Hugh Prestwood has been writing hits for two decades. He was discovered in 1978 by Judy Collins, who gave him his first hit (Hard Times For Lovers), and subsequently recorded five more of his songs.
A staff songwriter for BMG music, Prestwood has penned ..1 hits for Randy Travis ("Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart"), Trisha Yearwood ("The Song Remembers When"), Michael Johnson ("The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder"), Shenandoah ("Ghost In This House"), Crystal Gayle ("The Sound Of Goodbye"), and Collin Raye ("On The Verge"). He has also composed hits for Highway 101 ("Bing Bang Boom"), Anne Murray ("Feed This Fire"), Michael Johnson ("That's That"), Ty England ("Smoke In Her Eyes"), and Kathy Mattea ("Asking Us To Dance"). Other artists who have recorded his songs include Conway Twitty, Lee Greenwood, Don Williams, Jackie De Shannon, Verne Gosdin, Maura O'Connell, Tanya Tucker, and The Judds.
In 1991 Prestwood was honored at the annual BMI Awards with the 23rd Robert J. Burton Song Of The Year award for "Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart". He was also picked by Billboard Magazine as the ..2 country songwriter of that year. Billboard currently lists "Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart" as the 5th biggest country hit of this decade.
Prestwood made his recording debut on RCA records in 1993 with the album "Signatures 3," featuring five of Nashville's top writers doing their own songs.
In 1994 Prestwood won a Prime Time Emmy Award for "Outstanding Individual Achievement In Music And Lyrics" for his composition, "The Song Remembers When," featured in the Disney special, "Trisha Yearwood - The Song Remembers When". The song was also nominated for a CableACE Award for Best Original Song, and was voted Song Of The Year by members of the Nashville Songwriters Association (NSAI).
In 1997 his song "On The Verge" was listed by Billboard magazine as the 4th biggest country hit of the year.
Three of Prestwood's songs have been nominated for Grammys in the "best performance" category:
"Sound Of Goodbye" performed by Crystal Gayle.
"Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart" performed by Randy Travis.
"Ghost In This House" performed by Shenandoah.
Born and raised in El Paso, and a graduate of the University Of Texas At El Paso, Prestwood currently resides on Long Island, New York. Since 1982 he has taught advanced songwriting at The New School in Manhattan. Additionally, each year Prestwood teaches songwriting workshops for the NSAI in various locations throughout the country.
Hi Hugh, I will never forget song camp--I was in your group and you couldn't find anything to change about my song. . .I have, of course, never gotten over that!!! And after that, Craig Bickhardt became a mentor and dear friend to me. . .I see his face here. All this is to say how much it means to have you add me as a friend, and to thank you from the bottom of my heart. And also, ps, I absolutely love your voice.
Hello Mr. Prestwood! Glad to meet you in myspace. Hope you remember the girl with the "Paint Me" Song. Listen to your CD all the time. Won this guitar at NSAI Spring Symp. I am coming to Nashville in June to perform in the Songwriter Fest on Music Row. Can't wait. You are the best. Thanks for all your wisdom. Shelly Lee
Hugh, your writing is a true inspiration. I had the pleasure of seeing you play with Skip Eweing at the Bluebird, recently. A memorable evening! Best Regards, Michael.
Thanks for adding me! I've been a fan of your music for decades and just didn't know it until recently when I went to see Michael Johnson in concert. Thanks for the music.
It's an honor to be among your top friends. No coincidence that you are among mine. When it comes to songwriting, you've done it well, and done it with integrity. Thank you for the inspiration!
Hugh, I was sitting here contemplating the way everyone from the public to the publisher is busy robbing us blind, and wondering whatever delusion led me to wreck my nice comfortable life to write songs. Then I put Ghost in This House in the CD player, and I remembered why I do this. Thank you.
Your new songs stop me in my tracks... Fortunately I'm not too far from home. Accolades to one of America's few great songwriters. Hope to see you in NY. John
Ever since "That's That", you have, and always will be, one of my biggest influences. You are a songwriter's songwriter - I hope one day, to be half the songwriter you are.
