Verizon Wireless' 2005 Music Unleashed Concert Series Kicks Off With Platinum Recording Artist John Legend

Verizon Wireless' 2005 Music Unleashed Concert Series Kicks Off With Platinum Recording Artist John Legend

BEDMINSTER, N.J., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless' Music Unleashed Concert Series turns up the heat this summer with the smooth vocals of John Legend, a Good Music/Sony Urban/Columbia Records platinum recording artist, whose debut album, Get Lifted, has sold more than 1 million copies and has also been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The latest addition to Verizon Wireless' Music Unleashed Concert Series, the John Legend "Get Lifted" tour began June 12th in Florida.

This year, the Verizon Wireless Music Unleashed Concert Series allows John Legend fans to participate in exclusive tour events and personalize their wireless phones with the newest grooves from the artist. Verizon Wireless provides fans innovative options to participate in the tour through access to John Legend wireless downloads, on-site picture and text blogging, exclusive events and the chance to win a trip to Los Angeles to meet John Legend. In addition, John Legend will make personal in-store appearances for fans and Verizon Wireless Communications Store patrons. In-store dates include:

* July 8, 2005 Denver, CO * July 23, 2005 Philadelphia, PA * July 29, 2005 Columbus, OH * August 5, 2005 Memphis, TN * August 18, 2005 San Diego, CA * August 20, 2005 Los Angeles, CA * August 25, 2005 Seattle, WA

With the John Legend Verizon Wireless Music Unleashed Concert Series, die-hard John Legend fans can play the TXT2WIN(R) TRIVIA game on their Verizon Wireless phones to win two concert tickets. To enter, fans answer trivia questions about John Legend with their phones; winners will be notified by their phone as well. Five winners in each city will win a pair of tickets to attend the concert in their city as well as Meet and Greet passes to meet John Legend and have their photo taken with John Legend. Standard TXT Messaging rates apply and customers need a two-way TXT Messaging-capable phone to send and receive messages.

Fans can also participate in an innovative Web-based Audio eCard Sweepstakes and design/send original John Legend Audio eCards to their friends. Each card sent is an automatic entry into the sweepstakes. One random daily winner will be posted to the Verizon Wireless John Legend tour site. Of the daily winners, one random winner will be selected to receive a trip for two to Los Angeles to meet John Legend at the Los Angeles House of Blues concert performance.

Verizon Wireless V CAST customers can get up close and personal with John Legend while he's on tour. As part of the Verizon Wireless Music Unleashed series, John Legend will play exclusive performances for V CAST. Special backstage interview sessions will also be available to Verizon Wireless V CAST customers during the concert series. V CAST from Verizon Wireless is the nation's first wireless broadband multimedia service for consumers that brings high-quality video, 3D games and music straight to hot new phones.

Fans can also relive the grooves of their favorite John Legend songs directly on their Verizon Wireless phones. Customers with select Get It Now(R)-enabled phones can download chart-topping John Legend singles like "Ordinary People" or "Used To Love U" as their ring tone. John Legend wallpaper and screensavers are also available on select Get It Now-enabled phones, allowing customers to carry their favorite artist with them wherever they go.

For official contest and sweepstakes rules, please visit http://www.johnlegendconcerts.com/ . The Verizon Wireless Music Unleashed Concert Series featuring John Legend visits the following cities:

* June 12, 2005 House of Blues, Orlando, FL * June 14, 2005 House of Blues, Myrtle Beach, SC * June 15, 2005 Wolftrap, Vienna, VA * June 17, 2005 Starland Ballroom, Sayerville, NJ * June 20, 2005 Webster Theatre, Hartford, CT * June 21, 2005 Landmark Theatre, Richmond, VA * June 23, 2005 Norva, Norfolk, VA * June 24, 2005 Carolina Theatre, Durham, NC * June 25, 2005 Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte, SC * June 26, 2005 Moran Theatre, Jacksonville, FL * June 30, 2005 Alabama Theatre, Birmingham, AL * July 2, 2005 Stubbs Outdoor, Austin, TX * July 8, 2005 Gothic Theatre, Denver CO * July 9, 2005 Uptown Theatre, Kansas City, MO * July 11, 2005 Quest, Minneapolis, MN * July 22, 2005 House of Blues, Atlantic City, NJ * July 29, 2005 New Port Music Hall, Columbus, OH * August 5, 2005 Orpheum Theater, Memphis, TN * August 12, 2005 Sunset Station, San Antonio, TX * August 18, 2005 Humphries, San Diego, CA * August 20, 2005 House of Blues, Los Angeles, CA * August 21, 2005 House of Blues, Los Angeles, CA * August 25, 2005 Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR * August 26, 2005 Moore Theatre, Seattle, WA

* Contest runs through August 23, 2005.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 45.5 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com/. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

Source: Verizon Wireless

CONTACT: Brenda Boyd Raney of Verizon Wireless, +1-908-306-4834, Brenda.Raney@verizonwireless.com

Web site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/ http://www.johnlegendconcerts.com/ http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia

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