Gene Watson’s Peers within the country music industry believe in the sheer talent of this unassuming man from east Texas, so much so that Gene is regarded by many of them as ‘the singer’s singer’ – and rightly so!
All of Gene Watson’s Peers who were contacted during 2007 were most gracious with their time and words. It is here, within this special part of The Gene Watson Fan Site, that you have an opportunity to read a quote from Rebecca Lynn Howard, which she submitted to this site on Sunday 2 September 2007.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Rebecca Lynn Howard who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Rebecca Lynn Howard
This quote was submitted on Sunday 2 September 2007.
‘Gene Watson is truly a legend and has a tremendous influence on many music lovers and professional musicians / singers alike!
I’m extremely honoured to have such a rich and pure country voice gracing one of my favourite songs I’ve written (‘A Good Place To Turn Around‘)’
Thank you, Rebecca Lynn Howard, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Rebecca Lynn Howard…
Rebecca Lynn Howard was born in Salyersvilly, Kentucky on Tuesday 24 April 1979 and is a two-time Grammy Award winner.
Rebecca Lynn Howard’s big break came when she recorded ‘Softly & Tenderly’, which was included on the soundtrack of ‘The Apostle’, a 1997 movie, which starred and was directed by Robert Duvall.
Rebecca Lynn Howard began her musical career in 1997, writing album cuts which were recorded by John Michael Montgomery, Jessica Andrews and Lila McCann, amongst others.
Rebecca Lynn Howard was briefly signed to Rising Tide Records Nashville, recording only a cover of the hymn ‘Softly & Tenderly’ for the soundtrack of the film, ‘The Apostle’, before the label closed its doors in March 1998.
Rebecca Lynn Howard later signed a recording contract with Decca Records, but that record label closed as well.
John Michael Montgomery recorded Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘Love Is Our Business’ (co-written with Marty Dodson and Rob Matson) and included the track on ‘Home To You’ (Atlantic Records, 1999).
Lila McCann recorded Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘Hit By Love’, which was co-written with Trey Bruce – son of Ed Bruce (Friday 29 December 1939 – Friday 8 January 2021) – and included the track on ‘Something In The Air’ (Asylum Records, 1999).
In 2000, Rebecca Lynn Howard signed to MCA Records Nashville and saw the release, on Tuesday 2 May 2000, of her self-titled debut album, ‘Rebecca Lynn Howard’ (MCA Records Nashville, 2000), which included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart:
‘When My Dreams Come True’, which was written by Trey Bruce – son of Ed Bruce (Friday 29 December 1939 – Friday 8 January 2021) – and J.D. Martin (No.65, 1999)
‘Out Here In The Water’, which was written by Robin Lee Bruce, Trey Bruce – son of Ed Bruce (Friday 29 December 1939 – Friday 8 January 2021) – and Rebecca Lynn Howard (No.54, 2000)
‘I Don’t Paint Myself Into Corners’, which was written by Trey Bruce – son of Ed Bruce (Friday 29 December 1939 – Friday 8 January 2021) – and Rebecca Lynn Howard (No.71, 2000)
Rebecca Lynn Howard’s self-titled debut album, ‘Rebecca Lynn Howard’ (MCA Records Nashville, 2000), also included the following tracks:
‘Heartsounds’ (written by Marty Dodson and Rebecca Lynn Howard)
‘Melancholy Blue’ (written by Tom Douglas and Rebecca Lynn Howard)
‘You’re Real’ (written by Marty Dodson and Rebecca Lynn Howard)
‘Was It As Hard To Be Together’ (written by Rebecca Lynn Howard and Carl Jackson)
‘Move Me’ (written by Marty Dodson and Rebecca Lynn Howard)
‘You’re Not A Memory Yet’ (written by Rebecca Lynn Howard, Melba Montgomery and Jerry Salley)
‘Believe It Or Not’ (written by Marty Dodson, Ron Harbin and Rebecca Lynn Howard)
‘Jesus, Daddy & You’, which was written by Marty Dodson, Rebecca Lynn Howard and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016)
‘Tennessee In My Windshield’, which was written by Rebecca Lynn Howard and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016)
Personnel involved in the recording of Rebecca Lynn Howard’s self-titled debut album, ‘Rebecca Lynn Howard’ (MCA Records Nashville, 2000), included the following:
Rebecca Lynn Howard (vocals)
Mark Casstevens, Dan Dugmore and Biff Watson (acoustic guitar)
Chad Cromwell, Shannon Forrest and Greg Morrow (drums)
Steve Cropper (electric guitar)
Eric Darken (percussion)
Stuart Duncan and Larry Franklin (fiddle)
Paul Franklin (steel guitar)
Jim Horn (saxophone)
David Hungate and Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) (bass guitar)
Kirk ‘Jelly Roll’ Johnson (harmonica)
Brent Mason and Brent Rowan (acoustic guitar, electric guitar)
Steve Natham (piano, keyboards)
Robin Lee Bruce, Wes Hightower, Marilyn Martin and Buddy Miller (background vocals)
String section on ‘Melancholy Blue’: Kristin Wilkinson, John Catchings, Donald Christian Teal and David Davidson
String section on ‘Believe It Or Not’: The Nashville String Machine
Rebecca Lynn Howard’s self-titled debut album, ‘Rebecca Lynn Howard’ (MCA Records Nashville, 2000), reached No.54 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2000.
