STANDING TALL SELECTED AS 2012 U.S. CAPITOL CHRISTMAS TREE SONG
Lindsay Lawler provides official tree anthem for 2012 Capitol Christmas Tree;
Will Perform at December Lighting Ceremony In Washington, D.C.
DENVER, Colo. (November 26, 2012) – Choose Outdoors, The U.S. Forest Service and New Earth Green Depot today announced the winner of Sing4TheTrees, a national songwriting contest to determine the official song of the 2012 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.
After receiving nearly 300 original song submissions, Standing Tall by Lindsay Lawler from Nashville, Tenn. was selected as the official U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree song. Lawler will be awarded the grand prize of $2,500 and the song will be featured at the Forest Service Chief’s Reception and at the tree lighting ceremony on the west lawn of the Capitol this December.
Twenty five semi-finalists were chosen from the submissions. In addition to the grand prize winner, 10 additional artists have been selected as finalists. They are:
Lance Bendiksen, Our Trees; Dez Michela, Under the Trees; The BluesBox Bayou Band, The People’s Tree; Anna Laube,Tree; Patchouli, The Woods; Spiral Arm, The Rain; TG, Save the World; Kassini, Immune; Katie Buxton, The World Moves By; Under the Big Oak Tree, Under the Big Oak Tree.
“I am so excited and proud that my song was selected as the official U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Song and to represent Colorado,” said Lawler. “Spreading this message and celebrating our great outdoors is truly special and brings us all together as a nation, and that’s what I wanted to express in this song.”
Celebrity judge Chuck Leavell, keyboardist and musical director for The Rolling Stones, and a successful author, entrepreneur and tree farmer, was among those who evaluated submissions on their relevancy to addressing the issue of forestry health, musicality and originality.
“It was a very tough decision to choose just one grand prize songwriter to represent the Capitol Christmas Tree. The submissions we received were of very high songwriting quality,” said Leavell. “Ultimately, Lawler’s song summarized the essence of the Sing4TheTrees message, and I’m confident that the public will enjoy it.”
Costs associated with the tree’s transportation and tour events are made possible by contributions of cash and in-kind services by individuals, corporations and local communities. Major sponsors include the Colorado Tourism Office, U.S. Forest Service, Mack Trucks, The National Association of Convenience Stores, Gibson Foundation and Vail Resorts.
For more information on the 2012 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree and to track the tree’s route, visit www.CapitolChristmasTree2012.com. You can also follow the tree on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CapitolChristmasTree2012, Twitter: www.twitter.com/CapitolTree2012 and Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/capitoltree2012/.
About Choose Outdoors:
Choose Outdoors is a coalition for outdoor recreation comprised of people and organizations who are passionate about outdoor recreation, support public lands, waters, and the agencies charged with their care. www.chooseoutdoors.org
About the White River National Forest:
The 2.3 million acre White River National Forest is located in west/central Colorado. Providing a vast array of outdoor recreation experiences, the White River hosts more than 9 million visitors per year and is the number one forest for recreation in the country. In addition to world-class recreation and abundant wildlife populations, the White River supports activities such as grazing, timber harvest, mining, and oil and gas development that are crucial to the economies of western Colorado. www.fs.usda.gov/whiteriver
About New Earth Green Depot:
Colorado-based New Earth Green Depot & New Earth Pellets are dedicated to developing and offering beetle kill products that can help to empower individuals to participate in solution, evolving into lifestyles more in harmony with nature. www.newearthgreendepot.com
Congratulations to 2012 contest winner, Lindsay Lawler!
Hear “Standing Tall” now:
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