HBCU Marching Bands Rock the Georgia Dome at the 2013 Honda Battle of the Bands “House Party”

Grammy Award-winning singer Brandy Electrifies Crowd

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fans, students and alumni packed the Georgia Dome on Saturday adding to the energy generated by dynamic performances by eight of the nation’s top marching bands from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) at the one-of-a-kind “House Party,” known as the Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase.

“Honda is honored to support these programs with grants that each school receives for participating in the program.”

An electrifying performance by Grammy Award-winning R&B singer Brandy and American dance music singer and songwriter, Crystal Waters, added additional spark to the Honda Battle of the Bands presented by Verizon Wireless and official banking sponsor SunTrust Bank, which celebrated its 11^th annual Invitational Showcase.

The unparalleled pageantry, musicianship and camaraderie of the HBCU marching band experience was on full display with spirited performances by Albany State University, Alcorn State University, Bethune-Cookman University, Edward Waters College, Jackson State University, North Carolina A&T University, Tennessee State University and Winston-Salem State University.

The Showcase also hosted a dance-off between participating HBCU dance teams which used songs selected by fan vote via social media. Additionally, fans helped amp up the “house party” theme in two dance contests presented by official presenting sponsor, Verizon Wireless: one for individual fans to show off their best moves on the Georgia Dome field; the other for couples who wanted to dance in an iconic “Soul Train” line-style contest.

Two lucky fans also left the Georgia Dome as proud owners of brand new Honda vehicles. One of the three finalists in the Honda Battle of the Bands Sweepstakes became the owner of the award-winning 2013 Honda Accord. Adding to the excitement, the crowd was surprised when a second lucky fan in attendance received a new 2013 Honda Civic.

“The Honda Battle of the Bands not only provides a national stage to showcase the talent of these outstanding student musicians, but also the success of the music education programs at each school,” said Marc Burt, assistant vice president, Office of Inclusion and Diversity for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Honda is honored to support these programs with grants that each school receives for participating in the program.”

The Honda Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase is the largest and most popular music event of its kind. Widely known to fans as “The Honda,” the Showcase not only serves as a platform to highlight and celebrate the heritage and showmanship of HBCU marching bands, but also stands as the only national music scholarship program dedicated to supporting HBCU music education programs. The eight qualifying marching bands each earned a $20,000 grant for their school’s music education programs, along with an all-expense paid trip to perform at the Invitational Showcase in Atlanta.

The Honda Battle of the Bands actively engages with fans through social media, providing access to the latest updates, photos and videos. Fans can connect with the Honda Battle of the Bands at:

Twitter – @The_Honda, #HBOB2013 (http://twitter.com/The_Honda)
Facebook – (www.facebook.com/HondaBattleOfTheBands)
YouTube – (www.youtube.com/hondabotb)
Instagram – #HBOB2013

For more information on the Honda Battle of the Bands program and the Invitational Showcase, including photos and video footage, visit www.HondaBattleoftheBands.com.

For downloadable video and high-resolution photos please go to www.epklink.com/hondabattleofthebands2013.

About Honda
American Honda Motor Co., Inc., was founded in 1959 as the U.S. sales and marketing subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Honda produces automobiles, all-terrain vehicles, lawn mowers and engines at its nine major U.S. manufacturing operations, using domestic and globally sourced parts. Honda’s long-standing commitment to the support and success of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities began more than 20 years ago with the establishment of the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge, a program designed to showcase the academic gifts and prowess of HBCU students. American Honda established Honda Battle of the Bands 11 years ago as an effort to support HBCU music programs.

About Verizon Wireless 
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves nearly 96 million retail customers, including 90.4 million retail postpaid customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 75,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About SunTrust Banks, Inc. 
SunTrust Banks, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the nation's largest banking organizations, serving a broad range of consumer, commercial, corporate and institutional clients. As of June 30, 2012, SunTrust had total assets of $178.3 billion and total deposits of $128.4 billion. Through its flagship subsidiary, SunTrust Bank, the Company operates an extensive branch and ATM network throughout the high-growth Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states and a full array of technology-based, 24-hour delivery channels. The Company also serves clients in selected markets nationally. Its primary businesses include deposit, credit, trust and investment services. Through various subsidiaries the Company provides mortgage banking, insurance, brokerage, investment management, equipment leasing and investment banking services. SunTrust's Internet address is suntrust.com.