Celebrate America the Americana Way with the Incredible Neil Young and Our Publisher, Bill Bruedigam

Celebrate America the Americana Way with the Incredible Neil Young and Our Publisher, Bill Bruedigam

Nothing is perhaps more poignantly America than it’s root in Americana music. From Woody Guthrie‘s, This Land is Your Land, to famed stories and recounts of historical events like the hanging of Tom Dula (pronounced Dooley) in North Carolina, full of regional flavor, offering a look back into America’s closet of unsolved mysteries. From one end of this great country to the other, our folk songs still reign in preserving our culture, history and travel in America.

Who could forget Oh Suzanna, written in the 1850s: "I came from Alabama wid my banjo on my knee, I’m g’wan to Louisiana, my true love for to see," and countless others that tell of the ramblings and hardships experienced by those who paved the way for us. These songs were the predecessors to an era that spawned not only artists like Guthrie but an entire folk movement in America, leading eventually to the famed wonderings of authors like Kerouac to the later development and travel craze of Route 66.

In celebration of these historical songs, Neil Young, one of the most influential musicians of his generation, has released a new CD with his band Crazy Horse, titled, Americana. The CD was released yesterday, June 5, and in support of this, Young is sponsoring a Cover An Americana Song Contest jointly through an online agency, www.Talenthouse.com, where artists may cover and submit their choice of any of the songs on Young’s Americana. Songs on the CD are:

1. Oh Susannah

2. Clementine

3. Tom Dula

4. Gallows Pole

5. Get A Job

6. Travel On

7. High Flyin' Bird

8. Jesus' Chariot

9. This Land Is Your Land

10. Wayfarin' Stranger

11. God Save The Queen

A grand-prize winner will be selected by Neil Young and a second-place winner will be selected by the people’s choice from the artist having the highest amount of votes. Voting runs June 5 – 11, 2012, but all votes will contribute to the artist’s potential exposure to Young himself and his final selection.  Winners will be announced by Talenthouse and Young on June 25, 2012.

Our publisher, Bill Bruedigam, founder of Guidebook America, also a lifelong singer/songwriter and guitarist, as well as a huge fan of Neil Young, has entered the contest with a cover submission of Tom Dula. Bruedigam’s journey and research with this song have been a wonderful experience as he intuited to capture what he felt was the true essence of both the song, the region, and Tom's story. His version brings a real outlaw feel in with his guitar, and his raw but soothing, southern vocals are perfectly suited for a tale like this.

Having spent decades on the road; from hitchhiking during the 60s and 70s to later cross-country travel, Bruedigam has indeed garnered the American highway spirit and song during his lifetime. In his own compositions, like an old wolf revisiting the trail, songwriter Bill Bruedigam recounts stories of the road, both real and as a metaphor, to life’s odyssey through his songwriting with a focus on Alternative Country and Americana.

It's been a long road for Bruedigam, originally from Grapevine, Texas, collecting tales of his search for home, both in his heart and on the road. From the first time he picked up a guitar at the age of six, throughout his travels on the road encompassing over two decades, the bard within has brought both skill and experience into a soulful repository that Bruedigam brings to the surface through his songs. His ability to uncover the magic beneath life’s simplicities is uncanny and listeners are sure to be captivated.

With guitar in hand, Bruedigam takes us on a hard, yet rewarding journey, documenting not only his life’s travels, stories and relationships, but his depth and ability as a songwriter, and his contest cover of Tom Dula is no exception.

Please join us in supporting Bruedigam so that Young will hear the unique presentation of Tom Dula that Bruedigam has created.

Visit Talenthouse to listen to Bruedigam’s cover of Tom Dula and while you are, there cast your vote for Guidebook America’s publisher, a true American traveler and a true bard of Americana music.
VOTE JUNE 5 – 11, 2012.

Hear more from Bruedigam at his website www.billbruedigam.com

Find him at Facebook at www.facebook.com/billbruedigammusic
 

LISTEN and VOTE for Bill Bruedigam in the Cover an Americana Song for Neil Young Contest.  As the contest states, your vote will help decide if Bill Bruedigam deserves to work with Neil Young.  Give him a YES!  Bruedigam is currently ranked in the top 50 contestants. Let's take him to number 1!

For more info on the new Neil Young and Crazy Horse CD, Americana, visit www.neilyoung.com and Follow Young on Facebook for contest updates.