CHICAGO (July 25, 2011) — The hit HBO vampire drama True Blood will feature a song by Chicago Americana group The Spares in its July 31 episode, officials from the show announced today.

“The haunting twang and dark sexiness of The Spares mixed very nicely in the world of True Blood,” says Gary Calamar, the show’s Grammy-nominated music supervisor. True Blood was also nominated for four Emmy Awards earlier this month.

Calamar chose the song “Mexico” to include in an episode entitled “I Wish I Was the Moon” (Season 4, Episode 6). The track was written and recorded by The Spares in 2005 for the group’s first CD, Hand Me Down. “Mexico” was also named “Country Song of the Year” in 2006 by the Independent Artists Company.

“’Mexico’ is about someone who is frustrated with day-to-day life, and who dreams of making a dramatic change to shake up that routine,” says Steve Hendershot of The Spares, who wrote the song along with lead vocalist Jodee Lewis. “What I had in mind at the time was wanting to quit my job at Northwestern University to be a musician. But I can see how it would apply equally well to the people and vampires of Bon Temps, Louisiana.”

The Spares have released three CDs since Hand Me Down, including Beautiful and Treacherous Thing in 2007 (a finalist for “Americana Album of the Year” in the 2009 Just Plain Folks Music Awards) and 2010’s Everything Is Easy, released last August at a sold-out concert at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music.

True Blood’s Calamar was introduced to The Spares by Brooke Blocki of KMA Licensing (http://www.kmalicensing.com), a Chicago-based music licensing company that helps musicians gain television, film and advertising placements.

“We’re thrilled to be able to introduce the Spares to millions of people worldwide,” says Blocki. “This will also draw national attention to the great independent music that comes from Chicago.”

The Spares’ original acoustic music has been described as “hauntingly gorgeous” (Maverick Magazine), “simple, aching and hearty” (NewCity Chicago), and “somewhere in heaven between Gram Parsons and Alison Krauss” (Smother Magazine). “Their sound kind of tracks their personal journeys in encompassing the range of the American heartland,” says Alison Cuddy of WBEZ (Chicago’s NPR affiliate). “That may be why, in spite of the literal spareness of their music, it can be hard to categorize.” Indeed, The Spares’ songs fuse country, folk, blues and rock. The lyrics are thoughtful and honest, just as the music is raw, beautiful and compelling.

Listen: ”Mexico” is available for purchase via iTunes, Amazon MP3 and other Internet music retailers. The song is also available for streaming at http://www.thespares.com/listen/ 

Upcoming Performance by The Spares: The Spares’ next Chicago performance is Friday, Aug. 19 at the Biograph Theater (2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago). 9:30pm, all ages, $15, tickets at thespares.com. 

About the Spares: Jodee Lewis and Steve Hendershot formed The Spares in 2005. They write and sing twangy, bluesy, roots music about characters who are desperate and hopeful, buoyant and brokenhearted—sometimes all at once. The stories hint at love and truth in ways that the characters themselves don’t always recognize. For more information, visit www.thespares.com.

About Gary Calamar: Gary Calamar, True Blood’s Grammy-nominated music supervisor, runs Los Angeles, CA-based Go Music Supervision.In addition to his work on True Blood, Calamar also handles music supervision for House and Dexter, and hosts a radio show at Los Angeles NPR-affiliate KCRW. ( http://e2ma.net/go/10560456752/3791026/108010378/5445/goto:http://www.gomusicsupervision.com/ )

About True Blood: True Blood, the latest hit series from Emmy Award-winner  Alan Ball (Six Feet Under), delves into the meticulously crafted world of novelist Charlaine Harris. The show tracks the lives of vampires and humans who coexist uneasily in the small Louisiana town of Bon Temps, Louisiana. The show, which stars Anna Paquin as waitress Sookie Stackhouse, was nominated for four Emmy Awards earlier this month. (http://e2ma.net/go/10560456752/3791026/108010379/5445/goto:http://www.hbo.com/true-blood/ ) 

CONTACT:
Steve Hendershot, The Spares
773-209-7333; steve@thespares.com

Brooke Blocki, KMA Licensing
847-529-7638, brooke@kmamanagement.com

Get 20% off all True Blood items for Comic-Con! Use code CCON20 at checkout. Tons of new products from Season 3!

Everyone knows that one of the best Halloween destination vacation spots is none other than the sultry city of New Orleans and this years events are shaping up to be simply to die for.  So, go and get some costumes together and get your plane ticket bound for the vampire mecca that is New Orleans, and no…it isn’t all about Anne Rice any more.

To start things off Friday, October 30th check out the Tru Blood and Gold Ball with special guest Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels that HBO’s hit show True Blood is based on.  Charlaine will be at the ball and at a special wine tasting event the evening before and ending her stay with a book signing at the Garden District Bookstore Halloween afternoon. There will also be live entertainment with three bands taking the stage at Republic New Orleans.
Go here for ticket and all event  info for the Tru Blood and Gold Ball.

Then, if that isn’t enough vampire mayhem, be seen at the House of Blues at midnight on Halloween for the Endless Night XII Vampire Ball where you can revel in the night, take in hypnotic Gothic belly dance and dance the night away to the sounds of imported DJs spinning your fave Gothic/industrial/vampire music all leading up to a HUGE costume contest!  So channel your dark side and bring your fetish, steam punk, horror, Gothic or your favorite vampire persona and enter the contest to win.  Each winner of their category gets a HUGE prize bag and the Best In Show gets a prize bag and a cash prize.   Go here for info and tickets for the Endless Night XII Vampire Ball.  VIP packages available for a limited time only.  VIP status gets you into other preand after parties for free along with some special Endless Night swag.

Both of these events are private ticketed events.  You can purchase tickets online via PayPal or buy them at the venue door if available.  BOTH EVENTS ARE 18 and UP!

So, be seen in New Orleans this Halloween weekend!

True Blood Tastings & VIP Party

Join RCN in Chicago on Labor Day Weekend for some tasty treats and a VIP Party, featuring Nelsan Ellis (“Lafayette”) from True Blood!

True Blood Tastings

When: Wed. Sept. 2nd, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Where: Qdoba Mexican Grill
Address: 2427 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 (near The Biograph Theater)
What: Come try True Blood!

Fangtasia VIP Party

When: Fri. Sept. 11th – 9 p.m. to Midnight (or later)
Where: Hamilton’s
Address: 6341 N Broadway St., Chicago, IL 60626
What: Join us for an Exclusive VIP Fangtasia Party, with Special guest, Nelsan Ellis (“Lafayette”) from HBO’s True Blood

SOURCE: http://www.rcn.com/j/fangs?bid=vanityURL–chicago–RedCross–2009-07-21–fangs

FEARnet is giving you the chance to quench your blood-thirst with a giant gulp of the sexiest vampire show around. In honor of True Blood season two (starting July 14th) and the DVD release of season one (May 19th), enter for a chance to win one of three season one DVD sets from FEARnet! To enter just check out our official rules page and email fearnetfeedback@gmail.com with “True Blood Season 1 DVD Giveaway” in the subject line. We know you’re thirsty for it so go ahead and treat yourself…