<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Cambria;
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Bookman Old Style";
panose-1:2 5 6 4 5 5 5 2 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoAcetate, li.MsoAcetate, div.MsoAcetate
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
span.BalloonTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Balloon Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text";
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="2050" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><img width="262" height="104" id="_x0000_i1027" src="cid:image008.jpg@01CD76F9.EAE171F0" alt="press here bw logo"></span></b><b><span style="font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">15<sup>th</sup> ANNUAL JOHN LENNON SONGWRITING CONTEST AWARDS “SONG OF THE YEAR” TO M.C. DEAN “DL” LEESON<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><img width="260" height="208" id="il_fi" src="cid:image009.jpg@01CD76F9.EAE171F0" alt="http://www.joanieleeds.com/images/news/030510/JLsongwritinglogo.jpg"></span><b><span style="font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">AUSTRALIAN ARTIST BECOMES FIRST HIP HOP ENTRANT TO NAB THE “SONG OF THE YEAR” PRIZE!<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter" />
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0" />
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" />
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t" />
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_3" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="3.jpg" style='position:absolute;margin-left:1.85pt;margin-top:1.4pt;width:113.85pt;height:210.55pt;z-index:1;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text'>
<v:imagedata src="cid:image005.jpg@01CD76F8.EEE403E0" o:title="3" />
<w:wrap type="square"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="152" height="281" src="cid:image010.jpg@01CD76F9.EAE171F0" align="left" hspace="12" alt="3.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_3"><![endif]><b><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">New
York, NY- August 10<sup>th</sup>, 2012</span></b><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""> --
<b>The John Lennon Songwriting Contest</b> is proud to announce the winner of the coveted “Song of the Year” award:
<b>Dean “DL” Leeson</b>! The Australia-native not only had a Grand Prize winning song entered in Session II, 2011, but also took home a finalist prize package in that same session!
<b>DL</b> beat out 11 other award-winning songwriters in the final round of the contest’s adjudication process with his original Hip Hop composition, “Until Today” and became the first Hip Hop artist to ever win the “Song of the Year” award! “Until Today” took
home a Grand Prize package as well as a Lennon Award prize package prior to winning the huge $20,000.00 cash prize for the Song of the Year.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">“</span></i><i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">Winning the Song of the Year is completely overwhelming. It’s such a relief to know that my hard
work has paid off & I feel honoured to know that such icons in the music industry voted MY song the best,”</span></i><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""> said
<b>DL</b>. <i>“Being the very first hip hop song of the year winner is an amazing feeling! It’s excellent to see that the JLSC gives all categories a chance-and this win proves it.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">Now in its 15<sup>th</sup> year, the internationally renowned
<b>John Lennon Songwriting Contest</b> highlights promising amateur and professional songwriters who submit entries in any one of 12 categories, including Rock, Country, Jazz, Pop, World, Rhythm and Blues, Hip Hop, Gospel/Inspirational, Latin, Electronic, Folk,
and Children’s. The contest is open year round and features two sessions, with a total of 72 finalists, 24 Grand Prize winners, 12 Lennon Award winners, and one “Song of the Year” winner.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">The writer(s) of the “Song of the Year,” the highest honor bestowed in the contest, received a $20,000 check as well as an Avid prize pack, a Mackie Mixer, a Pair of Mackie Studio Monitors,
and a $1,000 Gift certificate to Digital Media Academy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">Listen to and download
<b>DL’s </b>John Lennon Songwriting Contest-winning song “Until Today” </span><a href="http://jlsc.com/winners/2011b/song_of_the_year.php"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">HERE</span></a><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">Learn more about
<b>DL</b> and his music </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/dlartistpage"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">HERE</span></a><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">Visit the
<b>John Lennon Songwriting Contest</b> for more information on the competition </span>
<a href="http://jlsc.com/index.php"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">HERE</span></a><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">Press Contact:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:black">Press Here<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:black">Sam Orlando / Binta Jammeh<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><a href="https://mail.pressherepublicity.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=bf5c35096f994841819ff6fc67093280&URL=mailto%3asam%40pressherepublicity.com" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">sam@pressherepublicity.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:black">
/ </span><a href="https://mail.pressherepublicity.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=bf5c35096f994841819ff6fc67093280&URL=mailto%3abinta%40pressherepublicity.com" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif"">binta@pressherepublicity.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:black">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:black">212.246.2640<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style","serif";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">Binta Jammeh</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:#C00000">PRESS HERE </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:black">(New York)</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">138 W. 25<sup>th</sup> St., 9<sup>th</sup> Floor, New York, NY 10001</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">P: (212) 246-2640<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:binta@pressherepublicity.com"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:blue">binta@pressherepublicity.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:#C00000">PRESS HERE </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">(Los Angeles)</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">8105 West Third St.,<b><span style="color:#C00000"> </span></b>Los Angeles, CA 90048<b><span style="color:#C00000"> </span></b></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">P: (323) 556-9752 </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif""> </span></i><a href="http://www.twitter.com/presshere"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:blue">www.twitter.com/presshere</span></i></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif"">Click to view website:</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.presshere.com/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";color:#1F497D;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="79" height="33" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image007.jpg@01CD76F8.EEE403E0" alt="Description: Description: Description: cid:image001.jpg@01CD6F46.9F2B47A0"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>