Rebecca Owen
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Rebecca Owen

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"Country Music Facts & News Review - May 2008"

Every so often I get sent a little gem. Such is this eponymous CD from Rebecca Owen. Great voice,
good production and an intelligent selection of songs although I would ask them to delete the Sr. after
Hank Williams' name. The musicianship is of a high quality and if Rebecca is handled well, we could be hearing her name up there with Martina, Carrie and Trisha. - www.countrymusicfactsandnews.com


"Album Review - November 2007"

Not entirely new to the country music scene, New Mexico singer Rebecca Owen has done well for herself.
She's won several levels of The Colgate Country Showdown challenge, a regional talent contest that's similar to "Nashville Star," and has opened for country acts Rick Trevino, Lorrie Morgan and, last year, Little Big Town at the State Fair. She's also played selective bars in Nashville, hosted television shows and even appeared in a film by Christopher Reeve in 2004.
Needless to say, Owen is on the rise.
Now she's back with a new self-titled, self-released CD, which showcases the soprano's expressive three-octave vocal range and musical diversity on her 12-cut collection.
Spanning a broad, contemporary country music base, Owen whips easily into edgy, country-rock tunes and mid-tempo shuffles as she sweeps into pop influenced songs, Americana-rooted compositions and traditional country hushed ballads.
The most notable tracks on the CD are her warmer ones. Getting right to the heart of the matter, Owen sings with thoughtful, true conviction on "Unbreakable Heart"; a soft country waltz, "My Heart Would Know," a 1940s Hank Williams Sr. remake that she sings with a Patsy Cline tone, and "I Lost It," her countrified rendition of Lucinda Williams' song.
The CD, which is produced by Johnny Mulhair, who guided Lee Ann Rimes on her first album, "Blue," should do well for the newcomer and her producer, who are currently in talks with a major record label in Nashville.
Owen, along with her five-piece band, will perform her new collection at her CD release party at Cowboys on Wednesday.
-- Nathalie Baret

- Albuquerque Journal


"Album Review - November 2007"

New Mexico singer Rebecca Owen's first album is all about telling country music's stories
By Ollie Reed Jr. (Contact)
Friday, November 16, 2007

Rebecca Owen jokes about being the black sheep of her musical family.
Her father flirted with an opera career before going into medicine. Her mother plays classical music at home.
"But for me, it's always been country music," she said. "I love it. I think of country music as telling stories, really good stories."
Owen, a 20-something Louisiana transplant who now calls New Mexico home, is releasing her first full-length CD, a self-titled collection of a dozen songs, next week.
It's a mix of new material and covers, including Rodney Crowell's "I Ain't Living Long Like This," Hank Williams' "My Heart Would Know" and Lucinda Williams' "I Lost It."
She has affection and admiration for the older songs.
"It doesn't matter when you do them," she said. "They're just good songs at the end of the day.
"When I hear 'Ain't Living Long Like This,' I think of a train moving behind it. That's how I tried to do it, like a train was driving the whole thing."
Still, if she had to pick a favorite song on her album, it'd be between two of the newer songs, Kris Russell's "Sidewinder" and Oliver Leiber's "World Without You."
Songwriter Russell is a friend who used to live in Nashville but now calls Denver home. Her "Sidewinder" is a take on a favorite country music theme, a woman who can't help loving a no-good man.
He's got a devil's heart but his kiss can drive me wild.
"My slogan is country that rocks, and 'Sidewinder' kind of bridges the gap between country and rock and blues," Owen said. "And I love the story. It is just something I can totally envision."
Leiber, a producer working out of Los Angeles, wrote "World Without You" as a rock song. It's about a lover's longing.
And this nothing lasts forever
And this empty never ends
And I can't stand the thought of breathing
Till I, I see you again
"When I sing it, I just think of telling the story," Owen said. "Growing up around New Orleans as I did, you get so much of the mix of rock and jazz and blues. I like to put all of that into this song."
Owen grew up in Slidell, La., just northeast of New Orleans, and she earned a degree in history from Tulane University in New Orleans.
She moved to New Mexico 10 days before Hurricane Katrina, not because she had a crystal ball but because her husband, Jon, is doing a medical residency in Albuquerque.
Unlike many Southerners who find it difficult to acclimate to the arid Southwest, Owen felt at home in New Mexico almost right away.
She went to Johnny Mulhair of Clovis when she needed someone to produce and engineer her CD. Mulhair produced LeAnn Rimes' first album.
And now that her first album has been recorded, she's hoping a major Nashville label will pick it up.
The recipe for success, she said, is good songs and an original style.
"People sometimes compare me to Sara Evans or even Faith Hill, but I really try to do my own thing," she said. "The artists I admire most —Garth Brooks, Loretta Lynn — don't try to sound like anyone else. They try to forge a path of their own."
- Albuquerque Tribune


