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Soulful Songstress Janiva Magness Celebrates Blues Awards, Wins Top Honors

Inspired by a Troubled Past, Magness Credits the Blues with "Saving Her"

Memphis, TN (Billboard Publicity Wire) May 13, 2007 -- Tonight the Memphis Cook Convention Center was home to the nation's top blues talent who were honored during the 2007 Blues Music Awards. Walking away with top honors of Contemporary Female Artist of the Year was triple-nominee Janiva Magness. Tonight's win is an encore to Magness' 2006 win of the same category over contemporaries Susan Tedeschi, Marcia Ball and Shemekia Copeland -- and a testament that anyone can overcome even the toughest odds.

No stranger to the blues, Magness comes by her talent honestly. Behind the raw, emotional authenticity that Janiva's fans adore, is an inspirational tale of redemption. Plagued by tragedy, Janiva spent much of her youth in foster care.    However, Janiva's story is one of hope and triumph that can be inspirational for everyone -- especially during National Foster Care Month in May.

"I was a kid from a badly broken home with no hope, who turned into a teenager with no hope. For me the blues has been about redemption, about healing," she says. Bolstered by the guidance and support of a caring adult, Janiva began the long journey of healing that she continues to this day.

Today, Janiva serves as a national spokesperson for Casey Family Programs and National Foster Care Month. Janiva has taken on a personal mission to raise awareness of the needs of youth in foster care.

"I have a life today I could never have imagined. You know, your fate does not have to be your destiny. Fate is what you are handed. Destiny is about what you could be. I'm living proof. The tragedies of my life no longer define me," she said.

May is National Foster Care Month
Over 513,000 American children are in foster care because their own families are in crisis and unable to provide for their essential wellbeing. Like all young people, youth in foster care deserve and benefit from enduring, positive relationships with caring adults. Now is the time to get involved. Join America's leading child welfare agencies, advocates, experts and foster care alumni as they come together to address the needs of these children. National Foster Care Month will serve as a platform for connecting more of these vulnerable children to concerned, nurturing adults who, no matter how much time they have to give, can do something that will "Change a Lifetime" for a young person in foster care.

For more information about National Foster Care Month and the many ways in which you can make a lasting difference for America's children in foster care, please visit, www.fostercaremonth.org.

National Foster Care Month is a partnership of Casey Family Programs; the Annie E. Casey Foundation/Casey Family Services; Black Administrators in Child Welfare; Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Child Welfare League of America; Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative; APHSA/National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators; National Association of Social Workers; National Association of State Foster Care Managers; National CASA; National Foster Care Coalition; the National Foster Parent Association; and the National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning at the Hunter College School of Social Work, a Service of the Children's Bureau.

Janiva Magness is on the NorthernBlues record label in Toronto, Canada along with labelmate Watermelon Slim and his record six 2007 BMA nominations. NorthernBlues has had at least one of its projects win a major blues industry award each year of its six in existence, and none more rewarding than that of tonight's top honors of Janiva Magness. More at www.northernblues.com.

Janiva's Foster Care Contact:
Aimee Knox, 206.270.4627
aimee.knox @ publicis-usa.com

Janiva's Musical Contact:
Michael McClune, 310.546.3630
michael @ crowsfeet.biz

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