Fontana Finds Easy Living With Matthew McConaughey's j.k. livin

Fontana Finds Easy Living With Matthew McConaughey's j.k. livin

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Fontana, the independent distribution arm of Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company, has signed an exclusive distribution deal with actor and entrepreneur Matthew McConaughey's recording label, j.k. livin. The announcement was made today by Ron Spaulding, Executive Vice President & General Manager, Fontana and McConaughey.

"There is no question that Matthew McConaughey is one of today's most popular personalities and successful entrepreneurs," stated Spaulding. "He's translated his simple, yet enthusiastic approach to life into his company, j.k. livin, and now his record label. We are thrilled to partner with him to bring j.k. livin's music to not only his loyal fans worldwide, but to music lovers everywhere."

j.k. livin is the name of McConaughey's production company and line of products which includes men's, women's and baby apparel as well as hard goods such as Frisbees, can coolers and stickers. The concept of j.k. livin started on the set of Dazed and Confused and the film's saying "just keep livin" which helped McConaughey through a rough time following the passing of his father in 1993. The j.k. livin approach is one that McConaughey carries through to his record label in his first signing, Mishka. McConaughey first encountered Mishka's music randomly and set upon trying to find the artist. After a five-year search, he finally found Mishka at the House of Blues on Sunset Blvd and later convinced the artist to sign with his new record label. With his roots in the Caribbean and his sound leaning towards reggae, Mishka's soulful debut album, Above the Bones, is sure to keep everyone listening. Mishka and McConaughey hit it off so well musically, the artist brought him into the recording sessions to contribute in production. McConaughey worked side by side with Darryl Thompson, who played for many years with Peter Tosh and Black Uhuru, and Mishka in order to create the album.

Mishka spent most of his childhood on a boat in the Caribbean, exploring the seafaring lifestyle that his parents dreamed of for their children. Mishka's parents met in Bermuda and his father built the boat the family would then call home for the years to come. The family "sailed all over the Atlantic and Caribbean," as they got a real-life education at every port of call. His diverse and distinct childhood accounts for the range in his musical taste, as well as style. Mishka uses his background in order to form a sound that is truly unique; he has always been "a huge reggae fan but there's folk, soul, rock and other elements in the music."

Above the Bones was released February 17, 2009 and will be supported by a North American tour, as well as a showcase at SXSW in McConaughey's hometown, Austin, TX.

About Fontana

Fontana Distribution, the independent arm of UMGD, provides unparalleled sales and marketing support, as well as back office services, for a diverse roster of labels and their artists. Fontana distributes more than 60 labels including American Gramophone, Angeles Records, Big Vin, Delicious Vinyl, Ipecac, Mad Science Recordings, Nitro, Quango, Rendezvous, Six Degrees, SMC, Telarc, Trustkill, Upstairs Records, Vagrant Records, VP Records, Warcon, and many others. In addition, Fontana distributes select projects from UMG labels worldwide.

About j.k. livin

In 1993, Matthew McConaughey was filming Dazed and Confused, struggling with the passing of his father when he was overtaken by a saying that would soon change his life. That saying was "just keep livin" or "j.k. livin" as it's now called. His father "Pop" is the man stenciled in the logo in remembrance of its origin. As life continued forward, he found that the j.k. livin approach to each day helped him navigate through the good times and bad, stay true to his ideals along the way and make the best out of this adventure we call life. j.k. livin is not a rulebook, it's a lifestyle.

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Source: Universal Music Group

CONTACT: Peter Lofrumento or Maria Ho-Burge, maria.ho-burge@umusic.com,
both of Universal Music Group, +1-212-331-2569

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Profile: International Entertainment