"Country Weekly Magazine"

Rebecca grew up in Slidell, La., outside of New Orleans, but now makes her home in Albuquerque, N.M. The 12 tracks on Rebecca’s self-titled album mix legendary country classics with new tunes. Rebecca covers Hank Williams’ “My Heart Would Know” and lends a bluesy twist to the Lucinda Williams song, “I Lost It.” Rebecca says, “I’m enjoying everything about this process—recording, live performances, promoting the album. I truly live and breathe what I’m doing and I couldn’t imagine my life without music.”

About “Loser at a Lovin’ Game”
Written by Rebecca and James Michael King for the movie Coyote County Loser. For more on Rebecca, check out rebeccaowen.com and myspace.com/rebeccaowencountry.

- September 8th Issue - 2008


"Toronto Exclusive Awards - 2008"

REBECCA OWEN…A TRULY INTERNATIONAL SENSATION!


EMERGING COUNTRY SINGER/SONGWRITER WINS BEST

INTERNATIONAL COUNTRY ALBUM NOD FROM THE 2008
TORONTO EXCLUSIVE MAGAZINE AWARDS


On The Kickin’ Heels of Her Debut Hit Single “Ain’t Living Long Like This,”

Which Spun On Over 200 Stations Across the Country,

She Recently Won The Music City Song Contest And

Her Self-Titled Debut Was Included In

Music Connection’s Top 25 Critiques of 2008





With a ton of exciting new accolades speeding her way and bringing her more international attention, rising country singer/songwriter Rebecca Owen is in constant forward motion, living the title of her breakthrough single “Ain’t Living Long Like This.”



The widespread success of the track, which hit #1 nationally on the PowerSource country chart and received airplay on over 200 stations nationwide, paved the way for the dynamic singer’s latest coups, including her recent win for Best International Country Album by the 2008 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards for her critically acclaimed self-titled debut.



That’s just the start of the recent activity that will hit the news page on her currently under construction website www.rebeccaowen.com. In the year end roundup in its December issue, Music Connection Magazine named Rebecca Owen as one of its Top 25 Music Critiques of 2008.



Her song “Loser In A Loving Game,” which she wrote for the upcoming independent film “Coyote County Loser” featuring well known TV actress Nikki Boyer, recently won the Music City Songwriting Contest sponsored by Red Ridge Entertainment. Red Ridge, whose stable of artists include Nelson and popular country singers Ty Herndon and Eric Heatherly, is currently putting together a house band to back the singer when she performs as part of their big Red Ridge Night, a major industry showcase at The Nashville Palace in late January.



Owen is currently profiled in the latest issue of her adopted hometown’s premiere publication, Albuquerque the Magazine. In early September, three months after she showcased her songs at the Nashville Songwriters Festival, Owen—whose album was produced by Country Music Association nominee Johnny Mulhair, who helmed LeAnn Rimes’ first two CDs--was prominently featured in the “Listen Up” section of Country Weekly Magazine, which also offered her track “Loser in A Loving Game” as a free download on its website.



The magazine’s review of her album stated: “The twelve tracks on Rebecca’s self-titled album mix legendary country classics with new tunes. Rebecca covers Hank Williams’ ‘My Heart Would Know’ and lends a bluesy twist to the Lucinda Williams song ‘I Lost It.’



