Rebecca Lynn Howard (album)

Rebecca Lynn Howard (originally titled When My Dreams Come True)[4] is the debut studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Rebecca Lynn Howard, released May 2, 2000 via MCA Nashville.[5] Before this, she had recorded an entire full-length album under the Rising Tide Nashville label, which went unreleased due to the label's bankruptcy.[6] She then went to Decca Nashville, which also closed.[7] In early 1999, she would get a deal with MCA Nashville Records, a deal which would last until 2004 when she left the label following yet another unreleased album.[8] The album was initially planned to be released on September 7, 1999.[9]

Rebecca Lynn Howard
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 2, 2000
Recorded1999
StudioJavelina (Nashville, Tennessee)
GenreCountry
Length42:14
LabelMCA Nashville
ProducerMark Wright
Rebecca Lynn Howard chronology
Rebecca Lynn Howard
(2000)
Forgive
(2002)
Singles from Rebecca Lynn Howard
  1. "When My Dreams Come True"
    Released: June 28, 1999[1]
  2. "Out Here in the Water"
    Released: February 7, 2000[2]
  3. "I Don't Paint Myself into Corners"
    Released: August 21, 2000[3]

Unusual for a debut artist at the time, Howard co-wrote all but two tracks on the album. The record was produced by Mark Wright. Rebecca Lynn Howard received a positive reception from music critics, with praise going towards Howard's vocals and songwriting. Three official singles were released, none of which became successful. The highest-charting, "Out Here in the Water", only peaked at number 54 on the US Hot Country Songs chart. "I Don't Paint Myself into Corners" and "Melancholy Blue" would be recorded by label-mate Trisha Yearwood on her 2001 studio album Inside Out, with the former becoming a charting single for her in 2002. The album would reach a minute peak of number 54 on the Top Country Albums chart.[10]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic     [11]

Rebecca Lynn Howard received a mostly favorable reception from music critics. In a mixed review for AllMusic, Philip Van Vleck criticized the album's more pop-sounding songs and some of Howard's writing while praising "Was It as Hard to Be Together" as being the "only genuine country ballad" on the album. Phyllis Stark of Billboard gave the album a positive review, noting how at times Howard's vibrato is reminiscent of Dolly Parton.[12]

Commercial performance

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Rebecca Lynn Howard debuted and peaked at number 54 on the US Top Country Albums chart with 2,500 copies sold first week.[13] It spent only one week before falling off.

Track listing

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All music is composed by Mark Wright

Rebecca Lynn Howard track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Heartsounds"
3:19
2."I Don't Paint Myself into Corners"
4:59
3."Out Here in the Water"
3:26
4."Melancholy Blue"3:38
5."You're Real"
  • R. Howard
  • Dodson
3:46
6."Was It as Hard to Be Together"
3:46
7."Move Me"
  • R. Howard
  • Dodson
2:46
8."You're Not a Memory Yet"3:22
9."Believe It or Not"
  • R. Howard
  • Dodson
  • Ron Harbin
3:47
10."When My Dreams Come True"
  • T. Bruce
  • J.D. Martin
3:16
11."Jesus, Daddy and You"
3:54
12."Tennessee in My Windshield"
  • R. Howard
  • Williams
2:15
Total length:42:14

Personnel

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Compiled from liner notes.[14]

Musicians

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String section on "Melancholy Blue": Kristin Wilkinson, John Catchings, Donald Christian Teal, David Davidson

String section on "Believe It or Not": The Nashville String Machine

Technical

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  • David Campbell — string arrangements on "Believe It or Not", conductor
  • Greg Droman — associate producer, engineering, mixing
  • Kristin Wilkinson — string arrangements on "Melancholy Blue"
  • Hank Williams — mastering
  • Mark Wright — production

Charts

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Chart (2000) Peak
position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[15] 54

References

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  1. ^ "Going for Adds: Country". Radio & Records. No. 1305. June 25, 1999. p. 76.
  2. ^ "Going for Adds: Country". Radio & Records. No. 1336. February 4, 2000. p. 70.
  3. ^ "Going for Adds: Country". Radio & Records. No. 1364. August 18, 2000. p. 146.
  4. ^ "Rebecca Lynn Howard – When My Dreams Come True (CD, Advance, Album, Promo)". Discogs. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  5. ^ "Discography on Allmusic.com". Allmusic. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  6. ^ "Rebecca Lynn Howard – Advance Album (CD, Advance, Album, Promo)". Discogs. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  7. ^ Price, Deborah Evans (April 1, 2000). "Label Difficulties Behind, Howard Makes Her MCA Debut". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 14. Nielsen Business Media. p. 65. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 16, 2024 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ Stark, Phyllis (February 28, 2004). "Nashville Scene: Goldstone Moves to Emerging Music Marketing". Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 9. Nielsen Business Media. p. 45. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 16, 2024 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "A Quick List of Country's New Album Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1307. September 7, 1999. p. 64.
  10. ^ "Billboard Top Country Albums". Billboard. 19 May 2000. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  11. ^ Vleck, Philip Van. "Rebecca Lynn Howard review". AllMusic. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  12. ^ Stark, Phyllis (May 13, 2000). Paoletta, Michael (ed.). "Reviews & Previews: Albums". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 20. Nielsen Business Media. pp. 26–27. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 16, 2024 – via Google Books.
  13. ^ Jessen, Wade (May 20, 2000). "Country Corner". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 21. Nielsen Business Media. p. 60. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 16, 2024 – via Google Books. ...debut begins at No. 54 with 2,500 scans.
  14. ^ Howard, Rebecca Lynn (2000). Rebecca Lynn Howard (CD booklet). MCA Nashville. 088 170 091 2.
  15. ^ "Rebecca Lynn Howard Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.