Artist: Hugh Prestwood
Hometown: El Paso, TX
Album: I Used to Be the Real Me
Release Date: November 18
Label: Wildflower Records/Cleopatra Records
In Their Words: "Judy Collins discovered me back around 1978, recorded two of my songs on her Hard Times for Lovers album, and arranged for me to get my first staff songwriter gig. Simply put, she is entirely responsible for me getting my foot in the music biz major league door. It was — and remains — a huge stroke of good fortune. When she got the CD I'd sent, she loved the songs and immediately said she wanted to record some of them herself, and also put out a record of yours truly's on her Wildflower label.
Regarding the 13 songs, four of them have been recorded by other artists: 'The Suit' by Jerry Douglas and James Taylor, 'The Song Remembers When' by Trisha Yearwood, 'April Fool' by Colin Raye, and 'Laura Nadine' by Billy Dean — all wonderful renditions. Most, if not all, pretty much represent my attempts to write great songs without giving much consideration to writing 'hits,' although my basic style always aims at involving a wide audience. I am delighted with, and excited by, this record, and am permanently amazed at my having such remarkable validation and support coming from Judy Collins, a genuine artist whose body of work — recording the Great American Songbook — is peerless." — Hugh Prestwood
