Richard Leigh (songwriter)

Richard Leigh (born 1951 in Washington, D.C.) 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, Barbara Mandrell, 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 10 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.^[1] It was while he was attending VCU that he penned and first sang "I'll Get Over You," while performing at the Crossroads Coffeehouse in Richmond, Virginia's Fan District. 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.

List of number one songs

Number Ones on Billboard's US Country Music Chart unless otherwise noted.

• ^AReached No. 1 on U.S. Radio & Records country singles charts.

Notes

External links

• Online Home of Richard Leigh
• Nashville Songwriters Foundation - Hall of Fame Profile
• Interview