HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Music legend Brian Wilson and Capitol Records / EMI are partnering with Gannett for an exclusive premiere of Wilson's new album, That Lucky Old Sun. From August 22 to September 1, more than 50 Gannett newspaper and TV station websites, including USATODAY.com, will exclusively offer full streaming audio of Wilson's new album before its September 2 release. The innovative promotion is the first of its kind for Gannett, which has never before partnered with an artist to offer an album premiere across its media Websites.

Visitors to select Gannett sites, including USATODAY.com, 32 local Gannett newspaper websites and 19 local Gannett TV websites, will be able to listen to the full 38-minute album in sequence or skip ahead or back to individual tracks. The album will not be available for download from Gannett's sites, but the streaming audio player will link directly to Amazon.com to pre-order the CD, limited edition CD/DVD and digital album.

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While it is fairly common practice for artists to offer promotional pre-release web streaming of new music, it is a unique arrangement to stream an album on newspaper and TV websites. For Gannett, this is an opportunity to deliver new music from a respected artist familiar to its core news audience. Top Gannett markets were chosen for the web streams, some because of the size of the market, others because of a large Brian Wilson fan base.

"Streaming a full album is a first for Gannett, so we are thrilled to be working with Capitol Records and a musician of Brian Wilson's stature to deliver music in a new way to our online audiences. This positions us well to expand our digital platforms while demonstrating the power of Gannett to deliver quality content across a network of websites," said Jim Lenahan, strategic development manager for Gannett's U.S. Community Publishing division.

Brian Wilson is one of popular music's most deeply revered figures, a legendary writer, producer, arranger and performer of some of the most cherished music in rock history. For the release of his new studio album, That Lucky Old Sun, Wilson has returned to Capitol Records / EMI, his original label home. The new album will be released on CD, limited edition CD/DVD, and digitally on September 2 (September 1 internationally). On August 19, the album is released as a limited edition 180-gram vinyl LP.

"This music is really special to me and I hope that everyone will enjoy it!," says Brian Wilson.

A musical love letter from Southern California, That Lucky Old Sun shimmers with sun-dappled choruses and arrangements that swell and swirl as if carried by the Pacific tides. Rolling Stone magazine has deemed it "Brian's strongest new work in years," and one of the album's songs, "Midnight's Another Day," has been described by MOJO magazine as "glorious." The album is narrated in transitional interludes spoken by Wilson as 'That Lucky Old Sun,' the storyteller. The narratives, cameos on life and the heartbeat of Los Angeles, propel the album's musical story.

Wilson describes That Lucky Old Sun as an "interwoven series of 'rounds' with interspersed spoken word," and as an autobiographical travelogue of sorts. The new studio album is produced by Wilson and was created with his acclaimed band at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, where he first recorded in 1962.

The new release is the dawning of a new California morning for Brian Wilson, continuing the awe-inspiring concept album journey that he first began four decades ago. Wilson's songwriting, arranging and producing talents came together in harmonious glory for The Beach Boys' 1966 classic, Pet Sounds, and have continued to evolve during his solo career, highlighted by his 2004 critically acclaimed Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE. Lyrically and in Wilson's incomparably lush, evocative arrangements, That Lucky Old Sun adds a new chapter to Wilson's conceptual presentations, reaching ever higher with his vibrant and moving autobiographical storytelling and intricate harmonies.

Following numerous nominations, Wilson won a well-deserved Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance (2004) for "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" and he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Last December, he was feted as a leading cultural icon by The Kennedy Center Honors alongside Diana Ross, Martin Scorsese, Steve Martin and Leon Fleisher.

Brian Wilson will tour with his band this fall, performing songs from That Lucky Old Sun and his classic hits. For more information, please visit http://www.brianwilson.com.

That Lucky Old Sun will be exclusively available for streaming between August 22 and September 1 on these Gannett websites:

USA TODAY USATODAY.com

Gannett Local Newspaper Websites:
PropertyWebsite
Arizona Republic (Phoenix) azcentral.com
Detroit Free Press Freep.com
Indianapolis Star Indystar.com
Nashville TennesseanTennessean.com
Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati.com
Honolulu Advertiser Honoluluadvertiser.com
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle Democratandchronicle.com
Des Moines Register Desmoinesregister.com
Louisville Courier-Journal Courier-journal.com
Fort Myers News-Press News-press.com
Asbury Park Press App.com
The Desert Sun (Palm Springs CA)Mydesert.com
Reno Gazette JournalRgj.com
Wilmington (Del.) News Journal Delawareonline.com
Cherry Hill (N.J.) Courier-Post Courierpostonline.com
Greenville (S.C.) News Greenvilleonline.com
Florida Today (Brevard County) Floridatoday.com
Green Bay Press Gazette Greenbaypressgazette.com
The Journal News (Westchester
County NY) Lohud.com
Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader News-leader.com
Jackson (Miss.) Clarion Ledger Clarionledger.com
Sioux Falls Argus LeaderArgusleader.com
Lafayette (La.) Daily AdvertiserTheadvertiser.com
Pensacola News Journal Pnj.com
Salem (Ore.) Statesman Journal Statesmanjournal.com
Appleton (Wis.) Post Crescent Postcrescent.com
Burlington (Vt.) Free Press Burlingtonfreepress.com
Shreveport TimesShreveporttimes.com
St. Cloud (Minn.) Times Sctimes.com
Newark (Ohio) Advocate Newarkadvocate.com
Lancaster (Ohio) Eagle-Gazette Lancastereaglegazette.com
Battle Creek (Mich.) Enquirer Battlecreekenquirer.com

Gannett Television Sites:
PropertyWebsite
WUSA (Washington DC)Wusa9.com
KARE (Minneapolis) Kare11.com
WCSH (Portland ME) Wcsh6.com
WLBZ (Bangor ME)Wlbz2.com
KTVD, KUSA (Denver) My20denver.com; 9news.com
WGRZ (Buffalo) Wgrz.com
WZZM (Grand Rapids MI) Wzzm13.com
WKYC (Cleveland)Wkyc.com
KXTV (Sacramento CA)News10.net
WATL, WXIA (Atlanta)Myatltv.com; 11alive.com
WLTX (Columbia SC) Wltx.com
WFMY (Greensboro NC)Digtriad.com
WTLV, WJXX (Jacksonville FL)Firstcoastnews.com
WBIR (Knoxville TN) Wbir.com
KTHV (Little Rock) Todaysthv.com
WMAZ (Macon GA) 13wmaz.com
KPNX (Phoenix) Azcentral.com
KSDK (St. Louis)Ksdk.com
WTSP (Tampa-St. Pete) Tampabays10.com