Ted Leo To Host A2IM Libera Awards Presented by SoundExchange, June 16 in NYC

NEW YORK, May 17, 2016: Veteran punk and Independent musician Ted Leo -- best known for his lengthy career as the frontman of Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, as well as his more recent collaboration The Both, with fellow Independent musician Aimee Mann -- will host A2IM's fifth annual Libera Awards on Thursday, June 16, at Manhattan Center's Grand Ballroom. Presented by SoundExchange, this year's Libera Awards mark A2IM's largest celebration to date of the only award show for Independents by Independents.

"We are honored to have Ted Leo hosting the Libera Awards," said A2IM CEO Richard Burgess. "He continues to embody what it is to be a force in the Independent Music community."

"Ted Leo is a great addition to the Fifth Annual Libera Award show, we are thrilled he is joining us," added Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange.

Capping A2IM's Indie Week, this year's Libera Awards will feature live performances and an optional seated dinner. Nominees for this year's awards include Courtney Barnett, Kamasi Washington, ATO Records, and 4AD, among others.

The 2016 A2IM Libera Awards are presented by SoundExchange and are also sponsored by ADA, AtoZ Media, Caroline, Fox Rothschild LLP, FUGA, INgrooves, Kickstarter, MC Events, The Orchard, Pandora, Publicide.com, Silva Screen Music / SO Recordings / SBMC Inc., and YouTube/ Google Play Music.

Tickets for the Libera Awards can be purchased here.

About A2IM

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City representing a broad coalition of 391 Independently-owned American music labels. The organization represents these independently owned small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. In doing so it supports a key segment of America's creative class that represents America's diverse musical cultural heritage. Billboard Magazine, using Nielsen SoundScan data, identified the Independent music label sector as 34.4 percent of the music industry's U.S. recorded music sales market in 2015 based on copyright ownership, making Independent labels collectively the largest music industry segment.

The organization's board of directors are composed of the following: Razor & Tie President Craig Balsam, Concord Music Group President Glen Barros, INgrooves General Manager Amy Dietz, Epitaph/Anti- General Manager Dave Hansen, Beggars Group Chairman Martin Mills, Hopeless Records Owner Louis Posen, Dualtone Music Group CEO/Co-Founder Scott Robinson, Kill Rock Stars Owner/President Portia Sabin, Adshare President Jim Selby, Tommy Boy Owner/CEO Thomas Silverman, and Secretly Group Co-Founder/Co-Owner Darius Van Arman. A2IM's president's advisory committee is Curb Records Vice President Taylor Childress, Red House Records Vice President Chris Frymire, and Innovative Leisure Co-Owner Nate Nelson.

http://www.a2im.org