Josh Petersen, Founder of Music City Management, announced today the signing of Marc Martel, the voice of the Queen Extravaganza, the Official Queen Tribute Band produced by legendary Queen drummer Roger Taylor, and formerly the lead singer with the award-winning pop group Downhere. Martel is scheduled to release his long awaited covers album on June 17, 2016, The Covers LP, Vol. 1. The project will feature fan requested songs, such as Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” and Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” as well as many more favorites done in Martel’s unique vocal style. Martel will be performing songs from the new record at an upcoming Nashville concert, March 28th at The High Watt, 1 Cannery Row, 8:00 pm CDT.
“Marc is a top tier entertainer, and one of the best vocalists in the world,” says Petersen. “When you get to experience him singing live, even once, you know there is something unique and special about his talents. I could not be more thrilled to work alongside Martel to share his music with people everywhere.”
Petersen launched Music City Management in 2012 and has worked with a variety of clients in Country, Rock, Pop, Christian and Bluegrass. The company’s current roster includes 14 time Grammy winning Bluegrass/Country legend Ron Block, of Alison Krauss and Union Station, and Marc Martel. With the partnership of Petersen, Block formed his own record label, Hogan’s House of Music, that released his fourth and fifth solo projects last year, Hogan’s House of Music, which entered Billboard’s Bluegrass Chart at No. 2 and the holiday album Carter’s Creek Christmas.
Music City Management also handles consulting for several other clients that includes the Dove Nominated children’s series, Slugs and Bugs, from Randall Goodgame, WCOL radio’s Country Jam, a major annual festival in Central Ohio, and Nashville photographer, Crystal K. Martel.
About Marc Martel
Marc Martel was born in Montreal, Canada and his love of music came from his parents. That passion for music followed Martel as he was growing up and came to fruition at Briercrest College and Seminary, where the Christian band Downhere was formed with roommate Jason Germain. Adding two other members, Jeremy Thiessen and Glenn Lavender, the group became based in Nashville, TN and was signed by Word Records and Centricity Music. Downhere released six studio albums, won 24 GMA Canada Covenant Awards, five Juno Awards and one Dove Award, before disbanding in 2012.
In 2011, Martel’s life took a major turn when his cover of Queen’s “Somebody to Love” was submitted to the Queen Extravaganza competition by Martel’s wife, and then became a multi-million sensation when posted on YouTube. To this day the video has over 12 million views and the number is still climbing. With his Freddie Mercury looks and vocals, Martel was added to the Queen Extravaganza, the Official Queen Tribute Band, which led to major media coverage with the Ellen DeGeneres Show, American Idol, USA Today, Huffington Post, Wall Street Journal and Billboard. With the Queen Extravaganza Tour, Martel has toured the U.S., Canada and internationally, while also performing solo for The Phoenix Suns, LA Clippers, San Francisco Giants and the Calgary Stampede. Martel lives in the Nashville area with his wife Crystal. www.marcmartel.com.
About Josh Petersen
Josh Petersen hails from Granville, Ohio and attended Mount Vernon Nazarene University. While in college, Petersen took to the airwaves at the Christian radio station, WNZR, in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Upon graduation in 2003, Petersen followed his love of music and moved to Nashville transitioning over to the record label side of the Christian music industry. He worked at Waterfront Entertainment, SRE/INO, and Centricity Music covering marketing, sales, and radio promotion.