In 2001, Rebecca Lynn Howard sang a duet with Jim Brickman titled ‘Simple Things’.
‘Simple Things’ was the title of a song co-written and recorded by American singer-songwriter, Jim Brickman (co-written with Darrell Brown and Beth Neilsen Chapman). The track was released in August 2001 as the lead single from the album of the same name, ‘Simple Things’ (RCA Records, 2001).
Jim Brickman performed the song with Rebecca Lynn Howard; the single was Jim Brickman’s eleventh chart release on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart and his first No.1. ‘Simple Things’ spent one week at No.1 in 2001, but it failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart.
Trisha Yearwood recorded Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘I Don’t Paint Myself Into Corners’, which was co-written with Trey Bruce – son of Ed Bruce (Friday 29 December 1939 – Friday 8 January 2021) – and included the track on ‘Inside Out’ (MCA Records Nashville, 2001); the track reached No.47 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2002.
On Tuesday 10 September 2002, Rebecca Lynn Howard saw the release of ‘Forgive’ (MCA Records Nashville, 2002), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart:
‘Forgive’, which was written by Trey Bruce – son of Ed Bruce (Friday 29 December 1939 – Friday 8 January 2021) – and Rebecca Lynn Howard (No.12, 2002) / this track, which was Rebecca Lynn Howard’s only Billboard Top 40 country music hit single, was featured on the soundtrack of ‘Providence’, an American television drama series, which ran for five seasons, on NBC, from Friday 8 January 1999 until Friday 20 December 2002.
Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘Forgive’ (MCA Records Nashville, 2002) also included the following tracks:
‘Beautiful To You’, which was written by Trey Bruce – son of Ed Bruce (Friday 29 December 1939 – Friday 8 January 2021) – and Rebecca Lynn Howard
‘Dancin’ In God’s Country’, which was written by Larry Williams, Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Rebecca Lynn Howard
‘It Didn’t Look Like Alcohol’, which was written by Trey Bruce – son of Ed Bruce (Friday 29 December 1939 – Friday 8 January 2021) – and Rebecca Lynn Howard
‘Life Had Other Plans’ (written by Angelo Petraglia and Georgia Middleman)
‘It’s My Job To Fall’ (written by Leslie Satcher)
‘Jesus & Bartenders’ (written by Larry Cordle and Leslie Satcher)
‘This Love’ (written by Marty Dodson and Rebecca Lynn Howard)
‘When Did You Ever Listen To Me’, which was written by Tim Johnson (Friday 29 January 1960 – Sunday 21 October 2012) and Gary Cotton
‘Memorized’ (written by Rebecca Lynn Howard and James LeBlanc)
‘Pink Flamingo Kind of Love’, which was written by Trey Bruce – son of Ed Bruce (Friday 29 December 1939 – Friday 8 January 2021) – and Rebecca Lynn Howard
‘Softly & Tenderly’ (written by Will Lamartine Thompson)
Rebecca Lynn Howard’s second album, ‘Forgive’ (MCA Records Nashville, 2002) reached No.5 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2002, and No.29 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart the same year.
In 2003, Rebecca Lynn Howard saw the release, on MCA Records Nashville, of two more singles: ‘What A Shame’ (No.43, 2003) and ‘I Need A Vacation’ (No.49, 2003), both of which were intended to be included on ‘Laughter & Tears’ (MCA Records Nashvlle, 2003), but the album was never released.
Jessica Andrews recorded Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘Cowboy Guarantee’ (co-written with Jim Collins) and included the track on ‘Now’ (DreamWorks Records, 2003).
The Larkins recorded Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘Jesus, Daddy & You’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on ‘The Larkins’ (Audium Records, 2003).
