It would be a breathtaking honor for any songwriter to be recognized in the company of the late Beatle John Lennon.

But besting two phases of this year's John Lennon Songwriting Contest would be a career-topping achievement for Newtown musician, teacher, activist, and recording artist Jim Allyn.

With any luck, and with Newtown Bee readers' help, Allyn could turn a tune from his latest release Backyards of the Brave into a double winner in this year's Lennon competition. The tune, "Lindytown," is not the only song Allyn has ever entered into competition, and in fact, he previously entered several others songs from his 2018 album that he believed would be better contenders.

But apparently, the Lennon judges that span genres from funk (George Clinton), to alternative rock (Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers), to Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell collaborator Jim Steinman, and pop star Natasha Bedingfield found something unique in this poignant tune.

As Allyn explains it, "I read this story about Lindytown as told by Dan Berry in The New York Times, and the song is based on the people in it. And after almost everyone abandoned the community there was still a retired coal miner who decided to stay on with his mother."

As the mother was spiraling into dementia, "she still felt a connection to the place, so they would go out walking and she would remember these beautiful moments of their lives. So the strangeness of that struck me - these two among the last remaining residents of this dying town."

Then a coal mining company basically buys up the entire mountainside community and begins eating it away for profit.

"It get's to the point where coal dust is just raining down, and folks are selling their homes and leaving, and yet these last two people stayed on - because that's where their happiest memories remained alive," Allyn said.

In the process of recording the tune, he called on the talents of another Newtown resident, one of his students, Sofia Chiarandini, a recent Berklee School of Music grad who Allyn describes as "an extraordinarily talented violinist."

Lennon Contest Specifics

Every year, there are a total of 72 Finalists, and 24 Grand Prize Winners, of which Allyn is one. However, to advance to become one of the dozen Lennon Award Winners and be in the running for the contest's 2019 "Song of the Year," it takes a huge outpouring of fan support.

"Listeners can vote once a day now thru April 30 if they want and by voting they also have a chance of winning a Yamaha guitar," Allyn said. Anyone wanting to support Allyn in the next phase of the competition are invited to vote. CLICK HERE - find Allyn's tune by scrolling down to to the FOLK category, and cast one vote as often as every day through April 30.

The 12 Lennon Award Winners will be announced on May 1, and will then advance to be judged for the "Song of the Year." The chance to win the Yamaha electric guitar is a no cost incentive to vote daily.

Allyn hopes, with readers help, to advance and possibly be revealed as the Song of the Year writer come July.

Walk Through 'Lindytown'

The words to Allyn's "Lindytown" are as follows:

Close to Twilight, down this old Appalachian road

night falls black as the coal over Lindytown

1895, my great-grandfather waded through those streams

crystal clear flowing through the green hills and down over Lindytown

Now there’s no one at all at the old union hall

from the mines and scattered on the floor

from a lifetime before all the papers for wages and lost time

But I remember that old school bus, the kids, and everyone,

and a church bell ringing out when day was done over Lindytown

Before Massey started blasting all these mountaintops away

The dust falling day after day after day over Lindytown

Now there’s no one at all ‘cause when mountains fall it’s hard to stay

Mister Cook, I’ve been told, says we got to have the coal

But I believe with all my heart there’s a better way

Now Mama she’s got memories in rooms she can’t unlock

Now and then one opens for a moment as she walks here in Lindytown

Close to Twilight, down this old Appalachian Road

night falls black as the coal but there’s one light still burning

in the place she calls home over Lindytown...

Purchase Backyards Of The Brave or preview the album and "Lindytown" on Amazon Music by CLICKING HERE