Country Music Report echoed: “Rebecca’s talent became apparent by Track Two: ‘World Without You.’ Just another indication of how important the song and singer match must be: a mantra confirmed with Rebecca’s mastery of Marv Green’s ‘What I Need’ and affirmed by Owen’s take of Lucinda Williams’ ‘I Lost It.’ Jessica Andrews and Carlene Carter fans will want to check out Owen’s rendition of ‘Unbreakable Heart,’ while Rebecca’s cover of ‘My Heart Would Know’ is good enough to wind up on the next Hank Williams tribute album.”



“With all these things going on,” she says, “I’m feeling like we’re really breaking through to wider recognition, and that has me really excited about writing and recording material for my next project, which will feature 30-40 percent of my own songs. On the first album, my goal was to gather the best material possible to convey my strengths as a singer. With the success of my own song ‘Loser In A Loving Game,’ my confidence as a songwriter has grown tremendously, and I’m excited to start demo’ing some of my latest work to see what tracks will be included in the next album. A lot of wonderful things have happened in 2008, and I’m really excited about the possibilities that will present themselves in the coming year. First on the list is getting out and touring more! I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time, and now will be my chance.”



- Luck Media


"Blue Boogie Review - April 2008"

4 out of 5 Stars!

Born and Raised in New Orleans singer Rebecca Owen left her hometown ten days before Katrina hit the country. Not
because she had a crystal ball, but because her husband is working in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Out of love this girl
moved to the west, heating up the already warm town and starting a storm of her own as a country singer in The
Cowboys Club, where she became a regular performer.
Together with a new-formed band she opened for people like Jack Ingram & Little Big Town and shared the stage with
Emerson Drive. Rebecca Owen is working on her skills as songwriter but for her self-titled debut, she "borrowed" some
well-known country songs and filled it up with tunes written for her. Opening track is the immense popular "Sidewinder",
the ultimate bad boy song, according to Rebecca Owen! "Sidewinder" is written by her personal friend Ken Russel a
professional songwriter, who really knows how to make a great song. Sidewinder is indeed kickin' some ass both on stage
and on the net, where it 's on of the top favorites tunes on myspace. Second tune on the album is a cover by Olivier
Lieber. His "World Without You" is a very emotional pop ballad that opens like a tune of Hooverphonic. However once
she's started the tone changes and the country influences start top drip in. More interesting covers on this album are the
Hank Williams Sr. tune "My heart would know", Lucinda Williams "I lost it " and Rodney Crowell's rocking Honky Tonk
tune "I Ain't Living Long Like This".
The tunes Rebecca brings are well chosen, sometimes for the music or the lyrics but sometimes for a totally different
purpose! Like the Hank Williams Sr. tune "My heart would know", this one is not only a homage to Hank Williams, but it is
also paying tribute to a complete era of country music. Or take for instance Sherrie Austin's "Tenderly". According to
Rebecca, she sang that tune at a senior talent show of her catholic school. Rebecca had no idea the tune was in reality
about one-night stands, so when she found out about it, the deed was done and it's not hard to imagine the administrators
and teachers where not too pleased about it. However it seems that Rebecca has a very good attitude. "F*ck school and
their narrowed minded teachers" she must have thought when she was recording "Tenderly" for this album.
The self-titled album by Rebecca Owen is a pleasure for the ears! Filled with Ballads, good rocking tunes and some
typical country songs this debut is the start of something big! Rebecca enjoys every facet of being a country star and
that's exactly what you hear on her album, a girl who gets in the tunes instead of simply performing them. Add to that the
impressive three octave vocal range by which she produces every note crystal clear and you know what you have in
store! - Billy Bop Magazine


"Music Connection - April 2008"

UPDATE - DECEMBER 2008 - Rebecca's Critique named on of the TOP 25 of 2008 by Music Connection!

Highest Rated Album of the Month!

