Richard Leigh
Richard Leigh, who has had hits in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, kicked off the 21st century with a top ten hit “Cold Day In July”, recorded by the Dixie Chicks. Most recently his good friend Billy Dean recorded an entire album of his songs for the “Billy Dean Sings Richard Leigh” CD released September 2009.
To date, Leigh has made fourteen trips to the Top Ten and has written or co-written eight #1 singles: the hauntingly beautiful “Somewhere In My Broken Heart” (written with Billy Dean), voted 1991 Song Of The Year by the Nashville Songwriter’s Association (NSAI), and also by the Academy Of Country Music (ACM); “The Greatest Man I Never Knew” (written with Layng Martine, Jr.), nominated at the 1993 Grammy Awards for “Best Country Song); “Come From The Heart” (written with Susanna Clark and recorded by Kathy Mattea); Don William’s “That’s The Thing About Love” (written with Gary Nicholson); Steve Wariner’s “Life’s Highway” (written with Roger Murrah); Mickey Gilley’s “Put Your Dreams Away” (written with Wayland Holyfield), and the aforementioned “I’ll Get Over You” and “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” both written by Leigh and recorded by Crystal Gayle
Other artists who have recorded Leigh’s songs include: Anne Murray, Martina McBride, George Jones, K.T. Oslin, Ronnie Milsap, B.J. Thomas, Bill Medley, Perry Como, Connie Francis, Debbie Boone, Conway Twitty, Alabama, Shenandoah, Tammy Wynette, The Bellamy Brother’s, Suzy Boguss, Guy Clark, Ricky Scaggs, Lorrie Morgan, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Marie Osmond, Jerry Jeff Walker, Kitty Wells, Bobby Bare, the great Ray Charles, and many more.