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Ghost Canyon

Title - Hugh Prestwood
Artist - 'I Used To Be The Real Me'

For those not in the know, Hugh Prestwood is an American songwriter whose work is primarily in country music. His first hit as a songwriter was "Hard Time for Lovers", which was recorded in 1978 by Judy Collins. Prestwood also wrote "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart", a Number One for Randy Travis in 1990, and a song for which Prestwood received the Robert J. Burton Country Song of the Year from BMI.

A Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, Prestwood has been writing classic, rooted country songs for well over over 40 years now. His first full, widely distributed album, out November 18th, 2016 via Wildflower Records (licensed to Cleopatra Records) and entitled I Used To Be The Real Me [which is the story of my life right there in the damn title!] is an excellent compilation of 13 tracks that include some new songs along with some older classics.

1. "So Sweet Sixteen"
2. "Charlie"
3. "Another Way to Feel Alive"
4. "Reflected Back"
5. "The Suit"
6. "September Song"
7. "Untie These Lines"
8. "So Are We"
9. "I Used to Be the Real Me"
10. "Laura Nadine"
11. "April Fool"
12. "Carolina Season"
13. "The Song Remembers When"

Up first is the storytelling of "So Sweet Sixteen", a cut that is just perfect for kicking off any album of this ilk, and that's backed by both the more stoic "Charlie" (with Judy Collins accompanying him), and the lighter fare of "Another Way to Feel Alive" ("She was destination. She was my destiny. She was my trip. She was my jet stream. She was my freight train. She was my wooden shed".) Next up is the mid-tempo pacing of "Reflected Back", the upbeat ballad "The Suit", the beautiful "September Song", and then the Simon & Garfunkelesque "Untie These Lines". Once again featuring the beautiful harmonies of Judy Collins, the song is one of the highlights here; for me, at least.

"So Are We" is next, and with the title track "I Used to Be the Real Me" along next, it's the right time to include the knowledge that this new album from Prestwood is actually recorded from all his very own demos. Whittled down from 30 songs he has in his catalog, and working once again with the prestigious Judy Collins on both aforementioned tracks, I Used To Be The Real Me proves that Prestwood still have a lot of life left in his songwriting skill bank.

The must-listen, must-have album continues onward with the tender "Laura Nadine", before bringing us the fun flashback school tale of first love in "April Fool", bringing the generously rich album to a close with both "Caroline Season", and then finally "The Song Remembers When". For anyone who appreciates rare songwriting talent, Hugh Prestwood's I Used To Be The Real Me is as real, as honest country as you will ever find. Of that you have my word.

www.HughPrestwood.com





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