 NASHVILLE, TN. (Universal South/ www.universal-south.com) - Millions of American television viewers who saw Bering Strait profiled on "60 Minutes" are eager to know that they will be releasing their sophomore CD on June 28th. Their backstory is unparalleled. Six classically trained Russian teenage musicians formed a band, called Bering Strait, traveled to the US and signed a record deal. They were profiled in the New York Times and the Washington Post, and their story aired an unprecedented three times on CBS News' "60 Minutes." They received their first Grammy nomination the day before their debut CD was released. The Ballad of Bering Strait, a 90-minute Emmy-nominated documentary film offering a no-holds barred look at the band's remarkable story, was released theatrically in 2003. CMT (Country Music Television) premiered the film that year and it was also released on DVD/VHS home video. The members of Bering Strait traveled from their native Obninsk to Nashville in 1998 and soon were signed to a record deal. Music industry turmoil surfaced and the band was shuttled from label to label with still no record released. Four years, five record labels and one apartment fire later, all six found themselves living together with their manager's family on a small farm outside of Nashville. Work visas restricted them from getting "day jobs" and the manager was almost bankrupt. Finally, in 2003, their long wait came to an end when Universal South Records (the joint venture between Universal Records and highly respected music executives Tony Brown and Tim DuBois) released their self-titled debut album. Bering Strait, a collection of bluegrass-pop-rock-infused country music, received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Instrumental Performance for the original composition "Bearing Straight." The band's story clearly illustrates that their talent is matched only by their tenacity and commitment to their craft. After almost seven years of living in this country, it is apparent that the same discipline applied toward their instruments has been utilized in the pursuit of their dreams.
Bering Strait's second studio album, Pages - produced by two-time Grammy award winning producer Carl Jackson (Livin' Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers) - will be released by Universal South Records on June 28, 2005.
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