Louisiana-born Rebecca Owen has a striking voice, one which utilizes a subtle tremelo effect to lure
the listener's attention. She and her back-up band tread the rock and country areas adeptly and
combine the two on "Sidewinder" (an Eagles-style song) and the country-rock ballad "World Without
You." Nashville kingpins will most likely be aroused by the straightforward, expertly realized, radioready
modern-country number "What I Need." Our advice: get thee to Music City, little lady. - Music Connection Magazine


"Celebrity Cafe Review - May 2008"

In her self-titled debut album, New Mexico-based singer Rebecca Owen gives country a fresh twang
with her genuine, sultry vocals. Mixing old favorites, like Hank Williams’s “My Heart Would Know,”
and newly composed tracks, like “World Without You,” Owen bursts onto the country music scene.
Two of the best tracks on the album,“Tenderly,” an emotionally poignant traditional ballad that shows
both Owen’s almost naive earnestness in her singing, and “Closer to Heaven,” a sweetly sung ballad
dedicated to love, shine in an album that could easily be too cute.
Despite the quality of Owen’s vocals, “I Lost It,” a quirky and humorous track, falls slightly flat; Owen
fares much better with traditional country tracks, like “I Ain’t Living Long Like This,” which is powered
by traditional guitar riffs and clever piano and violin solos.
Owen’s voice rings true in her debut album, and each track is propelled by her emotional dedication.
For Owen, her heart actually is in her song. While some of the tracks tend to toe the line between
sweet and sappy, like in “What I Need,” Owen’s sincerity combined with her impressive three-octave
range make her album pleasantly fresh.
Reviewer: C.J. Trent - www.celebritycafe.com


"Country Music Report Review - 2008"

4 out of 5 Stars!

Jaded music critic that I am, I wasn’t particularly taken with Sidewinder, the first song on Rebecca.
But I didn’t have to give Owen 11 (the number of selections remaining on this CD) more chances to
persuade me that time spent listening to the remainder of this album was time well spent: Rebecca’s
talent became apparent by Track Two: World Without You.
Just another indication of how important the song and singer match must be: a mantra confirmed with
Rebecca’s mastery of Marv Green’s What I Need and affirmed by Owen’s take on Lucinda Williams’ I
Lost It.
I wonder what Rodney Crowell thinks when he hears Rebecca’s recording of Ain’t Livin’ Long Like
This. I’ll bet it ain’t Waylon Jennings and his musicians, who interpreted Crowell’s lyric and medley
much, much differently.
Jessica Andrews and Carlene Carter fans will want to check out Owen’s rendition of Unbreakable
Heart, while Rebecca’s cover of My Heart Would Know is good enough to wind up on the next Hank
Williams tribute album.
What’s missing? Obviously, original material, though I like the controlled self-confidence of the
singer's persona as Owen vows You Will Be Mine. And, with songs about domestic violence being so
fashionable, I've takne notice of Rebecca's performance of Ariel Caten’s well-written lyric, A Man’s
Home is His Castle.
My hands-down favorite: Owen’s performance of Tenderly. (Peter Fisher’s lyric, not to be confused
with the standard of the same name, better known to fans of Nat “King” Cole, Ella Fitzgerald,
Rosemary Clooney, Sarah Vaughan, Bette Midler et al).
- Stacy Harris, Country Music Report - Country Music Report


"Platter Picks Review - May 2008"

In her self-titled debut album, New Mexico-based singer Rebecca Owen gives country a fresh twang with her genuine, sultry vocals. Mixing old favorites, like Hank Williams’s “My Heart Would Know,” and newly composed tracks, like “World Without You,” Owen bursts onto the country music scene.

Two of the best tracks on the album,“Tenderly,” an emotionally poignant traditional ballad that shows both Owen’s almost naive earnestness in her singing, and “Closer to Heaven,” a sweetly sung ballad dedicated to love, shine in an album that could easily be too cute.

Despite the quality of Owen’s vocals, “I Lost It,” a quirky and humorous track, falls slightly flat; Owen fares much better with traditional country tracks, like “I Ain’t Living Long Like This,” which is powered by traditional guitar riffs and clever piano and violin solos.

Owen’s voice rings true in her debut album, and each track is propelled by her emotional dedication. For Owen, her heart actually is in her song. While some of the tracks tend to toe the line between sweet and sappy, like in “What I Need,” Owen’s sincerity combined with her impressive three-octave range make her album pleasantly fresh.


