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EMI MUSIC PUBLISHING
EMI Music Publishing signs Eddy Grant to global publishing deal
EMI Music Publishing has signed a long-term worldwide publishing agreement to represent legendary singer-songwriter/producer/arranger Eddy Grant.

The deal covers the Guyana-born musician’s new and future music, as well as his extensive back-catalogue including classic hits such as Electric Avenue, Gimme Hope Jo’Anna, I Don’t Wanna Dance, Living On The Frontline and Baby Come Back.

Eddy Grant recently embarked on his first live tour of the UK in 20 years, including an appearance at both the Glastonbury festival and Nelson Mandela’s 90th Birthday Celebration in Hyde Park. His greatest hits collection The Very Best of Eddy Grant... Road To Reparation was released at the end of last month.

EMI Music Publishing UK President Guy Moot commented: “Eddy has been writing hit songs for well over forty years, and his music still resonates with people all over the world. He’s an entrepreneur, can still cause controversy and discussion to this day, and above all is a true creative spirit whose influence and importance cannot be questioned. We’re really happy to enter this partnership with Eddy, and are looking forward to working with him to introduce his songs to a whole new generation of music fans.”

Eddy Grant said: “It is my sincerest hope that this relationship will set a new trend in the strategic relationship between a major and a small independent publisher. Our industry is being tested on all fronts, sometimes giving the impression that we are seeing its last days. What we are in fact seeing is a transformation consistent with what has, relatively speaking, historically been the case. Many things will become redundant because of technological advancements, which is a given. But, of one thing I am absolutely sure and that is, there will always be a great demand for great songs; the greater the changes in our societal ways, the greater the need. In a relationship such as this, the best can be realised, on both sides, through what I would call creative administration and visionary creation. May God help us to steer a good course through the admission of our faults if and when they occur, in this way we can be stronger together."

Eddy Grant began his career in the music industry in 1965, forming the Equals with John Hall, Lincoln Gordon, Derv Gordon and Patrick Lloyd. The band scored a number of hit singles including I Get So Excited, Viva Bobby Joe,  Baby Come Back and Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys, before Grant quit in 1971 to launch a solo career.

1979’s Walking On Sunshine album scored Grant a hit single in Living On The Frontline, as well as a successful song for Rockers Revenge in the title track. Follow-up album Can't Get Enough built on this momentum, particularly thanks to the singles Can't Get Enough Of You and Do You Feel My Love, but Grant’s solo mainstream success came in 1982 with the release of Killer On The Rampage. Containing the UK chart-topping single I Don’t Wanna Dance, the album was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Electric Avenue from the same album repeated the trick, while subsequent hits including Romancing The Stone and Gimme Hope Jo’Anna cemented his position in music folklore.