Runner-up, Songwriter of the Year - 2006 DIY Music Festival

2006 DIY MUSIC FESTIVAL WINNERS NAMED

LOS ANGELES (February 6, 2005) -- The 2006 DIY Music Festival has named Hopkinson as its DIY Album of the Year for his "Strangers To Ourselves."

The album, co-written and produced with George Merrill, is the fifth recording released by the Austalian ex-pat, who now lives in Los Angeles. His dreamy, sophisticated sound was tabbed by the judges as a compelling blend of influences that's uniquely Hopkinson.

Also honored are Fire Bug, whose roiling mix of rock won them DIY Songwriters of the Year laurels; and Spookey Ruben, whose bubbly "The Office" is the DIY Song of the Year.

The DIY Music Festival is part of the fifth annual DIY Convention: Do It Yourself in Film, Music & Books, which takes place Feb. 7-12 in Los Angeles. The convention celebrates independent film, music and books with seven nights of music performances, two nights of film screenings and two days of panels and workshops. More information on the DIY Convention is online at www.DIYConvention.com.

The DIY Music Festival and DIY Convention are sponsored by Spaceland Productions, BMI, Sonicbids, ASCAP, SESAC, CDBaby, Echospin, Music Connection, Discmakers, Imagic, Alcasid.com and The DIYReporter.com.

2006 DIY Music Festival selections:

DIY Album of the Year: Hopkinson, "Strangers To Ourselves"

DIY Songwriters of the Year: Fire Bug

DIY Song of the Year: Spookey Ruben, "The Office"

DIY Producer of the Year: Simon Holden, "XuX: Love Hits"

DIY Album Artwork of the Year: Anne Harris, "Wine and Poetry"

RUNNER-UPS:
Team Tomato, "Lie Down With Dogs"
Susan Barth, "Wonderland"
Justin Winokur, "Thirteen Songs About Love"
Guitarboy, "Disruptive Behavior"
Kyle Bronsdon, "A Model Psychosis"
Leerone
9 Red Sun
The Ruse

HONORABLE MENTION:
The Cringe
Matt Poss & The Wild Bunch
The Blue Raindcoats
The Paula Kelly Orchestra
Hunter Harvey
SouR
Seis Pistos
Innocent Noise
Joel Evans & Friends