Reviewer: C.J. Trent
- Platterpicks.com


Discography

Rebecca Owen - Debut Album - 12 Tracks
"Sidewinder" - Streaming Airplay Worldwide & Radio Airplay in New Mexico
"World Without You" - Streaming Airplay Worldwide & Radio Airplay in New Mexico
"What I Need" - Streaming Airplay Worldwide & Radio Airplay in New Mexico
"I Lost It"
"Ain't Living Long Like This"
"Tenderly" - Streaming Airplay Worldwide & Radio Airplay in New Mexico
"Shiver"
"My Heart Would Know"
"Closer to Heaven"
"You Will Be Mine"
"A Man's Home is His Castle"
"Unbreakable Heart"

Photos

Bio

"Ain't Living Long Like This" REACHES #1 ON THE POWERSOURCE CHARTS - June 2008!!!!!

VIDEO CAN BE VIEWED AT: www.myspace.com/rebeccaowencountry

What’s striking about Rebecca Owen’s voice is more than just her three-octave range; it’s the emotional intimacy of her singing. Owen gets inside the songs she sings, making them breathe and come to life in new ways that are immediately affecting. On her self-titled debut album, Rebecca Owen, the Albuquerque, New Mexico resident reveals herself to be both a striking interpreter of songs both new and familiar and a significant new talent on the rise.

A native of Slidell, Louisiana, music has always been a part of Rebecca’s life. Her parents have both been heavily involved in music, and Rebecca began playing piano as a young girl. Reba McEntire was the driving force in inspiring Rebecca to sing, and as she recalls, “One day mom and I were listening to Reba in the car and I was singing along real loud, and she looked at me and asked, ‘Where did you learn do that?’ It was the first time I realized I might have something special.” Rebecca was soon singing in her school and church and had her first public performance at the age of eleven.

As Rebecca recalls, she never had any doubts about her path. “By thirteen, I knew that music was what I wanted to do forever. I sang everywhere I could – festivals, fairs, school and church. I even used to call the country stations in town and ask them if I could sing over the radio. Then at fifteen, I started singing on demo recordings for songwriters who were looking to sell their songs.” During college, Rebecca moved to Nashville for a bit and even worked for a live music show based in New Orleans.

But since moving to Albuquerque, she’s taken her music to the next level. People really have taken notice a lot more here and they’re great about supporting new artists. In Albuquerque, it’s less about what “the new thing” is than it is about people really just enjoying themselves; there’s an appreciation of music here that’s much more pure than any other place I’ve been.” And Rebecca’s reputation as a live performer has grown here, a singer who connects with any audience. “I’m committed to putting on a wildly entertaining show,” she states. “I bring a lot of energy and I’m out to connect to every single person in the audience. And I choose the songs I sing because they have great stories that everyday people can connect to.”

The songs she sings and the stories she tells are present on her new album, Rebecca Owen. Produced by Johnny Mulhair, a New Mexico native who produced Leann Rimes’ first two albums and was nominated for a CMA award, the album is a beguiling mix of songs both legendary and unknown. There is the homage to traditional country, in her version of Hank Williams Sr.’s “My Heart Would Know,” and the challenge of singing a song written by one of her favorite artists, Lucinda Williams “I Lost It.” But the heart of the album is in the original songs like “Sidewinder,” written by her friend Kris Russell. “When I first heard that song,” Rebecca remembers, “I knew it could rock. It’s the ultimate bad boyfriend song.” Rebecca sings the song with the sexiness of a woman whose desire overwhelms her caution. “World Without You,” is a showcase for the full range of Rebecca’s voice, building through the song to a thrilling series of climaxes.

After opening for artists such as Little Big Town, Rick Trevino, Lorrie Morgan and Jack Ingram, Rebecca’s appetite for big shows has been activated. She says, “I’m trying to get bigger and better. When I open for these artists, I’m so spurred on by the excitement in the room; I want to be where they are.” With a growing audience, and a thrilling debut album, it is only a matter of time where Rebecca Owen, with her astonishing voice and electric stage presence, gets to be where she wants to be, singing the songs and stories that listeners hear their own lives in, establishing herself as a major new talent in the process.