Our Company
Orphan Lyrics™ creates and sells licensed, designer
apparel featuring song lyrics and donates 100 percent of the profits to children’s
charities. Orphan Lyrics™ was founded in 2006 by Stuart Black, Justin Prideaux and
Lyndsay Black. We are a for profit company with an HQ in Scottsdale, Arizona and
another office in the United Kingdom.
Unique
We’re not aware of any other company that gives more than they keep. We’re
in the business of giving and our business exists to benefit children’s charities.
Transparent
We respect artists by properly licensing lyrics, we honor our charities efforts
with timely donations and we show our customers how they’ve helped.
Pure
Song lyrics are a renewable resource of creativity and expression. We put these
words into action on a clean product to make a powerful fashion statement for disadvantaged
children.
Mission and Vision
Our mission is to donate more than we keep in order to help children and to shake
up, restructure and ultimately set a new standard for corporate philanthropic giving.
Our vision is to touch every household in every nation, whether someone purchases
our apparel or benefits from its sale.
The Orphan Lyrics™ Brand
We offer two lines of designer clothing influenced by popular culture and born from
a unique fusion of entertainment and fashion. Song Lyric T-Shirts and a DJ Collection
featuring our retro logo. We donate all the profits from sales of our lyric t-shirts
to charity, and sales of the DJ Collection help offset our operating expenses so
that we can continue our philanthropic efforts.
The Story So Far
The co-founders of Orphan Lyrics™ are Stuart Black, Justin Prideaux and Lyndsay
Black. A Scientist, a Professional Engineer, and a TV Producer - all are very similar
minded people, having an intense drive to get the most out of life while sharing
a fundamental desire to help others. It was only a matter of time before these three
individuals put their heads together to create something as extraordinary
as Orphan Lyrics™.
Orphan Lyrics™ is a product of nearly ten years of background development.
While studying in London Stuart worked as a part-time DJ, it was the late-90’s
and the music scene was becoming more diverse than ever before. In Europe at that
time the only thing more progressive than music was fashion. How could these two
driving forces of popular culture be united? Perhaps people could wear t-shirts
that featured their favorite song lyrics, Stuart thought.
His Sister Lyndsay, a budding TV producer, suggested the idea needed a unique angle,
something that would inspire enthusiasm and confidence in songwriters and music
publishers whose challenges with copyright issues were becoming more taxing. The
two put their concept on hold for a number of years, waiting for the opportunity
that would make licensing lyrics for t-shirts a viable proposition.
By 2003, Stuart and Lyndsay had added a charitable element into the mix and the
name Orphan Lyrics™
After moving to the US and attending the University of Arizona, Stuart ventured
into business with Justin and the two quickly became friends. At the time, Justin
was also in real estate development and looking for a way to apply his consulting
abilities in a new arena. When Stuart and Lyndsay introduced the Orphan Lyrics™
concept to Justin the final piece of the puzzle fell into place. Together they created
a revolutionary business plan built on the foundation of giving more money to children’s
charities than they keep, by offering a properly licensed product that appeals to
everyone.
Artists and Writers
At the heart of the Orphan Lyrics™ project are the music
publishers from who we license the rights to print song lyrics on our t-shirts.
However, without also the support of the artists and songwriters we would not be
able to offer this unique clothing line. More than 130 of them have approved the
use of their lyrics on our apparel. Their words are making a difference as profits
from sales of our t-shirts continue to help disadvantaged children around the world.
The Music Publishers
1. Universal Music Publishing
2. EMI Music Publishing
3. Sony/ATV Music Publishing
4. Warner Chappell Music Publishing
5. Chrysalis Music Limited
6. Third Palm Music
Artist & Fan Club Support
Air Supply is proud to support Orphan Lyrics™
Many artists have expressed their pleasure of being involved with Orphan
Lyrics™ and some are personally helping us by promoting their t-shirts
to fan club members, having their photo taken for this website, or by signing t-shirts
for charity auctions. Our special thanks go out to:
1. Graham and Russell, Air Supply
2. Gavin DeGraw
3. Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo
4. Peter Noone, Herman’s Hermits
5. Manic Street Preachers