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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Chris Cornell Partners with Gibson for Special Edition Guitars- In Stores April 2013<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></u></b></p>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="247" height="370" src="cid:image001.jpg@01CE3052.4DD3A2D0" align="left" hspace="12" alt="soundgarden_riviera-chicago_1-30-2013_joeyhill-10" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><b>New
York, NY—April 3, 2013</b>—<b> Gibson<span style="color:#1F497D"> </span></b>has recently announced its exclusive partnership with multi-Grammy award winning musician <b>Chris Cornell
</b>of<b> Soundgarden. </b>Cornell has designed <b>two special edition guitars</b> that will be available at Gibson authorized dealers globally this April. The first model is an
<b>ES 335</b> with Lollar Tron pickups and a <b>bigsby</b> in army green, and the second is an
<b>ES 335 </b>with Lollar Tron pickups in flat black. Both models were made with brushed nickel hardware and Grover brushed nickel machine heads and tuners. The guitars will be sold in a Gibson Hardcase signed by Chris and only 250 of each model have been manufactured
for purchase.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“I am honored to have designed a Signature guitar for Gibson, and look forward to using it on tour with Soundgarden in May,” said Cornell.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Chris Cornell has been highly regarded for over two decades as a renowned singer, songwriter and lyricist. He recently returned with his iconic band Soundgarden for their first new studio album in over 16 years,
<b><i>King Animal</i></b>, which debuted in the Top 5 on the charts, and is one the of the band's most
<b>critically acclaimed</b> LPs to date. Chris has also been the singer and main songwriter of celebrated rock bands Audioslave and Temple of The Dog. As a solo artist, Chris contributed songs to movie soundtracks from
<i>Great Expectations </i>to <i>Mission Impossible II</i>, and became the first American male singer to write and perform the theme song for the James Bond franchise in
<i>Casino Royale</i>. He was recently nominated for a <i>Golden Globe</i> for his original song, “The Keeper” written for the film
<i>Machine Gun Preacher</i> and wrote<i> </i>the song “Live to Rise” performed by Soundgarden in the mega-hit Disney film
<b>The Avengers</b>. Cornell also had the honor of performing at the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors Gala, and at the 2013 Obama Presidential Inaugural Ball.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Soundgarden is embarking on the second leg of their sold-out North American tour on May 3<sup>rd</sup> in Atlantic City in suppport of
<b><i>King Animal</i></b>. Fans can expect to see Chris playing the special edition guitars live on tour! Additionally, on Record Store Day, April 20, Soundgarden will be releasing a limited edition vinyl of the
<b><i>King Animal</i></b> demos worldwide. This is the first time these recordings have been available together.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For more information, go to<span style="color:#1F497D"> </span>
<a href="http://www.chriscornell.com">www.chriscornell.com</a> or <a href="http://www.soundgardenworld.com">
www.soundgardenworld.com</a> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>ABOUT GIBSON<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Founded in 1894, Gibson is a global musical and lifestyle company based in Nashville, Tennessee, that creates products to enrich the lives of musicians, fans, and consumers, alike. Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models
in every major style of fretted instrument, including its iconic acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Run by technology visionary, Henry Juszkiewicz, the company has been at the forefront of innovation since its inception, the latest of which
is the Firebird X guitar. Through the Gibson Foundation, Gibson has become equally known for its philanthropic efforts on behalf of music, education, health and human services. Gibson’s family of brands encompass some of the most widely known and respected
in the history of music and entertainment, including Epiphone, KRK, Stanton, Onkyo, Dobro, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Maestro, Oberheim, Baldwin, Sunshine Piano, Take Anywhere Technology, J&C Fischer,
Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. For more information visit: <a href="http://www.gibson.com">
www.gibson.com</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/gibsonguitar">www.facebook.com/gibsonguitar</a>,
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/gibsonguitar">www.twitter.com/gibsonguitar</a>. <o:p>
</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(Photo: Chris with Army Green Gibson guitar, credit Joey Hill)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>For More Information on Gibson, please contact:<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fred Yager<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">VP Media Creation<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:fred.yager@gibson.com">fred.yager@gibson.com</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>For more information on Chris Cornell or Soundgarden, please contact:<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Press Here<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Gina Schulman<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:gina@pressherepublicity.com">gina@pressherepublicity.com</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Gibson<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tina Simpkin<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:tina.simpkin@gibson.com">tina.simpkin@gibson.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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