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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 2007Summer'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.
