Attention: Garage Band contest underway!

Summer fun is here. The kids aren't bored yet, but why wait till they start complaining? USAA wants to spice things up with a Garage Band contest for any military kids who fancy themselves musicians. Who knows, you might be helping discover the next breakthrough band. Military kids are well-versed in hitting the road and those who do have a band or are interested in forming one could be big winners. Did you know that members of the folk rock band "America" were military brats? Sons of American fathers and British mothers, they were stationed at RAF West Ruislip, London during the mid-1960s where they met while playing in two different bands.

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USAA and U-TURN are looking for The Next Great American Road Song The call for entries has begun for U-TURN´s annual Garage Band Playoff ´09, a national battle-of-the-bands competition sponsored by USAA and open to aspiring musicians and songwriters ages 13-21. This year - in the tradition of immortal songs like Steppenwolf´s "Born to Be Wild", and Rascal Flatts´ "Life is a Highway" - U-TURN is looking for The Next Great American Road Song.

 U-TURN´s judges are seeking original compositions that celebrate cars, driving and the freedom of the open road. Song entries can be something the artists have previously written and recorded, or a completely new creation. If a song makes the cut, it´ll face off in a series of online, head-to-head  match-ups against others... until only one song is left to be named The Next Great American Road Song.

 THE GRAND PRIZE INCLUDES:

·        $2,500 cash

·        a professional photo and video shoot

·        an in-depth interview on U-TURN´s audio podcast

·        tons of free buzz on MySpace, Facebook and more!

RULES OF THE ROAD:

·        Open to solo artists, groups and bands of any musical genre

·        Song must be original (no covers)

·        Song topic must be about cars, driving or the freedom of the open road

·        (instrumentals OK if evokes a driving feel)

·        Song must be clean/radio-friendly

·        Solo artist or at least one band member must also be a USAA member

·        Solo artist or all band members must be ages 13-21 (as of July 31, 2009)

·        DEADLINE TO ENTER AT GARAGEBANDPLAYOFF.COM IS JULY 31, 2009. VOTING BEGINS

·        OCTOBER 16, 2009. FOR MORE INFORMATION, E-MAIL UTURN@USAA.COM.

 No purchase necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not increase your chances of winning.

 BACKGROUND INFO:

This is U-TURN´s third Garage Band Playoff competition, but the first with a theme.  In 2008, the competition involved 16 bands from across the country, ranging in style from country to metal.  Voters from around the world voted more than 150,000 times through 8 head-to-head matchups, 2 semi-final rounds, and the finals.  Grand Rapids, Mich.-based indie rock group Coronete was crowned U-TURN´s Garage Band Playoff ´08 champion. (Their song can be streamed at myspace.com/usaauturn.) They beat Southern California-based Invictus (note: currently defunct) in a tight finals matchup. The 2007 champion was San Antonio-based A Kid Named Thompson.