A&E

'You Are My Sunshine'

by Patrick Flanagan

The cast of stars to be featured at LPB and the Louisiana Office of Tourism's upcoming event, "Sunshine by the Stars: Celebrating Louisiana Music," includes such homegrown greats as Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Buddy Guy and Jerry Lee Lewis, and possibly you, if you submit a music video of yourself singing that old tune made famous in the 1940s by Louisiana's country singing former Gov. Jimmie Davis.

Video yourself singing "You Are My Sunshine" and you could possibly win a chance to be included in the Dec. 5 event, which according to a press release posted on the Louisiana Travel Facebook page, will feature a who's who cast of homegrown stars, including:

Harry Connick Jr., Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Guy, Country stars Tim McGraw and Mickey Gilley, the Marsalis Family, Irma Thomas, Buckwheat Zydeco, Zachary Richard, the Zion Harmonizers, Better than Ezra and Rebirth Brass Band performing "You Are My Sunshine."

Midnight Friday is the deadline for submissions. That will be followed by several days of online voting ending Dec. 2 to determine the contest's winner.

Since the song exists in a number of variations, the lyrics required for the contest are:

Verse:     The other night dear, as I lay sleeping
                 I dreamed I held you in my arms.
                 When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken
                 So I hung my head and I cried Chorus:   You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
                 You make me happy when skies are gray
                 You'll never know dear, how much I miss you
                 Please don't take my sunshine away.

The grand prize winner will get a free one-night stay in New Orleans for up to four people for the Dec. 5 event, followed by an opportunity to perform their rendition of the song at LPB's studio for the Dec. 9 television premiere.

For more information, or to submit a video for the contest, click here.