Richard Leigh (songwriter)
Encyclopedia
Richard Leigh is an American
country music
songwriter
and singer. He is best known for penning "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
" (sung by Crystal Gayle
). In 1978 he received a Grammy Award
for "Best Country Song" for the popular song. It was nominated in both pop and country categories and reached number one on both charts.
His first number one song was "I'll Get Over You
" (1976), also sung by Crystal Gayle. Other prominent singers who have brought his songs number one status over the years include Billy Dean
, Mickey Gilley
, Reba McEntire
, Steve Wariner
, and Don Williams
. Kathy Mattea
had another number one hit with "Come From the Heart
" in 1990. In 1999 the Dixie Chicks
recorded Leigh's "Cold Day in July
" for their album Fly, reaching Number 9 on the country music charts in 2000.
Leigh was reared in Virginia, and currently lives on his farm in Cornersville, Tennessee
. He is a graduate of Virginia Highlands Community College
and Virginia Commonwealth University
. He has been nominated for songwriter of the year seven times and in 1994 he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Foundation
Hall of Fame
.
unless otherwise noted.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and singer. He is best known for penning "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
"Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" is a popular country-pop music song by Crystal Gayle , younger sister of Loretta Lynn. The song was written by Richard Leigh and first appeared on Gayle's 1977 album, We Must Believe in Magic....
" (sung by Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle is an American country music singer best known for her 1977 country-pop hit, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". An award-winning singer, she accumulated 18 number one country hits during the 1970s and 1980s...
). In 1978 he received a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for "Best Country Song" for the popular song. It was nominated in both pop and country categories and reached number one on both charts.
His first number one song was "I'll Get Over You
I'll Get Over You
"I'll Get Over You" is a song made famous by country music singer Crystal Gayle. Written by Richard Leigh, the song was Crystal Gayle's seventh chart hit and her first number-one country hit in 1976....
" (1976), also sung by Crystal Gayle. Other prominent singers who have brought his songs number one status over the years include Billy Dean
Billy Dean
William Harold "Billy" Dean, Jr. is an American country music singer and songwriter. Billy Dean first gained national attention after appearing on the television talent competition Star Search...
, Mickey Gilley
Mickey Gilley
Mickey Leroy Gilley is an American country music singer and musician. Although he started out singing straight-up country and western material in the 1970s, he moved towards a more pop-friendly sound in the 1980s, bringing him further success on not just the country charts, but the pop charts as...
, Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
, Steve Wariner
Steve Wariner
Steven Noel "Steve" Wariner is an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. He has released eighteen studio albums, including six on MCA Records, and three each on RCA Records, Arista Records and Capitol Records...
, and Don Williams
Don Williams
Don Williams , is an American country singer, songwriter and a 2010 inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. He grew up in Portland, Texas, and graduated in 1958 from Gregory-Portland High School. After seven years with the folk-pop group Pozo-Seco Singers, he began his solo career in 1971,...
. Kathy Mattea
Kathy Mattea
Kathleen Alice "Kathy" Mattea is an American country music and bluegrass performer who often brings folk, Celtic and traditional country sounds to her music. Active since 1983 as a recording artist, she has recorded seventeen albums and has charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot...
had another number one hit with "Come From the Heart
Come From the Heart
"Come from the Heart" is a country music song written by Richard Leigh and Susanna Clark and published in 1987. It is most widely known through the 1989 single by Kathy Mattea, released in conjunction with her album Willow in the Wind, though the song was first recorded and released on the 1987...
" in 1990. In 1999 the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
recorded Leigh's "Cold Day in July
Cold Day in July
"Cold Day in July" is a country music song written by Richard Leigh and most known as performed by the Dixie Chicks.Two artists recorded the song in 1992, Suzy Bogguss on her album Voices in the Wind and Joy Lynn White on her debut album, Between Midnight & Hindsight...
" for their album Fly, reaching Number 9 on the country music charts in 2000.
