Whatever Became of This Grammy-Winning Powerhouse KY Vocalist?

Back in the early 2000s, I was certain a vocalist from eastern Kentucky was well on her way to country music superstardom. But the young singer-songwriter with a blockbuster voice that could reach the 10th balcony has become a one-hit wonder.

So what DID become of singer/songwriter Rebecca Lynn Howard? This inquiring mind wanted to know, so I did some digging.

Whatever Happened to Rebecca Lynn Howard?

Born in Salyersville in Magoffin County in 1979, Rebecca Lynn Howard moved to Nashville in 1997. Soon after, she was a Grammy-winner for her mind-blowing recording of the gospel standard "Softly and Tenderly" for the soundtrack to the Robert Duvall movie The Apostle.

Around the same time, Howard was scoring a deal with MCA Records; she released her self-titled debut album in 2000. None of the album's three singles charted higher on the Billboard Country Singles chart than #54. That was the album's second release, "Out Here on the Water."

Yep. Three singles; minimal chart action. So it was back to the drawing board, and, as it turned out, that "drawing board" was very kind, or so it seemed. Howard's 2002 follow-up peaked at #5 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and a respectable #29 on the over-all Billboard 200. The title track climbed the country chart until it peaked at #12. I remember listing it among my top 10 favorite releases of that year. Take a listen, and you'll hear why:

What an extraordinary performance. What a great song. What...happened?

Rebecca Lynn Howard After 'Forgive'

Although her next two albums--2003's Laughter & Tears and 2005's Alive and Well--each yielded a pair of singles that charted on the Billboard Country chart, both collections were shelved. Those label troubles contributed to ongoing anxiety issues Howard faced after she and her husband purchased a home. Still, the reviews were always glowing, as was the case with her "official" third album, 2008's No Rules, which peaked at #69 on Billboard Country Albums.

But life was hardly grim; sandwiched between those two non-releases was "If I Could Only Win Your Love," a 2004 duet with Ronnie Dunn that appeared on Livin', Lovin' Losin' - Songs of the Louvin Brothers. The tribute collection won the 2005 Grammy for Best Country Album, giving Howard her second trophy.

Today, Rebecca Lynn Howard lives in Nashville with her husband, producer/songwriter Elisha Hoffman. She's also performing live; earlier this year, she and Lee Brice collaborated on a live version of a timeless classic:

The bottom line is this...while the hits haven't been coming in quite some time, Rebecca Lynn Howard's music is still available and will always be worth your time.

In my opinion, we've had few more gifted vocalists grace our eardrums than Rebecca Lynn Howard. Find her; she's the real deal.