finetune artist: Rebecca Lynn Howard

b. 24 April 1979, Salyersville, Kentucky, USA. Country singer-songwriter Howard has always been musical, singing since she was a toddler and teaching herself the piano. She sang in school and church, and toured with the Kentucky Opry Variety Show. She begged her mother to take her to the mecca for country singers, Nashville, a trip which she later recounted in a track on her 2000 debut album, "Tennessee In My Windshield". As a solo artist she opened for country stars such as Ricky Van Shelton and Sammy Kershaw, and signed a recording contract with Rising High Records. Her break came when she recorded "Softly & Tenderly" for the soundtrack of the acclaimed Robert Duvall movie, The Apostle, in 1997. Following the closure of Rising Tide and an abortive contract with Decca Records she was signed by MCA Nashville. In common with many contemporary country artists, her debut album revealed a mixture of styles, not least her love of big-voiced singers such as Celine Dion. The singles "When My Dreams Come True" and "Out Here In The Water" were tailor made for a crossover into the pop charts, but success did not follow until the release of Howard's second album, Forgive, in 2002. The superb title track was a major country hit, while songs of the order of "It Didn't Look Like Alcohol" and "This Love" confirmed Howard's status as a songwriter of some note. Her songs have been covered by Trisha Yearwood, Jessica Andrews, John Michael Montgomery and Jim Brickman among others.

Listen to Rebecca Lynn Howard at Finetune.

The First Noel
Beautiful To You
Life Had Other Plans
It Didn't Look Like Alcohol
Move Me