Thursday, October 22, 2009

Andrew McMahon of Jack's Mannequin selected as Stand Up To Cancer ambassador

Andrew McMahon, frontman for Sire Records’ pop/rock recording artist Jack’s Mannequin, will join Stand Up To Cancer’s team of celebrity ambassadors in December 2009. The Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) initiative funds groundbreaking research aimed at getting new treatments to patients faster, and aims to rally the public around the fight against the disease. To date, the group has raised more than $100 million, SU2C’s celebrity ambassadors support the initiative by participating in fundraising events and serving as spokespeople in public service announcements and media interviews to generate awareness about cancer’s devastating impact and the role research plays in the effort to end it.

In addition, Sire Records will release Dear Jack on November 3rd, a DVD documentary shot by McMahon himself which chronicles his own personal fight against leukemia. Equipped with a DV camera Sire Records originally gave him to capture the making of his debut Jack's Mannequin album, Everything in Transit, McMahon kept the camera rolling after the crucial day in May 2005 when he not only finished his debut solo album, but was also diagnosed with cancer at only 22 years old.

Directed by filmmakers Corey Moss and Josh Morrisroe and narrated by Tommy Lee, this documentary is a raw look at the battle that is leukemia. The film will be available in-stores, on the Jack’s Mannequin website www.jacksmannequin.com and via digital download through iTunes.

A special Limited Edition Dear Jack pre-order from the website sold out in only one week. The 3,000 lucky fans who reserved their copy of the DVD also received an exclusive, newly recorded and previously unreleased track, “Swim (Music Box)” as an instant audio bonus, along with an autographed poster from McMahon. The Standard Edition Dear Jack DVD only is however still available for pre-order at www.jacksmannequin.com.

A sold out theatrical screening of Dear Jack, held especially for fans and attended by McMahon, was held in Chicago on October 8th. Two additional sold out screenings will occur this month as well: the first at the IFC Theater at 323 Sixth Ave, at West Third St., in New York City on October 22nd and the second at the Landmark Theater at 1080 N. Pico Blvd in Los Angeles on October 28th. McMahon is currently out on the road for a solo tour, to raise awareness about Dear Jack. Please visit www.jacksmannequin.com for remaining confirmed dates.

Also on November 3rd, The Dear Jack EP will be made available exclusively through iTunes. The EP features four previously unreleased tracks: “Dear Jack,” “Diane, the Skyscraper,” “There, There Katie,” and “Swim (Music Box).”

Finally, a limited-edition “Swim” art book, which includes artwork created by friends and fans of Jack’s Mannequin that became a prominent part of the “Swim” music video (www.jacksmannequin.com/videos) will be released on November 3rd. “Swim” is the second single from the current Jack’s Mannequin album, The Glass Passenger. The Swim Art Book can be purchased exclusively at www.jacksmannequin.com/dear-jack.

A portion of the proceeds will go to The Dear Jack Foundation — the non-profit charitable organization dedicated to funding cancer research that McMahon founded in 2006.

McMahon is the latest star to join Stand Up To Cancer’s team of celebrity ambassadors, which also includes Dana Delany, Dave Annable, David Archuleta, Ethan Zohn, Fran Drescher, Jamie King, Kirsten Dunst, Mandy Moore, Marcia Cross, Patrick Wilson, Sally Field, Sharon Osbourne and Sofia Vassilieva.

As always, keep an eye on www.jacksmannequin.com for news, information, tour dates, Andrew’s blog, merch, and much more.

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