Skip Ewing
Encyclopedia
Donald Ralph "Skip" Ewing (born March 6, 1964 in Redlands, California
) is an American country music
singer and songwriter. Active since 1988, Ewing has recorded nine studio albums, and has charted fifteen singles on the Billboard
country charts.
and Capitol Records
. Over 250 of his songs have been recorded, with more than a dozen of them becoming number one hits. Artists who have recorded Ewing's songs include Conway Twitty
, George Jones
, Andy Williams
, Kenny Rogers
, George Strait
, Willie Nelson
, Kenny Chesney
, Clint Black
, Collin Raye
, Diamond Rio
, Reba McEntire
, Tim McGraw
, Trisha Yearwood
, Randy Travis
, Merle Haggard
, Mark Wills
, Sammy Kershaw
, Bryan White
, Gene Watson
, Kathy Mattea
, Janice Ian, Suzy Boggus, Lorrie Morgan
, Keith Whitley
, Ricky Van Shelton
, Béla Fleck
, Keb' Mo and Dave Koz
.
Ewing is a notable attendee of Columbine High School
in Jefferson County
, Colorado
, and Redlands High School
in Redlands, California
.
More recently, in 2008, he served as the duet partner of the radio version of Reba McEntire
's single, "Every Other Weekend." While also co-writing this single, the song reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Country Chart. Although the song was credited for one week to Ewing and Kenny Chesney
as "Every Other Weekend with Reba McEntire and Skip Ewing or Kenny Chesney" the song was thereafter credited to McEntire alone on the charts.
Additionally, Ewing has received a CMA Song of the Year nomination, a Grammy nomination, a Tony nomination and multiple BMI "Million Air" awards.
, Wyoming
. The mission is to help aspiring songwriters realize their potential, as they are mentored by experienced pros like Ewing, who describes the event as "A labor of love."
Redlands, California
Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 68,747, up from 63,591 at the 2000 census. The city is located east of downtown San Bernardino.- History :...
) is an American 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...
singer and songwriter. Active since 1988, Ewing has recorded nine studio albums, and has charted fifteen singles on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
country charts.
Career
Ewing first began to garner national attention during the mid-1980s both as a songwriter and recording artist for MCAMCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
and Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
. Over 250 of his songs have been recorded, with more than a dozen of them becoming number one hits. Artists who have recorded Ewing's songs include Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
, George Jones
George Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
, Andy Williams
Andy Williams
Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
, Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
, George Strait
George Strait
George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
, Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
, Clint Black
Clint Black
Clint Patrick Black is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and occasional actor. Signed to RCA Records in 1989, Black made his debut with his Killin' Time album, which produced four straight Number One singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country...
, Collin Raye
Collin Raye
Floyd Collin Wray Floyd Collin Wray Floyd Collin Wray (born August 22, 1959 or 1960,Although multiple online sources all indicate Raye's date of birth as 1959, Raye's MySpace lists his date of birth as 1960. Furthermore, the 2004 Deseret News article cited in this article indicates the singer as...
, Diamond Rio
Diamond Rio
Diamond Rio is an American Country music/Christian music band formed in 1984 in Nashville, Tennessee. Since its foundation, the group has comprised the same six members: Gene Johnson , Jimmy Olander , Brian Prout , Marty Roe , Dan Truman , and Dana Williams...
, 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...
, Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the...
, Trisha Yearwood
Trisha Yearwood
Patricia Lynn Yearwood, professionally known as Trisha Yearwood , is an American country music artist. She is best known for her ballads about vulnerable young women from a female perspective that have been described by some music critics as "strong" and "confident."Trisha Yearwood signed with MCA...
, Randy Travis
Randy Travis
Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
, Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
, Mark Wills
Mark Wills
Daryl Mark Williams is an American country music artist, best known professionally as Mark Wills. Signed to Mercury Records between 1996 and 2003, he released five studio albums for the label — Mark Wills, Wish You Were Here, Permanently, Loving Every Minute and And the Crowd Goes Wild — as well...
