Lynyrd Skynyrd Drummer Michael Cartellone Inaugurates Art Web Site with ``The Road Series Paintings''

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 12, 2004--Michael Cartellone, drummer for famed Southern rock group Lynyrd Skynyrd, inaugurated his art Web site, www.michaelcartellone.com, featuring the first in a series of prints from his paintings titled "Road Series." Each image depicts a Lynyrd Skynyrd ALL ACCESS pass in various backstage environments.

Founding member of the platinum-selling group Damn Yankees, Cartellone joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1998. Cartellone's art work gives the viewer a glimpse of the reality of life on the road. The first edition of 250 fine art prints are signed and numbered by the artist, and the excellent reproduction quality enhance Cartellone's vivid, colorful images.

"Road Series: Red," the first print available, is an aerial view of a desk in a hotel room. Depicting a half eaten apple and a game of solitaire on a laptop computer, this vignette captures the artist's isolation and effort to kill time in any hotel in any given city.

The second print, "Road Series: Yellow," features a bird's-eye view of the guitar technician's work table, displaying a brilliant-yellow electric guitar.

"Road Series: Green" is a tableau of a soda can, bag of chips, and cell phone framing the tour bus window. The ALL ACCESS pass in this image creates a metaphor for the boredom of band members who enjoy the freedom of total access but are actually bound by their schedule of constant road travel.

"Road Series: Blue" depicts Cartellone's view from behind his drum kit. The drumsticks angled across the curve of the drum create an abstract perspective of the drummer's work station.

"Road Series: Purple" memorializes Lynyrd Skynyrd's original bass guitarist Leon Wilkeson, known as the "Mad Hatter." Cartellone began work on this painting of the dressing room hat rack before Wilkeson passed away unexpectedly in 2001.

The 16" X 20" prints are sold only through the Web site for $300 plus shipping. The remaining prints will be released every two months and can be pre-ordered.

For information visit www.michaelcartellone.com.

For media information contact Brown & Collins, [phone] or email, [e-mail]. Digital photographs and prints of all five "Road Series Paintings" and of the artist are available.