Top grossing; hard rock icons; critically acclaimed; pop phenomenon. These are a few of the headlines that describe the talent that will ignite the spirit each night of the Hallmark Olympic Celebration Series at Olympic Medals Plaza during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Collectively the group has released numerous number one singles, sold millions of albums and received more than 14 Grammy Awards.

The Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the Olympic Winter Games of 2002 (SLOC) today announced the headline talent for the nightly celebration at Olympic Medals Plaza (OMP), which will be the heart of Olympic community celebrations. The performers are a veritable who’s who in the entertainment industry and include the rock artist of the year, Creed; the number one rock group in sales in 1999-2000, Dave Matthews Band; critically-acclaimed female rock artist, Sheryl Crow; and pop phenomenon, ‘NSYNC.

Schedule for Olympic Medals Plaza Entertainment

February 9 Dave Matthews Band
February 11 Foo Fighters
February 13 Barenaked Ladies
February 14 Sheryl Crow
February 15 Smash Mouth
February 16 Brooks & Dunn
February 17 Train
February 19 Creed
February 20 Marc Anthony
February 23 ‘NSYNC
February 24 Martina McBride
February 25 The Temptations (for Team 2002 members only)
*Additional talent will be announced in January 2002.

The Olympic Medals Plaza production team is comprised of Gail Seay, OMP executive producer; Kim Niemi, senior vice president of Business Development and Consumer Products for NBC Enterprises; and Jeff Pallock, OMP executive in charge of talent. Seay has produced a number of shows including the off-Broadway production of “Howard Crabtree’s When Pigs Fly,” and was the producer for 20 years of Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular in New York. Niemi is responsible for developing new business ventures for NBC’s music and network property business. Pallock is a consultant to radio stations and television networks as well as Internet clients worldwide. Pollock has been the music supervisor on Oscar-nominated films As Good As It Gets and Sleepless in Seattle.

Entry into Olympic Medals Plaza is free, however a ticket is required. Ticket distribution will take place at all Smith’sTix outlets on three individual dates; January 10, 14 and 15 starting at 7:00 a.m. In addition, a limited number of tickets will be available at Salt Lake City area Hallmark Gold Crown® stores. The process for getting tickets to an OMP night will be announced at a later date.

Team 2002 members can exchange a ticket voucher at Smith’sTix locations for one ticket to any night of OMP, while supplies last. Vouchers are being mailed to Team 2002 members in December. In addition, medalists will receive 10 tickets to the ceremony at which they will be honored.
Olympic Medals Plaza will be the site of the Closing Ceremony for the 2002 Paralympic Winter Games March 16th.

Dave Matthews Band
The Dave Matthews Band is one of the biggest pop-rock draws in North America. The band’s self-released debut album in 1993 “Remember Two Things,” sold at a rate of more than 10,000 copies per month, which was a remarkable feat considering the album was distributed exclusively from the band’s office. The band’s major-label debut “Under the Table and Dreaming,” has captured every nuance of the band’s live shows. The band has been ranked the 11th most influential group in star status and money power by Billboard and is one of the most pursued concert performing groups by event locations and fans. The band won three awards at the 2001 My VH1 Music Awards for My Favorite Group, Must Have Album for Everyday and Song of the Year.

Foo Fighters
Rock/pop quartet, Foo Fighters, is the brainchild of former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. In 1995, Grohl released the Foo Fighters’ self-titled debut?composed almost entirely of Grohl’s own songs and instrumentation?but promoted as a band effort of the newly formed Foo Fighters. Foo Fighters followed up with The Colour and The Shape in 1997. Foo Fighters latest effort “There Is Nothing Left To Lose,” was released in November 1999 on RCA Records.

Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a humorous folk-pop band from Toronto, Canada. Through constant touring and strong word-of-mouth, the band has built a loyal following throughout North America. The Barenaked Ladies first formed in 1989 and released several independent cassette tapes before hitting it big in their homeland with a 1991 self-titled tape. The tape was the first independent release to reach the Top 20 and go platinum in Canada.