, Sammy Kershaw
Sammy Kershaw
Samuel Paul "Sammy" Kershaw is an American country music artist. A third cousin of Cajun fiddler Doug Kershaw and ex-husband of Lorrie Morgan, he has been active in country music since 1991. He has released ten studio albums, with three RIAA platinum certifications and two gold certifications...
, Bryan White
Bryan White
Bryan White is an American country music artist. Signed to Asylum Records in 1994 at age 20, White released his self-titled debut album that year. Both it and its follow-up, 1996's Between Now and Forever, were certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, and 1997's The...
, Gene Watson
Gene Watson
Gary Gene Watson is an American country singer. He is most famous for his 1975 hit "Love in the Hot Afternoon," his 1982 hit "Fourteen Carat Mind," and his signature song "Farewell Party." Watson's long career has notched six number ones, 23 top tens and over 75 charted singles.-Biography:Watson...
, 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...
, Janice Ian, Suzy Boggus, Lorrie Morgan
Lorrie Morgan
In 1996 Morgan married Jon Randall, a singer/songwriter now credited with writing the 2004 Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss hit "Whiskey Lullaby"; they divorced three years later in 1999....
, Keith Whitley
Keith Whitley
Jackie Keith Whitley , known professionally as Keith Whitley, was an American country music singer. Whitley's brief career in mainstream country music lasted from 1984 until his death in 1989, but he continues to influence an entire generation of singers and songwriters...
, Ricky Van Shelton
Ricky Van Shelton
Ricky Van Shelton is a currently retired American country music artist. Active between 1986 and 2006, he has charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
, Béla Fleck
Béla Fleck
Béla Anton Leoš Fleck is an American banjo player. Widely acknowledged as one of the world's most innovative and technically proficient banjo players, he is best known for his work with the bands New Grass Revival and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.-Early life and career details:Fleck was born in...
, Keb' Mo and Dave Koz
Dave Koz
Dave Koz is an American smooth jazz saxophonist.- Life and career :Dave Koz was born on March 27, 1963 in Encino, California....
.
Ewing is a notable attendee of Columbine High School
Columbine High School
Columbine High School or CHS is a high school in unincorporated Jefferson County, Colorado, United States.- History :Columbine High School opened in the fall of 1973. There was no senior class in its first year. The school's first graduating class was the class of 1975...
in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Colorado
Jefferson County , whose slogan is the "Gateway to the Rocky Mountains", is the fourth most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. Located along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, Jefferson County is adjacent to the west side of the state capital, Denver....
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, and Redlands High School
Redlands High School
Redlands High School is located in Redlands, California, United States. Founded in 1891, it is the oldest public high school in the State of California still functioning on its original site and the first "unified high school" formed from three elementary school districts...
in Redlands, California
Redlands, California
Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 68,747, up from 63,591 at the 2000 census. The city is located east of downtown San Bernardino.- History :...
.
More recently, in 2008, he served as the duet partner of the radio version of 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...
's single, "Every Other Weekend." While also co-writing this single, the song reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Country Chart. Although the song was credited for one week to Ewing and Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
as "Every Other Weekend with Reba McEntire and Skip Ewing or Kenny Chesney" the song was thereafter credited to McEntire alone on the charts.
Awards
- Broadcast Music IncorporatedBroadcast Music IncorporatedBroadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
(BMI) Songwriter of the Year 2000; - Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Song Of The Year;
- Country Music AssociationCountry Music AssociationThe Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
(CMA) Triple Play Award (three #1 songs within 12 months).
Additionally, Ewing has received a CMA Song of the Year nomination, a Grammy nomination, a Tony nomination and multiple BMI "Million Air" awards.
