Rebecca Lynn Howard (born April 24, 1979) is an American
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
artist. She has charted seven singles on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data along with digital sales and streaming. ...
charts, and has released three studio albums. Her highest-charting single, "
Forgive", peaked at No. 12 on the country music charts in 2002. She is a founding member of the
country-rock
Country rock is a music genre that fuses rock and country. It was developed by rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These musicians recorded rock records using country themes, vocal sty ...
group
Loving Mary.
Biography
Career
Howard began her professional career as a singer-songwriter in 1997, writing for
Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless (born Patricia Lee Ramey, January 4, 1957) is an American country music singer. She began performing in her teenaged years before signing her first recording contract with MCA Records' Nashville division in 1985. While her first ...
,
John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery (born January 20, 1965) is an American country music singer. Active from 1992 to 2025, he has had more than 30 singles on the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' country charts. This total includes seven number-one singles ...
,
Jessica Andrews,
Lila McCann and others.
After signing to
Rising Tide Records Nashville, she earned the first of two
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
s with her cover of the hymn "
Softly and Tenderly" for the soundtrack of the film ''
The Apostle''
before the label closed in March 1998.
Later, she signed with
Decca Records
Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...
.
Her
self-titled debut album was released by
MCA Nashville in 2000 and included the
singles "When My Dreams Come True," "Out Here in the Water" and "I Don't Paint Myself into Corners," all of which charted on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' country singles charts.
In 2001, accompanied on the piano by Jim Brickman, Howard sang "Simple Things," the lead single from his album of the same name. The song peaked at No. 1 on ''Billboard's'' Adult Contemporary Chart.
The title track of her second album, ''
Forgive'' (2002) reached No. 12 on ''Billboard,'' broke Top 10 on the ''Radio and Records'' country chart, and became a Top 40 single.
Two more singles followed in 2003: "What a Shame" and "I Need a Vacation," which respectively reached No. 43 and No. 49 on ''Billboard's'' Hot Country Songs.
Howard exited MCA in 2004.
In 2004, Howard shared in her second Grammy Award for "If I Could Only Win Your Love," a duet with
Ronnie Dunn
Ronald Gene Dunn (born June 1, 1953) is an American country music singer-songwriter and record executive. Starting in 2011, Dunn has worked as a solo artist following the temporary dissolution of Brooks & Dunn. He released his Ronnie Dunn (alb ...
for
Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers. Howard has sung vocals on numerous albums for major artists, including
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily as a country music, country musician. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton's debut album ...
,
Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless (born Patricia Lee Ramey, January 4, 1957) is an American country music singer. She began performing in her teenaged years before signing her first recording contract with MCA Records' Nashville division in 1985. While her first ...
, and
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He played in a number of local bluegrass music, bluegrass bands in the 1970s, and from 1978 to 1982, he achieved his first mainstream attention after ta ...
. She has also toured extensively with
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Ray Rogers (born Kenneth Donald Rogers) (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particul ...
,
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson (born October 17, 1958) is an American country music singer-songwriter. He is known for performing a style widely regarded as "neotraditional country", as well as writing many of his own songs. Jackson has recorded 21 studi ...
,
Blake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton (born June 18, 1976) is an American country music, country singer, songwriter and television personality. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin (Blake Shelton song), Austin" from his Blake Shelton (album), self ...
,
Gretchen Wilson
Gretchen Frances Wilson (born June 26, 1973, in Pocahontas, Illinois) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She made her debut in March 2004 with the Grammy Awards, Grammy Award-winning single "Redneck Woman", a number-one hit on th ...
, and
Steven Tyler
Steven Victor Tallarico (born March 26, 1948), known professionally as Steven Tyler, is an American singer and songwriter. Tyler is best known as the lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the keyboards, h ...
. Howard has been a frequent performer at the
Grand Ole Opry
The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a regular live country music, country-music Radio broadcasting, radio broadcast originating from Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, on WSM (AM), WSM, held between two and five nights per week, depending on the ...
ever since her debut in 1994, and toured as one of the headliners of the 2004 Grand Ole Opry American Road Show.
By 2005, Howard moved to
Arista Nashville
Arista Nashville was an American record label that served as a wholly owned division of Sony Music, operated under the Sony Music Nashville division. Founded in 1989, the label specialized in country music artists, including Alan Jackson, Brooks ...
, where she released two more singles, including "No One'll Ever Love Me," which reached No. 48, and "That's Why I Hate Pontiacs".
Her third album was 2008's ''
No Rules'', on the Saguaro Road label.
Howard performed "Forgive" on the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
primetime television drama series
Providence. The song featured prominently in the Season Five episode "The Sound of Music," with Howard credited as herself.
Howard has been nominated twice for the
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller (songwriter), Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris ...
Awards and is a two-time recipient of the
International Bluegrass Music Awards (for "If I Could Only Win Your Love" and "Love Please Stay" on
Larry Sparks's album ''40''.)
In 2017, Howard announced the debut of her new company, the Second Say, which features Rebecca Lynn Howard as a motivational speaker for corporate and trade association meetings. Her company also provides leadership workshops and musical performances. "I'm here to connect with people," Howard said. "When I'm singing, I'm speaking to people. I feel like this venture is an extension of who I am." Additionally, she serves as a creativity consultant for business leaders.
In 2023, Howard released the first single "I Am My Mother" from her latest album "I'm Not Who You Think I Am" on Pump House Records.
