ABOUT
US
My name is Cary Baker and I operate the music PR firm conqueroo.
I have worked in the music PR field for 25 years and am proud to say
that conqueroo is a no-compromise company: I have to feel passionate
about every artist we represent. When I am passionate about music,
great things have a way of happening.
Since conqueroo opened its doors in April 2004, we have represented
some outstanding artists: J.J. Cale, John Cale, Caitlin Cary, Jessi
Colter, Robert Cray, Marshall Crenshaw, Rodney Crowell, The dB’s,
Thomas Dolby, Hacienda Brothers, Hank III, Wayne Hancock, Peter Himmelman,
John Lee Hooker, Robert Earl Keen, Scott Kempner, Bill Kirchen, Eleni
Mandell, Anne McCue, James McMurtry, Shawn Mullins, Willie Nile, David
Olney, Over The Rhine, Dan Penn, Steve Poltz, Vernon Reid, Stan Ridgway,
Arlen Roth with Levon Helm, Martin Sexton, Billy Joe Shaver, Michelle
Shocked, Chris Smither, Chris Stamey, Chris Stills, Stax Records (Concord
Music Group), Chip Taylor, Pam Tillis, Tres Chicas, Uncle Monk (Tommy
Ramone), Tony Joe White, Willard Grant Conspiracy, Adrienne Young,
Buckwheat Zydeco — to name just a few.
Before I launched conqueroo, I worked as VP of Publicity (department
head) at Capitol Records, I.R.S. Records, Discovery Records and Morgan
Creek Records. Over the years, I have spearheaded publicity campaigns
for R.E.M., The Finn Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, Shelby Lynne, Delbert
McClinton, Cheap Trick, Loudon Wainwright III, Alex Chilton, Susan
Tedeschi, Tina Turner, Steve Vai, Concrete Blonde, Frank Zappa, Motown
reissues and more.
Prior to becoming a publicist, I worked as a music journalist for
publications such as the Chicago Reader, Creem and Trouser Press.
I compiled and wrote liner notes for reissues on Universal/Chess,
EMI/The Right Stuff and Motown. I have been a voting member of the
Recording Academy (NARAS) since 1979 and served on the organization’s
Board of Governors both in my native Chicago and in my present home
of Los Angeles. I also served on the Board of Directors of the Americana
Music Association and Blues Music Association, and on the Music Industry
Executive Steering Committee of City of Hope. I have attended SXSW
for 19 consecutive years.
These days, publicity for my clients takes 110% of my time, but in
my “vast spare time” I run an indie reissue label called
Conjuroo Recordings, distributed by RED. Doing this gives me valuable
perspective in areas of sales, marketing, distribution, retail, airplay,
A&R and new media, all of which I apply to my overview of publicity.
I also instruct a UCLA Extension class called “Publicity in
the Music Industry,” which I’ve done each winter since
1987.
I personally work all projects that conqueroo takes on – so
your project is represented by a veteran who has longstanding relationships
with media tastemakers, not by a junior publicist.
Our office opens on most days at 6:30 a.m. PT as we feel it’s
important for a West Coast-based PR firm to work in real time with
East Coast media. If you visited our offices, you’d note that
NPR is on. We recognize the value of this powerful media outlet for
our artists. We read and note the bylines in all major music and mass-circ
journals -- we’ve known some of them for more than two decades
and meet new ones every day. We have bookmarked every online daily
and weekly newspaper music page, which we check regularly and forward
to the team immediately when a clip appears. We also have great relationships
with TV talent executives. Your project is worked from every angle.
If you’re looking to enlist an indie music publicity for your
project, I hope you’ll consider us. Check what some of our clients
have said about us on the Testimonials
page. We look forward to talking with you.
Conqueroo's party at SXSW 2008
What is the meaning of the word
conqueroo?
Have you checked out
our new blog?
Of course
we have a MySpace page — who doesn’t?
conqueroo artists at SXSW
2007
Summer's
here and the time is right for a conqueroo t-shirt
conqueroo has launched Conjuroo
Recordings. Learn about our first release
Baker was honored
with a 2006 Keeping The Blues Alive Award for contributions to publicity
Please
help assist New Orleans musicians in need
PR firms process a lot of paper and publications. We recycle. 