Do you have an aspiring musician in your home? Do you have teens making music in your garage or basement? USAA and U-TURN have partnered to bring a very cool opportunity, a contest, for the musician in your home.

USAA and U-TURN are looking for the Next Great American Road Song. Sponsored by USAA the call for entries has begun for U-TURN's annual Garage Band Playoff '09 (www.garagebandplayoff.com), a national battle-of-the-bands competition.

This year - in the tradition of songs like Stepenwolf's "Born to Be Wild," and Rascal Flatts' "Life is a Highway" - 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 your song makes the cut you will 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)
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DEADLINE TO ENTER AT WWW.GARAGEBANDPLAYOFF.COM IS JULY 31, 2009. VOTING BEGINS OCTOBER 16, 2009. FOR MORE INFORMATION, E-MAIL UTURN@USAA.COM.

I am going to reveal my age here but did you know the member of the folk-rock band "America" were military brats? It is true! They were the sons of American service members stationed in the U.K. They were playing in two different bands when they met...and, as we know, the rest is history. By the way, their mothers were British.

So, if your son or daughter has been making you crazy with that incessant drumming coming from the garage or the volume of their singing you can channel that energy to this great contest. If your kids have a band or are interested in forming one they could be the next breakthrough band! This is U-TURN's third Garage Band Playoff competition, but the first with a specific theme. Last year's competition involved 16 bands from across the country which ranged in style from' country' to 'metal.'

Check out the website (www.garagebandplayoff.com) for more information or email USAA at uturn@usaa.com. Let me know if your kids compete, I want to follow their progress and help pick a winner!