PRESS RELEASE

February 2, 2006

ROOTS OF MOTOWN SUPER SOUL REVUE TO BENEFIT ‘MUSIC RISING’ CHARITY

Celebrities lend support to Detroit special event at the legendary Rootstertail on eve of Super Bowl and autograph Gibson Music Rising Guitar

TORONTO – Leading figures from the music world, including The Edge of U2, Robbie Robertson (Member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), and producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel) are involved in this weekend’s Motown Super Soul Revue to raise funds for the ‘Music Rising’ initiative to help the southern US region ravaged by hurricanes and floods last fall.

Organized by Roots and D.O.C. Optics, the Revue is taking place on Saturday, February 4, 2006 at Detroit’s historic landmark The Roostertail, the preeminent venue for Motown acts in the 1960s. In addition to supporting Music Rising, Roots cofounders Michael Budman and Don Green and their longtime Detroit friend Richard Golden (President of D.O.C. Optics), have planned the evening in honour of the city and music of their youth as part of Super Bowl Weekend in Detroit.

With the support of Via Rail, the event will feature Motown legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Martha Reeves and the Vandellas who often appeared at The Roostertail in the 1960s; Also performing at the party will be fellow Motown legends, The Contours, who performed at last month’s launch in Toronto of The Roots of Motown CD; and The Velvelettes.

During the party, an exclusive, specially designed hand-painted Gibson Music Rising guitar which will have been signed by numerous stars attending the event will be auctioned to raise funds for Music Rising. Developed by The Edge, legendary music producer Bob Ezrin, and Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, Music Rising is a charitable initiative to replace the instruments and gear lost by musicians in the hurricanes and floods that devastated New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast last September.

Budman, Green and Golden have been close friends since they met in Detroit in the 1950s and later joined the same fraternity at Michigan State University. In their youth, they developed a passion for Motown music, attending countless Motown concerts and getting to know many of the performers personally. Golden used to hang out with the Supremes, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. In 1969, Golden got engaged in the home of Diana Ross, lead singer of the Supremes.

“Roots and D.O.C. wanted to do something that would benefit a good cause and also celebrate the incredible heritage of Detroit and the legacy of Motown culture,” says Michael. “This event is one way we wanted to show our appreciation for our hometown and to add to what will surely be a historic weekend in Detroit as it hosts the Super Bowl.”

In keeping with the Detroit theme, the evening will also offer authentic local food, along with rare Motown memorabilia.

As a major sponsor of the party, Via Rail is looking to highlight its rail service from Toronto to Windsor/Detroit. In this first in a series of cross promotions with Roots, Via Rail is sending Roots guests and VIPs to Detroit on a private rail car from Toronto to Windsor, just across the river from Detroit.

Based in Detroit, D.O.C. Optics is one of the largest retail optical chains in the United States with more than 100 locations in six states. Founded in 1946, it is credited with making eyewear sexy and was of the first retailers to market glasses with an emphasis on fashion.

Roots is the official outfitter of the United States Olympic Team at the Winter Games taking place this month in Torino, Italy.

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For more information, please contact:

Laura Simpson at Empire PR, Tel: (416) 203-8060 or laura@empirepr.ca  or

Mida Giragosian at Lapides Publicity Giragosian, Tel: (248) 399-8200 or giragosian@gmail.com or

Robert Sarner, Director of Communication and Public Affairs, Roots Canada Tel: (416) 781-3574, ext. 4280. rsarner@roots.com