Aretha Franklin to Sign First-Ever Christmas CD at Borders in Washington, D.C. Oct. 20

"This Christmas Aretha" is a Borders exclusive

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 15, 2008 /PRNewswire/ — Aretha Franklin will make a personal appearance Monday, Oct. 20 at 12:30 p.m. at Borders at 1801 K Street N.W. in Washington, D.C. to sign copies of her first-ever Christmas CD, "This Christmas Aretha." This long-awaited CD is available exclusively at Borders, Waldenbooks and on Borders.com. Wrist bands to secure a place in line for the CD signing will be distributed beginning when the store opens at 8 a.m. to the first 250 fans who purchase "This Christmas Aretha" and queue up for the opportunity to see the one and only "Queen of Soul" in person and secure her coveted autograph on the CD.

"This Christmas Aretha," produced by Tena Clark and Aretha Franklin for DMI Records, features 11 classic and contemporary cuts infused with Aretha Franklin's trademark gospel, soul, R&B and classical styles. Tracks include: "Angels We Have Heard on High," "This Christmas," "My Grown-Up Christmas List," "The Lord Will Make A Way," "Silent Night," "Ave Maria," "Christmas Ain't Christmas (Without The One You Love)," "14 Angels," "One Night With The King," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," and "'Twas The Night Before Christmas."

"I am thrilled with this record cut by cut," said Ms. Franklin. "This new album even goes beyond my personal top-ten list of my own recordings. I hope people find it spiritually uplifting, comforting and enjoyable. I look forward to coming to Borders and having the opportunity to meet fans in person and sign my first-ever Christmas CD."

About Aretha Franklin

Known around the world by her first name, Aretha Franklin has achieved global recognition on an unprecedented scale. She is one of the most influential and important voices in the history of pop music. Her ever-distinctive, soulful, to-the-bone vocal style has graced music charts for over four decades and her live performances have touched the hearts of tens of millions since she began her musical journey in Detroit as a singing child prodigy. Aretha Franklin has earned countless international and national awards as well as accolades and global recognition on an unprecedented scale including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Kennedy Center Honor, the American National Medal of the Arts Award, 18 GRAMMY® Awards including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for eight consecutive years, a GRAMMY Legend Award, a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award, and five American Music Awards. In 1987, she was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 1979, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Earlier this year, she was named 2008 MusiCares Person of the Year by the Recording Academy and she was presented with the prestigious NAACP Vanguard Award.

About DMI Records

Aretha Franklin joins a growing list of major artists who are collaborating with DMI for upcoming projects. Founded by Tena Clark, one of the first female record producers in the music industry, DMI is home to a talented roster of music and marketing executives. Clark and Franklin are producing "This Christmas Aretha" together. DMI Records is a division of the leading music and branding agency DMI Music & Media Solutions.

About Borders Group, Inc.

Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP), is a leading retailer of books, music and movies with more than 28,000 employees. Through its subsidiaries, the company operates more than 1,100 stores worldwide primarily under the Borders® and Waldenbooks® brand names and recently launched Borders.com for online shopping. For more information, visit www.borders.com/aboutus.

Contact	Contact	Contact
At Borders:	On Behalf of Ms. Franklin:	For DMI Records:
Anne Roman	Gwendolyn Quinn	Maureen O'Connor
(734) 477-1392	(212) 765-7910	(310) 854-8116