Leigh was reared in Virginia, and currently lives on his farm in Cornersville, Tennessee
Cornersville, Tennessee
Cornersville is a town in Marshall County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 962 at the 2000 census.-History:Before becoming incorporated the town's name was Marathon because the distance to Pulaski was equal to a marathon...
. He is a graduate of Virginia Highlands Community College
Virginia Highlands Community College
Virginia Highlands Community College is located in Abingdon, Virginia. One of the 23 schools in the Virginia Community College System, the college was established November 30, 1967 to serve the residents of Washington County, western Smyth County, and the city of Bristol, Virginia. Over 4,000...
and Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
. He has been nominated for songwriter of the year seven times and in 1994 he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Foundation
Nashville Songwriters Foundation
The Nashville Songwriters Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit organization foundation for the Nashville music community. Songwriters are inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame each year and the foundation's purpose is to "educate, archive, and celebrate the contributions of the members...
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
.
List of number one songs
Number Ones on Billboard's US Country Music ChartHot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
unless otherwise noted.
| Year | Title | Co-writer | Performer |
| 1976 | "I'll Get Over You I'll Get Over You "I'll Get Over You" is a song made famous by country music singer Crystal Gayle. Written by Richard Leigh, the song was Crystal Gayle's seventh chart hit and her first number-one country hit in 1976.... " |
None | Crystal Gayle |
| 1978 | "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" is a popular country-pop music song by Crystal Gayle , younger sister of Loretta Lynn. The song was written by Richard Leigh and first appeared on Gayle's 1977 album, We Must Believe in Magic.... " |
None | Crystal Gayle |
| 1985 | "Life's Highway Life's Highway (song) "Life's Highway" is a song recorded by country music artist Steve Wariner and was his fourth number-one hit on the country chart . It was the second single from his 1986 album of the same name and was a #2 hit in Canada.-Chart performance:... " |
R. Leigh/ R. Murrah | Steve Wariner |
| 1982 | "Put Your Dreams Away Put Your Dreams Away (Mickey Gilley song) " "Put Your Dreams Away" is a 1982 song written by Richard Leigh and Wayland Holyfield and performed Mickey Gilley. "Put Your Dreams Away" would be Mickey Gilley's fourteenth number one on the country chart. The single stayed at number one for one week and spent a total of twelve weeks on the... " |
R. Leigh/W. Holyfield Wayland Holyfield Wayland D. Holyfield, , is a prominent American songwriter and leader in the songwriting community.-Early life:Wayland Holyfield was born in Mallettown, Arkansas. He was educated in Arkansas public schools and attended Hendrix College at Conway, Arkansas before graduating from the University of... |
Mickey Gilley |
| 1990 | "Come From the Heart Come From the Heart "Come from the Heart" is a country music song written by Richard Leigh and Susanna Clark and published in 1987. It is most widely known through the 1989 single by Kathy Mattea, released in conjunction with her album Willow in the Wind, though the song was first recorded and released on the 1987... " |
R. Leigh/S. Clark Susanna Clark Susanna Clark may refer to:* Susanna Clark, American songwriter and wife of Guy Clark* Susanna Clarke, British novelist... |
Kathy Mattea |
| 1991 | "Somewhere in My Broken Heart"A | R. Leigh/B. Dean | Billy Dean |
| 1991 | "Only Here for a Little While"A | R. Leigh/W. Holyfield | Billy Dean |
| 1984 | "That's the Thing About Love That's the Thing About Love "That's the Thing About Love" is a 1984 single written by Richard Leigh and Gary Nicholson and recorded by Don Williams. "That's the Thing About Love" would be Don Williams sixteenth number one on the country chart. The single stayed at number one for a week and spent a total of thirteen weeks on... " |
R. Leigh/G. Nicholson | Don Williams |
| 1992 | "The Greatest Man I Never Knew"A | R. Leigh/L. Martine, Jr. | Reba McEntire |
- AReached #1 on U.S. Radio & RecordsRadio & RecordsRadio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and...
country singles charts.