The Larkins recorded Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘Kiss & Tell’, which was co-written with Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016), and included the track on ‘The Larkins’ (Audium Records, 2003).
In 2004, Rebecca Lynn Howard exited MCA Records Nashville.
It was also in 2004 when Rebecca Lynn Howard received the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Award for the ‘Recorded Event of The Year’ for the tribute album, ‘Livin’, Lovin’, Losin’ – Songs of The Louvin Brothers’ (Universal South Records, 2004).
Carly Goodwin recorded Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘Was It As Hard To Be Together (As It Is To Be Apart)’ (co-written with Carl Jackson) and included the track on ‘Carly Goodwin’ (Dreaming Bear Music, 2004).
By 2005, Rebecca Lynn Howard had moved to Arista Nashville Records, where she saw the release of two more Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart singles, which were slated for an also-unreleased album, tentatively titled ‘Alive & Well’; these singles were ‘No One’ll Ever Love Me’ (No.48, 2005) and ‘That’s Why I Hate Pontiacs’ (this track did not chart in 2005).
In 2005, Rebecca Lynn Howard received her second International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Award for her vocal performance on ‘Love Please Stay’, a track which was included on Larry Sparks’ ’40’ (Rebel Records, 2005), a tribute album which honoured bluegrass music legend Larry Sparks.
In 2006, Rebecca Lynn Howard also recorded for Toby Keith’s Show Dog Nashville record label, which later became part of Show Dog-Universal Music, and saw the release, in 2006, of the single ‘Soon’; there was no album release at this time.
It was also at this time when Rebecca Lynn Howard’s distinctive vocal style also graced country music albums by Patty Loveless, Vince Gill and Dolly Parton.
Rebecca Lynn Howard also spent her time honing her song-writing craft as a staff writer for Murrah Music in Nashville.
On Tuesday 17 October 2006, Vince Gill saw the release of ‘These Days’ (MCA Records, 2006), a groundbreaking, four-CD set featuring forty-three new recordings of diverse musical stylings. Each album in the set explored a different musical mood: traditional country music, ballads, contemporary, up-tempo music and acoustic / bluegrass music.
Vince Gill‘s ‘These Days’ (MCA Records, 2006) was released as a four-CD set as follows:
‘Workin’ On A Big Chill’
(The Rockin’ Record)
‘Workin’ On A Big Chill’
‘Love’s Standing’
‘Cowboy Up’ / this track featured guest vocals from Gretchen Wilson
‘Sweet Thing’
‘Bet It All On You’
‘Nothin’ For A Broken Heart’ / this track was a duet with Rodney Crowell
‘Son of A Ramblin’ Man’ / this track featured guest vocals from The Del McCoury Band
‘Smilin’ Song’ / this track featured guest vocals from Michael McDonald
‘The Rhythm of The Pourin’ Rain’ / this track featured guest vocals from Bekka Bramlett
‘Nothin’ Left To Say’
‘The Reason Why’
(The Groovy Record)
‘What You Don’t Say’ / this track featured guest vocals from LeAnn Rimes
‘The Reason Why’ / this track featured guest vocals from Alison Krauss
‘The Rock of Your Love’ / this track featured guest vocals from Bonnie Raitt
‘What You Give Away’ / this track featured guest vocals from Sheryl Crow
‘Faint of Heart’ / this track featured guest vocals from Diana Krall
‘Time To Carry On’ / this track featured guest vocals from Jenny Gill
‘No Easy Way’
‘This Memory of You’ / this track featured guest vocals from Trisha Yearwood
‘How Lonely Looks’
‘Tell Me One More Time About Jesus’ / this track featured guest vocals from Amy Grant
‘Everything & Nothing’ / this track featured guest vocals from Katrina Elam
‘Which Way Will You Go’
‘These Days’
‘Some Things Never Get Old’
(The Country & Western Record)
‘This New Heartache’
‘The Only Love’
‘Out of My Mind’ / this track featured guest vocals from Patty Loveless
‘The Sight of Me Without You’
‘I Can’t Let Go’ / this track featured guest vocals from Alison Krauss and Dan Tyminski
‘Don’t Pretend With Me’
‘Some Things Never Get Old’ / this track featured guest vocals from Emmylou Harris
‘Sweet Little Corrina’ / this track featured guest vocals from Phil Everly (Thursday 19 January 1939 – Friday 3 January 2014) of The Everly Brothers
‘If I Can Make Mississippi’ / this track featured guest vocals from Lee Ann Womack
‘Take This Country Back’ / this track was a duet with John Anderson
‘Little Brother’
(The Acoustic Record)
‘All Prayed Up’
‘Cold Gray Light of Gone’ / this track featured guest vocals from The Del McCoury Band
‘A River Like You’ / this track featured guest vocals from Jenny Gill
‘Ace Up Your Pretty Sleeve’
‘Molly Brown’
‘Girl’ / this track featured guest vocals from Rebecca Lynn Howard
‘Give Me The Highway’ / this track featured guest vocals from The Del McCoury Band
‘Sweet Augusta Darling’
‘Little Brother’
‘Almost Home’ / this track was a duet with Guy Clark (Thursday 6 November 1941 – Tuesday 17 May 2016)
At the time of the acquisition of this Gene Watson ‘Peer’s Quote’, in September 2007, Rebecca Lynn Howard was involved in the project ‘Songs 4 Worship’ For Time Life, an album project, which was released in October 2007.