Covers and songwriting credits
Howard's "I Don't Paint Myself Into Corners" (co-written with
Trey Bruce
Trey Edwin Bruce is an American songwriter. Bruce has Fourteen ASCAP Awards for the most played songs at radio and has written ten Number One singles on the ''Billboard''. "Look Heart, No Hands", "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man" and "Whisper M ...
) was recorded by
Trisha Yearwood
Patricia Lynn Yearwood (born September 19, 1964) is an American country singer. She rose to fame with her 1991 debut single "She's in Love with the Boy", which became a number one hit on the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' Hot Country Songs ...
for her 2001 album Inside Out. Yearwood later performed the song at the 2002
Country Music Awards. "As Long As We're Here," co-written by Howard and Jan Buckingham, was recorded by
Clay Aiken
Clayton Holmes Aiken (''né'' Grissom; born November 30, 1978) is an American singer, television personality, actor and political activist. Aiken finished second place on the second season of ''American Idol'' in 2003, and his debut album, '' Me ...
on his 2008 album
On My Way Here. In 2011,
Martina McBride
Martina Mariea McBride (née Schiff, July 29, 1966) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is known for her soprano singing range and her country pop material.
McBride was born in Sharon, Kansas, and relocated to Nashville, T ...
recorded Howard's "Whatcha Gonna Do" (co-written with Rachel Thibodeaux and Jason Sever) for her album
Eleven. In 2016, Howard was a co-writer of "Lipstick" (for which she developed the song concept and signature lyric), which became a breakout hit for the trio
Runaway June. She has also co-written numerous songs for
Gwen Sebastian and was a co-writer with
Charles Esten
Charles Esten Puskar III (born September 9, 1965), also known professionally as Charles Esten, and (when appearing as himself on improvisation shows or hosting) as Chip Esten, is an American actor, musician, singer-songwriter, and comedian.
Es ...
(of the TV series
Nashville
Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
) for his single "Don't Cry Long." With husband Elisha Hoffman she also has songwriting credits on the
hard rock
Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...
band
New Medicine's 2010 album ''
Race You to the Bottom'' and "World Class Fuck Up" from its follow up ''Breaking the Model'' (2014).
Loving Mary
In 2014, Howard joined
Suzie McNeil,
Marti Frederiksen
Martin Harold "Marti" Frederiksen (born July 1, 1962) is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician. He writes and produces music primarily in rock, country, and pop. He is best known for his work with many artists and bands incl ...
, Andrew Mactaggart, Sarah Tomek, and husband, Elisha Hoffman to form the
country rock
Country rock is a music genre that fuses rock and country. It was developed by rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These musicians recorded rock records using country themes, vocal sty ...
group
Loving Mary in which she serves as songwriter, vocalist, and bassist. The group joined
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...
's
Steven Tyler
Steven Victor Tallarico (born March 26, 1948), known professionally as Steven Tyler, is an American singer and songwriter. Tyler is best known as the lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the keyboards, h ...
as backup band on his debut
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
solo studio album ''
We're All Somebody from Somewhere'' and its supporting "Out On A Limb" tour in the U.S. and Japan. The band has made numerous appearances with Tyler on the festival circuit, including
WE Fest and The Pilgrimage Music Festival, as well as on ''
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by actor and comedian Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It i ...
'', ''
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for nineteen seasons from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes. It was produced by ...
'', and ''
The TODAY Show
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'') is an American morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was the first of its genre on American television ...
''.
Loving Mary released its debut album ''Little Bit of Love'' in 2016.
In 2017, Loving Mary joined
Gretchen Wilson
Gretchen Frances Wilson (born June 26, 1973, in Pocahontas, Illinois) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She made her debut in March 2004 with the Grammy Awards, Grammy Award-winning single "Redneck Woman", a number-one hit on th ...
on a multi-city tour in support of her album ''Ready to Get Rowdy''.
Critical reception
Howard's vocal and songwriting abilities have earned wide critical praise. In her
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
review of ''Forgive'', Maria Konicki Dinoia called the title track a "chill-inducing masterpiece" and described the album as "loaded with diversity, freshness, and inspiration."
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
had similar praise for her performance of "Jesus and Bartenders" from the same album: "Now, that's country!"
CMT News described "I Don't Paint Myself Into Corners" as a "soaring declaration of freedom" while
Billboard Magazine
''Billboard'' (stylized in lowercase since 2013) is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events and styles related to th ...
called it "pure country joy."
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
's Thom Jurek praised the "deep, high lonesome sound" of Howard's duet with Vince Gill, "Girl" and gave a glowing review to Howard's third album, ''No Rules—''naming it an "enormous leap in creative growth that is the measure of a consummate artist" and "easily Rebecca Lynn Howard's finest, most consistent record to date."
Personal life
Howard was raised in
Salyersville, Kentucky
Salyersville () is a home rule-class city on the Licking River in Magoffin County, Kentucky, United States. It is the county seat. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,591, down from 1,883 in 2010.
History
Early history
The hill overl ...
, and first began singing in church. She currently lives in
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
, with her husband, songwriter/producer Elisha Hoffman. Howard plays a
Höfner bass guitar.
Discography
Studio albums
Singles
Guest singles
Music videos
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, Rebecca Lynn
1979 births
Living people
People from Magoffin County, Kentucky
American women country singers
American country singer-songwriters
Grammy Award winners
Country musicians from Kentucky
MCA Records artists
Show Dog-Universal Music artists
Arista Nashville artists
Singer-songwriters from Kentucky
Kentucky women musicians
Singers from Kentucky
American country bass guitarists
American women bass guitarists
21st-century American bass guitarists
21st-century American singer-songwriters
21st-century American women singers