Sheryl Crow
Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow grew up in Kennett, Missouri, and began playing piano around the age of six. Crow began a career in music shortly after high school and moved to St. Louis to sing R&B covers. Crow broke into the industry in the 1980s and began performing as a backup singer with artists such as George Harrison, Joe Cocker, Stevie Wonder and Rod Stewart. Crow began a solo career in 1993 with her bluesy A&M debut album, Tuesday Night Music Club. Thanks largely to the upbeat radio/MTV hit “All I Wanna Do,” the album went multi-platinum. Crow’s 1996 follow-up album was equally as successful with the hits “If It Makes You Happy,” “Everyday is a Winding Road” and “A Change (Will Do You Good).”

Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth is a Northern California component of the West Coast punk-rock resurgence. Their major label debut, the1997 release “Fush Yu Mang,” is a hybridsampler of popular punk styles. Tunes such as “Walkin’ On The Sun,” “Let’s Rock” and “Nervous In The Alley” engage the listener moving beats and catchy lines.

Brooks & Dunn
Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have established themselves as a force in country music. The duo has sold 22 million albums, scored 18 number one hits and received the Entertainer of the Year award three times. Brooks and Dunn’s newest album “Steers & Stripes,” blends a traditional country flavor with new rock & roll collaborations.

Train
In the past three years, Train has experienced a resurgence, which was spearheaded by the release of their self-titled debut album, which was the number one album on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart for four weeks in late summer 1999. The album sold more than one million records copies and resulted in a top ten hit. The band’s second album, Drops Of Jupiter, is a blend of thoughtful guitar riffs, eclectic soundscapes, earthy melodies and rock tunes. Drops Of Jupiter is a collection of songs that shows a band that’s coming into its prime as both a songwriting and performing entity.

Creed
Creed is a Florida-bred band that has sold more than 15 million albums by virtue of a combination of finger-on-the-pulse songs and powerful live performances. Creed was the first band in history to have four number one rock radio singles from a debut album. On the strength of their singles, including the title track and the more pensive “What’s This Life For,” Creed has been recognized as the Rock Artist of the Year at Billboard’s 1998 and 1999 music awards. Creed’s debut album was also the number one selling Hard Music album for 1998 on SoundScan’s Hard Music chart and to date has sold more than 5 million copies. Creed’s reputation for dynamic, passionate live performances has led to consistently sold-out shows.

Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony has sold more records than any salsa singer in the world and has sold out Madison Square Garden five times. He has been hailed as the “reigning king of salsa” by The New York Times and praised for his flawless singing. Marc Anthony’s initial success was driven, in part, by the single I Need To Know. The certified gold track was 11 weeks in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100, and an additional eight weeks in the Top 40. The song earned Anthony a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 1999. Another single You Sang To Me, was number one on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart and received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance in 2000.

‘NSYNC
Vocal group ‘NSYNC was formed in Orlando, Florida in 1995. The best-selling singles I Want You Back, and Tearin’ Up My Heart, were featured on the group’s debut album. “A Little More Time On You,” climbed the charts in February 1999, while Music Of My Heart, a soundtrack single recorded with Gloria Estefan, debuted at number two in October 1999. The album “No Strings Attached,” became the first album in US chart history to sell more than 2 million copies in its first week of sales. The album also generated the US chart-topping single, It’s Gonna Be Me.

Martina McBride
Martina McBride grew up in Texas where she began singing and playing keyboards for country bands at a very young age. After completing high school, McBride began performing full-time with various bands. Along the way, she met soundman John McBride and the couple married and moved to Nashville. In 1991, McBride landed a deal with RCA, which released her debut album, “The Time Has Come,” the following year. Thanks to the chart success of singles such as “That’s Me,” “The Time Has Come” and “Cheap Whiskey,” McBride’s debut album sold quite well, paving the way for her 1993 breakthrough “The Way I Am,” and the top 10 singles My Baby Loves Me and Life # 9. The 1995’s “Wild Angels,” continued her upward climb, with its title track reaching number one on the country charts. “Evolution,” was released in 1997, followed by a world tour with Tim McGraw. In September 1998, McBride released her first holiday album, White Christmas.

The Temptations
The Temptations became the definitive male vocal group of the 1960s; one of Motown’s most elastic acts, they tackled both lush pop and politically-charged funk with equal flair. The group’s fortunes changed dramatically in 1964 when they emerged with the pop smash The Way You Do the Things You Do, the first in a series of 37 career Top Ten hits. Other hits include the group’s signature song, My Girl, a number one pop and R&B hit; It’s Growing, Since I Lost My Baby, Don’t Look Back, and My Baby