Horse & Writer
Horse and Writer is an annual songwriting retreat Skip Ewing organizes every year with members of the Nashville songwriting community. The retreat lasts 6 days, and takes place at the Triangle C Ranch in DuboisDubois
-People:Dubois is the name of several people:* Al Dubois, Canadian TV personality and hosted the game show Bumper Stumpers* Alexandra du Bois, American composer...
, Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. The mission is to help aspiring songwriters realize their potential, as they are mentored by experienced pros like Ewing, who describes the event as "A labor of love."
Albums
| Year | Title | US Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | The Coast of Colorado | 29 |
| 1989 | The Will to Love | 44 |
| 1990 | A Healin' Fire | |
| Following Yonder Star (re-issued in 1995) | ||
| 1991 | Naturally | |
| Greatest Hits | ||
| 1993 | Homegrown Love | |
| 1997 | Until I Found You | |
| 2001 | Indian Elephant Tea With The Big Kidz Band | |
| 2009 | Skip Ewing - Hits Vol. 1 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot 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... |
CAN Country | |||
| 1988 | "Your Memory Wins Again" | 17 | — | The Coast of Colorado |
| "I Don't Have Far to Fall I Don't Have Far to Fall "I Don't Have Far to Fall" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Skip Ewing. It was released in August 1988 as the second single from the album The Coast of Colorado. The song reached #8 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.-Chart performance:... " |
8 | * | ||
| "Burnin' a Hole in My Heart Burnin' a Hole in My Heart "Burnin' a Hole in My Heart" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Skip Ewing. It was released in November 1988 as the third single from the album The Coast of Colorado. The song reached #3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.-Chart... " |
3 | * | ||
| 1989 | "The Gospel According to Luke The Gospel According to Luke (song) "The Gospel According to Luke" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Skip Ewing. It was released in February 1989 as the fourth single from the album The Coast of Colorado. The song reached #10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.-Chart... " |
10 | 11 | |
| "The Coast of Colorado" | 15 | 24 | ||
| "It's You Again It's You Again "It's You Again" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Skip Ewing. It was released in October 1989, it was the first single from the album The Will to Love. The song reached #5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.-Chart performance:... " |
5 | 9 | The Will to Love | |
| 1990 | "If a Man Could Live on Love Alone" | 70 | — | |
| "I'm Your Man" | 69 | 77 | A Healin' Fire | |
| "The Dotted Line" | — | 80 | ||
| 1991 | "I Get the Picture" | 73 | — | Naturally |
| 1992 | "Naturally" | 71 | 84 | |
| 1993 | "Losing You Is New to Me" | — | 78 | Homegrown Love |
| "Grandma's Garden" | — | 84 | ||
| 1997 | "Mary Go 'Round" | 58 | — | Until I Found You |
| "Answer to My Prayer" | 66 | — | ||
Guest singles
| Year | Single | Artist | Chart Positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot 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... |
||||
| 2008 | "Every Other Weekend Every Other Weekend "Every Other Weekend" is a duet by American country music artists Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney, recorded on the former's 2007 album Reba: Duets. The song, written by Skip Ewing and Connie Harrington, is the third and final single from the album... "A |
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... |
15 | Reba Duets |
- A The radio edit of "Every Other Weekend" featured Skip Ewing as a duet partner, while the version on McEntire's Reba Duets album features Kenny ChesneyKenny ChesneyKenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
. The song was only credited to Ewing for one week, at which point it had reached #57 on Hot Country Songs.
Other charted songs
| Year | Single | US Country Hot 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... |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Christmas Carol" | 68 | Following Yonder Star |
| 1998 | "Christmas Carol" (re-entry) | 60 | |
| 2000 | "Christmas Carol" (re-entry) | 44 |
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | "Your Memory Wins Again" | Jim May |
| "I Don't Have Far to Fall" | ||
| 1990 | "If a Man Could Live on Love Alone" | John Lloyd Miller |
| 1993 | "Losing You is New to Me" | |
| 1997 | "Mary Go 'Round" | |
| "Answer to My Prayer" | Chuck Shanlever |