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C. Shells

C. Shells, the children’s musical duo of Cindy Ressler Kays and Shelly Craig have just been awarded a 1998 Parents’ Choice Silver Honor for their first children’s album, released on Southern Branch Music, self-titled “C. Shells.”

            Parents’ Choice is a non-profit organization that evaluates children’s media. The Silver Honor is given to those products which exemplify excellence and are designed to entertain and help children develop universally ethical attitudes and rigorous standards and skills. The Silver Honor is highly prized for production and human values.

            Kays and Craig have been performing children’s music for the past 6 years in the Hampton Roads and Richmond area. They have recently done several tours of southeastern Pennsylvania and parts of Delaware. A favorite at pre-schools, libraries and festivals, C. Shells also performs educational programs in elementary schools through Young Audiences of Virginia.

            The duo met while working at a local Norfolk, VA guitar shop and decided to pool their talents and their names (a combination of both their first names) to form C. Shells.

            Both women play a variety of instruments including guitar, mandolin, banjo and more. In March of this year the duo released their second album on Southern Branch Music titled “Animal Tails.” Thirteen songs about animals and the world in which they live make up this lively collection.

            “C. Shells” is a fun-filled musical treat with ten original songs ( eight were written by Craig with two penned by Kays), along with cover songs “A Place in the Choir” by Bill Staines and “State Laughs” by John Forster. The musical styles of the album cover Cajun (“Bayou Boogaloo”), reggae (“The Little Sand Flea”), blues (“The Play Dough Blues”), Ragtime (“Betcha Can’t Guess What the Puppy Did”), folk (“Where’s the Cat?”), spooky (“Halloween Ghosts”), lullaby (“Counting Sheep”), country (“The Cowboy Song”), rock ‘n’ roll (“Roll, Rocky Roll”), and a waltz (“The Butterfly Ball.”)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                       CONTACT

April 9, 2002                                                                            Cynthia A. Kays

C. SHELLS EARNS PRESTIGIOUS PARENTS’ CHOICE AWARD

Parents’ Choice Foundation bestows Recommended Seal for C. Shells latest CD release “Just for Fun!”

VA. BEACH, VA (April 9, 2002) – C. Shells (www.cshellsmusic.com) the children’s musical duo of Cindy Kays and Shelly Craig announced today that it has earned a Recommended Seal from the prestigious Parents’ Choice Awards program. This makes their third award from Parents’ Choice. Their first album, self-titled, “C. Shells” was awarded a Silver Honor in 1998. Their second album, “Animal Tails” was awarded a Parents’ Choice Approved Seal in the fall of that same year.

“Just for Fun!” the latest CD and cassette from C. Shells the Hampton Roads based children’s musical duo, was released in the fall of 2001. Featuring 13 songs (nine penned by Shelly Craig, one written by Cindy Kays and 3 cover songs) ranging in musical styles from rock ‘n’ roll to bee bop, folk to 60’s surf guitar, “Just for Fun!” will have children of all ages dancing and singing along and perhaps even jumping on the bed.

The Parents’ Choice award designation recognizes products that meet and exceed standards set by educators, performing artists, librarians, parents and yes, kids. The Parents’ Choice Awards Committees seek out and recommend products that help kids grow-imaginatively, morally and mentally-and that are fun, safe and socially sound.

Cindy and Shelly began performing together as C. Shells in 1992. Their first appearances were at area pre-schools. They later branched out to include festivals, libraries and elementary schools throughout Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and North and South Carolina. Recent appearances have included the Winterthur Museum in Wilmington, DE, the Va. Beach Neptune Festival, the Mt. Pleasant, SC Children’s Festival and the Gloucester, VA Daffodil Festival. C. Shells are also members of Young Audiences of Virginia, Young Audiences of Maryland, Inc. and Young Audiences of Eastern Pennsylvania, presenting themed educational programs in elementary schools throughout those states.

Founded in 1978, Parents’ Choice is the nation’s oldest not-for-profit consumer guide to quality children’s media: books, toys, audio, software, television, videos and magazines. The Foundation’s mission is to impart solid information about the vast array of children’s media products and toys that are on the market, helping parents and caregivers of all achievements and backgrounds make informed decisions about which new products are right for their children.

For additional information about the awards and a description of the significance of each awards level, consult the Parents’ Choice Foundation’s Web site at:

 www.parents-choice.org.

C. Shells CD’s and cassettes are available at several local Virginia music stores including: Birdland Records and Tapes (495-0961), Borders Books and Music (425-8031) and Kelley Music (460-3580) in Va. Beach as well as The Boxwood Inn (888-8854) in Newport News. They can also be purchased by visiting the C. Shells website or online at www.cdbaby.com.