Gene Watson recorded Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘A Good Place To Turn Around’ (co-written with J. Matthews and Jon Mabe) and included the track on ‘In a Perfect World‘ (Shanachie Records, 2007); the track featured background vocals from Connie Smith and Wes Hightower.
On Tuesday 17 June 2008, Rebecca Lynn Howard saw the release of ‘No Rules’ (Saguaro Records, 2008), her first full studio album in six years, having recorded two un-released albums in the interim: one in 2003 for MCA Records Nashville, and another in 2005 for Arista Records Nashville.
Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘No Rules’ (Saguaro Records, 2008) included a non-charting single in ‘Sing ‘Cause I Love To’ (written by Rebecca Lynn Howard and Radney Foster), and the album itself reached No.69 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2008.
Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘No Rules’ (Saguaro Records, 2008) also included the following tracks:
‘Shakey Ground’ (written by Al Boyd, Eddie Hazel and Jeffrey Brown)
‘New Twist On An Old Groove’ (written by Michael Curtis and Rebecca Lynn Howard)
‘Do Right Woman, Do Right Man’, which was written by Lincoln Wayne ‘Chips’ Moman (Saturday 12 June 1937 – Monday 13 June 2016) and Dan Penn
‘Soul Sisters’ (written by Rebecca Lynn Howard, Will McFarlane and Michael Curtis)
‘What Dying Feels Like’ (written by Rebecca Lynn Howard and Rachel Thibodeau)
‘Better Someday’ (written by Rebecca Lynn Howard)
‘Just Let It Burn’ (written by Rebecca Lynn Howard, Rachel Thibodeau and Robin Lee Bruce)
‘As One As Two Can Be’ (written by Rebecca Lynn Howard and Patrick Jason Matthews)
‘Real Love’ (written by Rebecca Lynn Howard, Michael Curtis and Teddy Gentry)
‘I’m Over You’ (written by Rebecca Lynn Howard and Rachel Thibodeau)
‘The Life of A Dollar’ (written by Rebecca Lynn Howard and Rachel Thibodeau)
‘We’re In This Love Together’ (written by Roger Murrah and Keith Stegall)
‘Throw it Down’ (written by Kree Harrison and Rebecca Lynn Howard)
Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘No Rules’ (Saguaro Records, 2008) reached No.69 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2008.
Joey + Rory (Joey Martin Feek: Tuesday 9 September 1975 – Friday 4 March 2016 + Rory Lee Feek) recorded Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘The Life of A Song’ (co-written with Patrick Jason Matthews) and included the track on ‘Life of A Song’ (Vanguard Records, 2008).
Gene Watson recorded Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘A Taste of The Truth’ (co-written with Larry Cordle) and included the track on ‘A Taste of the Truth‘ (Shanachie Records, 2009).
In 2014, Rebecca Lynn Howard joined Suzie McNeil, Marti Frederiksen and Elisha Hoffman to form the country rock quartet, Loving Mary.
Hilary Williams recorded Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘Shipwreck’ (co-written with Hilary Williams) and included the track on ‘My Lucky Scars’ (Hilary Williams Independent Release, 2018).
Julie Roberts recorded Rebecca Lynn Howard’s ‘A Little Crazy’s Kinda Nice’ (co-written with Jason Matthews) and included the track on ‘Ain’t In No Hurry’ (Julie Roberts Independent Release, 2022), which was produced by Shooter Jennings and Erin Enderlin; the track was a duet with Randy Houser.
• Visit Rebecca Lynn Howard’s official site at rebeccalynnhoward.com
• Find Rebecca Lynn Howard on Facebook