Written by: Melanie Smith-Howard Producer extraordinaire, Tony Brown, called and asked if Harlan and I would be willing to host a...

Harlan and Dennis were more than just writing pals, they were also friends. It was imperative to Harlan to be friends first. He disliked...

The title of this musing is a reference to a line in a country song by our friend, Thom Schuyler, who wrote “16th Avenue,” a hit for Lacy...

Today, March 3, 2020 is the anniversary of the death of Harlan Howard. An eighteen year void. Nearly two decades of longing. Longing to...

Harlan Howard was a great friend to many. He loved hanging round songwriters but also liked singers and bartenders - anyone who would sit...

“Life Turned Her That Way” was the first of many #1 records I got to experience with Harlan Howard. It was in the latter part of 1987 and...

Harlan Perry Howard may not be a household name, but I bet you know some of his songs. Being an introvert, Harlan didn’t relish the...

During the 1990’s, I had the pleasure of serving on the board of a school in Nashville that I dearly love, W.O. Smith Music School...

Usually on the Tuesday closest to September 8th, a large stage was erected in the parking lot of BMI, bars were set up and a huge...

When Harlan Howard moved from California to Nashville in June 1960, he hit the ground running. Fresh from shucking his blue collar,...

In 1989 shortly after Harlan and I married, we started a publishing company and appropriately named it, Harlan Howard Songs. During that...

The year was 1992, early summer, and Harlan Howard had an appointment to write with Kostas at Shoney’s Inn on Demonbruen. After forty...

Harlan Howard and Buck Owens were “starvation buddies” in the early 1950’s. Harlan had moved from Michigan to California where there was...

Most of my stories are about Harlan Howard, and though Harlan is involved in this story; he is not the central figure. In the early...

Melanie Smith-Howard/Candi Staton Well he did. Harlan sometimes called me child bride, but most days he referred to me as Baby. When we...

Harlan Howard spent his adult life as a professional songwriter and was proud to be one. He often referred to his songs as his children....

Harlan’s early years were much like a dandelion on a windy, spring day. He was a tender weed with a strong root system. Harlan was that...

I love the surprise of finding a classic Harlan Howard song that is reimagined or unfamiliar to me. I am most impressed when artists take...

Harlan Howard wrote two paragraphs in July 1999 about co-writing the iconic song “I Fall To Pieces” with Hank Cochran. Harlan moved to...

In the spring of 2004, I was working with the gifted singer songwriter, Mary Gauthier. She was at my office telling me about a fellow...