American Elm: Chris Bousquet

American Elm is the nome de guerre of Chris Bousquet, a singer-songwriter from Connecticut.

Chris has performed with a number of other renowned artists including, Roger McGuinn, Mercury Rev, Howe Gelb, Miracle Legion, Asleep at the Wheel, Rhett Miller, Mark Mulcahy, The Turtles, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, and Susan Cowsill.

Since 2008, American Elm has released several E.P.s and albums: “Ulmus Americana” (2008), “alonesomenoise” (2014), “Into the Light Within” (2015), “The Ivory Sessions” (2018), and “Morning Song” (2021), as well as two singles, “Empty Island Houses” (2014) and “A Long Road to be Free” (2018).

2018 marked the public debut of "The Year of the Horse: A Folk-Rock Song Cycle" written by Bousquet and performed by some of the region’s most talented and beloved musicians. The performance took place at New Haven’s famed Café Nine and was later released as a live concert film.

In 2021, the American Elm song, “A Long Road to Be Free” was included in the Essential Western New England Songbook, an 150 song anthology of many of the best songs ever written and recorded by artists who have lived in Western New England and whose careers have a significant connection to the area. The songbook includes many recognizable names including, Taj Mahal, Gene Pitney, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Dar Williams, and the Pixies.

The American Elm song “Gloria” is featured in, and serves as the theme song for the CPTV/PBS documentary “Oyster Heaven,” and the feature film “The Oystering Life.”

In 2020, as American Drone, Chris released a six track EP of songs recorded entirely on stick dulcimer.

Along with Eric M. Lichter, Chris is one half of the band Electric Elm. They have released two singles in 2024, “Sandra Ann” and “Let Us Begin!”

Press quotes:

“There is a deep embedded ache in Bousquet’s voice. You can feel it down in the trenches of his soul and through the crack in his voice.” – Redline Roots

“On Into the Light Within Bousquet really separates himself as a songwriter from a very crowded field of excellent songwriters taking up camp in his home state. While he’s not afraid to crank up the electric guitar to prove a song’s point, it’s his more introspective moments, such as on “Gloria” that he really knocks it out of the park.” – Chip McCabe, Lonesome Noise

"Memorable melodies and intoxicating hooks that are instantly appealing . . . well worth tracking down." - Del Day, Americana-UK

"Songs that grab at the throat, heart, and soul." - Rootstime Belgium

"Bousquet's melodies pour out with folksy ease, his memorable choruses invite singing along, and his lyrics are smart without being show-offy" - Brian LaRue, The New Haven Advocate

"Now those are the kinds of songs that matter!" - How Gelb, Giant Sand