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April 22, 2005

Cesar Set to Rock Iraq!

Critically Acclaimed "Next Santana" Will Share
Heartfelt Hit "Soldier of Glory" And Other Songs
From Indie Hit Worlds of Change With U.S. Soldiers
On "The Gratitude Tour"

* * *
Guitarist Also To Host Benefit with Special Guests
for Fisher House, Which Supports
Wounded Soldiers and Their Families, at
L.A.'s The Derby On June 2


Like a supercharged twist on the legendary USO tours of old, charismatic pop/rock guitar sensation Cesar is revving his amps and gearing up to rock our troops! The acclaimed musician- hailed by some critics as "The Next Santana"--is set to spend May sharing his blistering blend of dance/pop/R&B grooves and brilliant solos with thousands of soldiers from the U.S. and throughout the world in Iraq and later in six other countries throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa.

Dubbed "The Gratitude Tour," the two hour extravaganza is slated to include many unforgettable musical moments, dancers, and a touch of home for the soldiers so far away from their loved ones. The centerpiece of the Argentinean born musician's show- and sure to become one of the great inspirational classics of all time- is his explosive career launching hit "Soldier of Glory," a song which poignantly portrays a soldier in battle on the field, thinking longingly of a loved one and hoping for a letter from home.

A sampling of the lyrics--which are sung on Cesar's Worlds of Change album (released by Darque Records) by renowned pop session and touring singer Steve Real, over Cesar's inimitable guitar lines and colorful arrangement- speaks to the hearts of millions who sacrifice for their country: "I am courage, I have fears...A letter from home/Will Heal the Wounds I Feel...I am a Soldier of Glory and Hope!" The images of any newscast or epic film of war stir in the mind.

Cesar wrote "Soldier of Glory" several years ago while working his night job at the McDonald's in the Delta Terminal at LAX. Around the time of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, soldiers came into the restaurant on their ways in and out of town between stints overseas. "I got to meet all these soldiers and told them about my music and how I was just doing my best to make a living," says Cesar. "This one soldier in particular, whose name was Jason, seemed kind of spacey, and he told me he had been injured in Kuwait and that the armed forces were sending him back home. We talked for a few minutes and he told me of his experiences there. The minute he left, I went into the bathroom with a pencil and paper and literally wrote the song in five minutes."

Last September, months before the February 2005 release of Worlds of Change, the song got the attention of the late Bob Hope's widow Delores and daughter Linda, who invited Caesar to headline at the re-dedication ceremony of the Bob Hope Hollywood USO at Los Angeles International Airport- an event which featured celebrities from the golden age of Bob Hope's USO tours and members of each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. The organization asked Cesar back to perform "Soldier of Glory" last December at a special holiday celebration for thousands of children and spouses of American servicemen and women at the Hollywood Park Racetrack.

Immediately upon Cesar's return from the month long tour, he is set to host "Guitarists Who Give A Damn", a benefit concert for The Fisher House Foundation, a facility that supports wounded soldiers and their families, on Thursday June 2 at The Derby, 4500 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles. The event's other scheduled performers and celebrity guest guitar greats will be announced shortly.

Since 1990 Fisher Houses have been serving military families during times of medical crisis. These comfort homes are built by the Fisher House Foundation, Inc., and given as gifts to the military Services and the Veteran's Affairs. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines all benefit. The Fisher House Foundation was established by noted philanthropist and patriot Zachary Fisher and his wife, Elizabeth. Zachary passed away in June 1999, but his nephew Arnold Fisher, and his great-nephew, Ken Fisher, continue to build Fisher Houses and carry on Zachary's legacy of helping military men and women and their families. The Fisher House enables families to stay together, cook meals, do laundry, and relax in a "home away from home" atmosphere.

For more information about Fisher Houses, please visit www.fisherhouse.org.





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Giveaways
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Modern Guitars has five copies of ASIA's new CD, Phoenix, to give away to readers on July 1, 2008. Contest entry information.

Modern Guitars has three copies of Tommy Emmanuel's new CD, Center Stage, to give away to readers on June 1, 2008. Contest entry information.

Modern Guitars has three copies of the Blue Book of Electric Guitars (11the Edition) to give away to readers on June 6, 2008. Contest entry information.

Noteworthy
Online exclusive: 1977 audio (with text) Steven Rosen interview of Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.



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