PRIMARY WAVE MUSIC PROUDLY ANNOUNCES ITS NEW PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE LEGENDARY JIM PETERIK, OF THE IDES OF MARCH,
FORMERLY OF SURVIVOR AND 38 SPECIAL FAME
AS PART OF THIS NEW DEAL, PRIMARY WAVE HAS ACQUIRED A MAJORTIY STAKE IN THE MULTI-PLATINUM SINGER’S PUBLISHING ROYALTIES AND OTHER RIGHTS
SONGS INCLUDE ALL OF HIS TOP 5 HITS SUCH AS “EYE OF THE TIGER,” “VEHICLE,” AND “THE SEARCH IS OVER”
NEW YORK, N.Y. (December 7, 2021) – Jim Peterik, of The Ides of March, formerly of Survivor and of 38 Special fame, is the latest legend to join the Primary Wave Music family. In a multi-million-dollar deal announced today, Primary Wave Music has acquired a majority stake in the royalties from the Grammy winner’s entire music publishing catalog, and rights to many of its legendary songs. Peterik, whose music career spans nearly 50 years and counting, has eighteen top ten credits under his belt. His co-writes include “Burning Heart”, “High On You” and “I Can’t Hold Back”. Other highlights from his extensive catalog include 38 Special’s platinum hits “Hold On Loosely” and “Caught Up In You”, and a Peterik-penned crown jewel, “Vehicle,” a song he wrote in 1970 while a member of The Ides of March. “Vehicle” appeared on the band’s debut album and shot to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It went on to be a huge commercial success for the group.
Also notable is Peterik’s multi-platinum “Eye of the Tiger.” With the help of the movie “Rocky III”, which featured “Eye of the Tiger” as its theme song, the single spent six weeks at number 1 on the Billboard 100 and would become Survivor’s defining single. The song was nominated for two Grammy awards, winning for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group in 1982.
Jim will also now have access to Primary Wave’s marketing team and publishing infrastructure, which includes digital strategy, branding, licensing, synch opportunities, as well as film, television, and theatrical production.
“I’m thrilled to be with a company who is as passionate about music as I am. Primary Wave’s roster speaks for itself,” says Jim Peterik. He goes on, “It seems that many of my musical heroes feel the same way! I’m looking forward to great days ahead creating new music and finding new homes for the many songs in my catalogue!”
“We met Jim almost four years ago where he invited us back to his home studio after a lovely lunch,” states Jeff Straughn, Chief Brand Officer at Primary Wave Music. “It was love at first sight and we knew then that it would only be a matter of time to have Jim join the Primary Wave family. We are ecstatic to be working with such a legend.”
“Jim Peterik is a survivor.” Those words were prophetically spoken first on the back of his first solo album Don’t Fight The Feeling back in the seventies. In the decades since, Jim has lived up to that term. Jim’s home base has always been The Ides of March, where Jim wrote and sang the evergreen hit “Vehicle”. The Ides began their journey in 1964, and continue today as a vital, touring act, featuring all the original members, celebrating their 57-year journey with their recent induction into the Illinois Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In the seventies, Jim combined his love for melody and driving rock with the band Survivor. Their phenomenal rise to the top was born on the back of the amazing songs Jim co-wrote. “Eye Of The Tiger” from the film “Rocky III” has become an indelible classic, and garnered Jim Grammy and People’s Choice awards, as well as an Oscar nomination. Other Billboard chart-toppers followed, including “The Search Is Over”, “High On You, and “I Can’t Hold Back”. Further hits from films followed. “Burning Heart” from “Rocky IV” topped the charts; and Jim co-wrote the theme of the seminal animation classic “Heavy Metal” with Sammy Hagar, which continues to be Hagar’s encore song during his live performances. A long lasting and fruitful relationship started in 1980 between Jim and the southern-rock group 38 Special. Jim co-wrote their platinum hits “Hold On Loosely”, “Caught Up In You”, “Wild-Eyed Southern Boys”, “Fantasy Girl”, and “Rockin’ Into The Night”. Their collaboration continues to this day. Jim has also written with the beloved Lynyrd Skynyrd. The turn of the century saw the genesis of World Stage, an ongoing project bringing Jim and artists with whom he has had a history as either co-writer or touring, for live shows and recordings. The World Stage shows also showcases fresh talent Jim mentors. The World Stage album, Winds Of Change was released worldwide on Frontiers Records in April 2019. Jim Peterik has never lost his verve for Melodic Rock, a style of music he helped forge. His group Pride Of Lions tours the European continent regularly, and their albums and DVDs are best sellers. Expanding (but not too far) from the musical realm in 2002, Jim co-authored “Songwriting For Dummies.” This book distilled a lifetime of successful songwriting into simple language and shed light on some of the arcane wisdom of writing songs. In the years since, the book has achieved Best Seller status and has recently gone into its third printing around the world. In September of 2014, Jim’s Autobiography “Through The Eye Of The Tiger” was released. The book traces Jim’s path from humble beginnings in Suburban Chicago to his stellar career as a platinum hit songwriter, successful musician, and in-demand producer. A lifelong Beach Boys fan, Jim fulfilled a career dream in 2012 co-writing “That’s Why God Made The Radio” for the California legends. The single turned out to be the highest charting single of their career. In 2016 Jim released The Songs, taking his top hits to Nashville in an entirely new light, working with some of Music City’s greatest. 2018 saw the launch of the “Eye Of The Tiger” energy bar, in conjunction with the Jimmy Bar company; co-formulated by Jim Peterik. The bar can be found at major retailers nationwide. The Ides of March released a new album entitled “Play On” in 2019, with an impressive lineup of guest artists, celebrating 55 years together. The Ides continue to thrill audiences everywhere with their hit-packed shows. Jim remains a high demand writer, producer, and solo performer traveling worldwide, with diverse projects always in the pipeline. A true survivor, indeed.
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