Dateline: October 2, 2000

Harlan Howard, "The Dean Of Nashville Songwriters," is the song writing genius behind such songs as "I Fall To Pieces" (Patsy Cline), "I've Got A Tiger By The Tail" (Buck Owens), and newer songs such as "Life Turned Her That Way" (Ricky Van Shelton), "Somebody Should Leave" (Reba McEntire), and "Busted" (John Conlee).

In his more then 50 year career, Harlan has penned more then 4000 songs. Over 100 of these songs have hit the Top Ten on the music charts.

Harlan was born and raised in Michigan, and started writing songs around the age of 12. In 1955, he moved to LA to work in the factories and pursue his dream of being a songwriter. A year after moving to LA, a chance meeting with Tex Ritter and Johnny Bond gave him the opportunity to plug some of the songs he had written.

Harlan's first hit was in 1959 when Charlie Walker sang his "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down." His second hit came when both Ray Price and Guy Mitchell recorded Harlan's "Heartaches By The Number," and the song was so successful it landed on the top of the pop and country charts at the same time.

In 1961, with his confidence boosted by these first two hits, he moved with his wife Jan Howard, who was a country singer to Nashville. This was the year that his career really took off. At one time he had as many as fifteen songs simultaneously in the Top 40 at once. Something that amazing has never been done again by any other song writer.

"Country Music is about 90 percent words and about 10 percent melody." - Harlan Howard.

Audio clips courtesy of Barnes & Noble.