New York, NY. (Top40 Charts/ Shore Fire Media) - To promote the August 19 release of his self-titled album, singer/guitarist Alex Woodard and his label, Woodshack Music/Adrenaline
Music Group, offered a unique promotion: Alex would write a personalized song for every person who pre-ordered his album. Purchasers were encouraged to submit some personal information, a story or song topic ideas via email.
Dozens of pre-orders later, it would be safe to say that Alex has his work cut out for him. When asked if he had a strategy to writing several albums' worth of material in the next month, he responded, "When I read each story, a phrase or idea generally comes to mind immediately... I pick up the guitar or sit at the piano and just try to let the story happen."
The personal stories that were submitted are deeply sentimental, emotional, and heartwarming. One young woman said: "The song should be about a girl who everyone thinks is the life of the party... but when she's home she is always sad." Another asked Alex to write about the long-awaited love of her life, who died suddenly. One man told his story of crossing the border from Mexico to America and falling in love with his English teacher, and the cultural and personal struggles he now tries to conquer to show his love for her. And one man simply said, "I want this song to try to put to music just how much my wife means to me."
Alex has responded with individualized art, sealing a person's experience or story in song, simply recorded with just Alex's strong, husky voice and his guitar to tell the story.
Here's "From Up Above," his tribute to the widow of a fallen police officer, requested by her devoted new husband, with the refrain: "So don't be afraid to cry/Someone you love is here with you tonight":
Windows Media: https://www.idesignprod.com/alexwoodard/audiostreams/fromupabove.wma
Quick Time: https://www.idesignprod.com/alexwoodard/audiostreams/fromupabove.mov
Alex's fifth studio album is out now and features Brian Young (Fountains Of Wayne) on drums and Grammy-winning Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek). The San Diego Tribune says, "Woodard's well-crafted songs are cut from the same cloth as those of Tom Petty, Rodney Crowell, John Mellencamp, Jim Croce and other American troubadours-past and present-whose music eloquently captures earthy truths about living, loving and growing older without losing the dreams of youth."
Visit Alex on MySpace: https://myspace.com/alexwoodard
