It's time to Rock the Folk OUT

(Singer-songwriter Jake Walden: all photos c/o Regent Entertainment.)
Regent Media announced today the partnership of OUT magazine with here! Tunes to present the Rock the Folk OUT Tour. This East Coast tour showcases incredible, live music from three gifted, gay singer-songwriters. The fantastic bill boasts here! tunes recording artist Stewart Lewis, Los Angeles scene favorite Jake Walden, and acoustic performer Tom Goss. Each artist brings a unique flavor to the tour with their varied performance styles, but they are unified by an exceptional level of talent and poignant songwriting styles. This show is not to be missed.

"here! Tunes was conceived from a desire to bring talented gay and lesbian musicians out of stereotyped boundaries and into the lights of the stage to showcase their talents," said here! Tunes General Manager Brian Goldman. "Our goal remains highlighting the many talented gay and lesbian performers who have been flying under the radar. We want to showcase them in a way unparalleled in the music industry."

The dates for the Rock the Folk OUT Tour are as follows:

• December 9th at All Asia in Cambridge, Mass.

• December 10th at Zipper Factory in New York

• December 11th at Tin Angel in Philadelphia

• December 12th at The Hershee Bar in Norfollk

• December 13th at Read Street Books in Baltimore

• December 14th at Common Groundz in Richmond

• December 15th at IOTA Club and Café in Arlington

• December 17th at Holwer's Café in Pittsburgh.

For more information on tour dates, venue information, updates, and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the boys on the road, log on to Myspace.com/RockTheFolkOUT. Additionally, keep an eye out for tour info on Advocate.com, Out.com, Gaywired.com and other Regent Media sites.

Tom Goss.

These intimate performances treat fans to the toe-tapping, head-bopping acoustic melodies of Tom Goss, whose recent offering "Rise" has been recognized by DC Acoustic Underground as "easily one of the best releases this year." Goss said he's "proud to be a part of a community that has such a diverse music scene," and to tour with "exemplary artists interested in always taking their music to the next level."

Jake Walden's piano-driven, bittersweet ballads provide equally pleasing melodies of a more somber tone. Walden's elegant growl and rasp has earned the raw performer comparisons to Tom Waits. Walden confided, "I can't wait to share my songs and stories with audiences of all backgrounds, and this tour is my first chance to really get out there and do just that."

Stewart Lewis.

Stewart Lewis, the signature recording artist of the here! Tunes label, also looks forward to the dynamic tour. "Touring with other artists I admire always makes me play better," Lewis noted. "The coolest thing is all three of us have such different styles, which will make for well-rounded shows." Lewis' latest album, "In Formation," inspired Gay.com to laud him as "the feel good artist of the millennium."

Matching the artists' enthusiasm and sponsoring the tour is the premiere LGBT style and fashion publication, OUT. Aaron Hicklin, Editor in Chief of OUT and Out.com said, "OUT has always taken tremendous pride in championing emerging artists, which is why we're so delighted to be participating in Rock the Folk OUT, a fantastic showcase for some of the most exciting new talent of 2008."

For more information on the Rock the Folk OUT Tour visit Myspace.com/rockthefolkout or Out.com. You can find information on the Rock the Folk OUT artists on the web at: Myspace.com/stewartlewis, Myspace.com/jakewalden, and Myspace.com/tomgossmusic2.