New release

Open
Up

a collection of Lessons

Lessons born in the Wonder Years nostalgia of a 1980s childhood find their wings decades later, in this true coming-of-age story of a singer-songwriter reinventing his life outside the shadow of his mother’s dementia.

"A work so full of intangible inspiration it has to be read from cover to cover to be fully appreciated."
"Strong and beautiful… full of heart, humor, and unexpected treasures one might find in an old trunk of well-lived memories."

Open Up unfolds during the same day as the #1 bestselling Living Halfway, with all of the heart, vulnerability, and humanity of its literary fraternal twin, but none of the cynicism.

Familiar scenes are seen through a different lens, suggesting not only the power of a changed perspective, but also what beauty we might find inside, if we can just open up.

"Such a beautiful book… heartfelt, raw, no holds barred, and displaying the true light at the end of the tunnel. The lyricism of Woodard’s prose flows as freely as music, which makes the work all the more emotive and accessible. ‘Open Up’ is a must-read for anyone seeking a spark of inspiration in their lives."
"One of the starkest artistic statements of his career, and an enduring testament to the singer’s storytelling ability, ‘Open Up’ falls squarely into that category of defying description—a work so full of intangible inspiration it has to be read from cover to cover to be fully appreciated."

The Companion Album

These songs were born when the stories in the companion book Open Up actually happened, way before being an author was even a glimmer on my horizon.
 
They were recorded over the span of more than a decade with Grammy-winning John Would in L.A., across shifting eras in both of our lives… most recently in late 2021. And now, finally, they’re seeing the light of day.
 

The unruly fraternal twin to this book of lessons:

Living
Halfway

“Heartbreaking as it is hilarious, heartfelt as it is tough, and as much an indictment of the modern self-help ethos as it is a celebration of what the genre is actually aiming for. The journey Alex takes us on is deeply personal, completely original, and 100% worth the price at the door.”

— Sean Watkins,
Grammy-winning founder of Nickel Creek

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