Nashville Artist Tori Sparks Crosses Over with the Help of Universal Music France

Nashville, TN. (Top40 Charts/ Universal Music France) - Singer-songwriter Tori Sparks was approached by Universal Music France representatives Jean Claude Paulin and Zvi Fajol, and asked to include her song "Cold War" on their upcoming Country compilation. Sparks is one of few independent recording artists to be included on a major label release. The compilation, is the second of its kind to be put out by Universal France, and will be released in France, Monaco, Andorra, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Liechtenstein, and French territories overseas on February 4th. (www.universalmusic.fr)

"Cold War" is the first single off Sparks' critically-acclaimed album, Under This Yellow Sun. Harp, Relix, Skope, Maverick magazines and more have praised Sparks' impassioned delivery and eclectic style. The record was co-produced by Sparks and Nashville-based indie rock veteran David Henry (R.E.M., Ben Folds, Josh Rouse, Jill Sobule, Cowboy Junkies), and is the first release on Tori's own label, Glass Mountain Records. (www.glassmountainrecords.com) Under This Yellow Sun was recently featured on XM Radio, and has been licensed in full by MTV, Lifetime, and the Oxygen Network for use in their 2008 television seasons.

Sparks' notoriously unclassifiable music runs the gamut from rock to jazz to Americana. A Nashville transplant from Chicago by way of Florida, her association with Music City has lately carved inroads to the country market. Tori first came into the public eye in a big way when she spearheaded a folk art auction and tour to benefit charitable organization Oxfam America in 2006.

Tori is fluent in French, and studied at the renowned Institute Catholique in Paris while a student at Florida State University. Tori has since toured in France, England and Ireland, as well as North America. She will be showcasing at the 20th Annual International Folk Alliance and the 12th Annual Millennium Music Conference in February. (www.torisparks.com)