a capella version of the national anthem at Progressive Field, home of the major league Indians. He will also perform the song for LeBron James and company before a Cleveland Cavaliers game this winter.
Genuine Sun has been doing an average of three dates a week everywhere from Philly and Chicago to Pittsburgh and Minneapolis. The national buzz is intensifying thanks to the airplay their first single "Goodbye" is getting at stations around the country.
The song recently leaped to No 14* on FMQB's AC40 chart, ahead of Colbie Caillat and John Mayer and just behind Mindi Abair and Carly Simon; Genuine Sun is heading towards the Top Ten, where superstars Leona Lewis, Daughtry and American Idol winner David Cook are currently holding court.
