| Background: | non_performing_personnel |
| Sharon Vaughn | |
| Birth Name: | Mary Sharon Vaughn |
| Alias: | Mary S. Rice, M.S. Rice, Sharon Rice, Sharon Bellamy |
| Origin: | Orlando, Florida, United States |
| Occupation: | Songwriter, Musician, Producer |
| Years Active: | 1973-present |
| Label: | Cinnamon, Dot |
| Genre: | Pop, rock, country |
| Birth Date: | 2 May 1947 |
Mary Sharon Vaughn (born May 2, 1947)[1] is an American musician, songwriter and producer who was previously based in Sweden. She has written hits for artists such as Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Reba McEntire, The Oak Ridge Boys, George Jones, Kenny Rogers, Keith Whitley, Randy Travis, Patty Loveless, Agnes, Kate Ryan, Claire Richards, Boyzone, September, and Dimash Qudaibergen.[2]
Vaughn moved to Nashville in her early 20s. In 1974, she charted two singles as a performer for Cinnamon Records: a duet with Narvel Felts titled "Until the End of Time", and "Never a Night Goes By". A year later, she signed with Dot Records and released a third single, "You and Me, Me and You". She was also the lead singer in the Lea Jane Singers, and worked with the Jordanaires, the Nashville Edition and The Holladay Sisters.[3]
Vaughn’s first big songwriting success was "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys",[4] which was first recorded by Waylon Jennings in 1976 and further popularized in 1980 by Willie Nelson for the soundtrack of the movie The Electric Horseman.[5] Her next songwriting hit was "Y'all Come Back Saloon" by The Oak Ridge Boys in 1977. Since then she has worked with country artists such as Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Tanya Tucker and Kenny Rogers. Vaughn has been nominated for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame three times, and was inducted in 2019.[3] [6]
Vaughn has during the last couple of years had over 100 cuts with European artists and four number ones in Japan. She has worked with several Swedish Idol artists, including the winner Jay Smith (2010) and a number one hit for Ola. She has also worked with many Scandinavian songwriters and artists including Agnes, Mutt Lange, Tony Nilsson, Vendela, Anders Hanson and Emilia.[3]
In 2009, her co-written song Release Me by Swedish pop artist Agnes reached #1 on the U.S Billboard Dance Club Songs Chart.[7] In 2013, Vaughn received a JASRAC Award as #1 of the Top 10 Foreign Works for her 2011 co-written song "Rising Sun" by the Japanese pop band EXILE.[8]
During 2014, Vaughn competed as the songwriter of three songs in Melodifestivalen.[9]
Vaughn has also co-written songs with Ian Dench[10] and Carl Falk.[11] Between 2005 and 2022, she has co-written at least 10 songs with Paul Brady which he recorded on his albums Say What You Feel,[12] Unfinished Business,[13] and Maybe So.[14]
Vaughn moved to Sweden in 2008.[15] In 2018, she was registered as having emigrated from Sweden.[16] She returned to Orlando and then moved to Nashville in 2020 where she currently works.[17] [18]
| Year | Song | Peak chart positions[19] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | |||
| 1974 | "Until the End of Time" (with Narvel Felts) | 39 | |
| "Never a Night Goes By" | 96 | ||
| 1975 | "You and Me, Me and You" | 99 |
The following table lists a selection of songs from Vaughn's career as a songwriter:[2]
| Year | Artist | Song | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Waylon Jennings | "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" | |
| 1977 | "Y'all Come Back Saloon" | ||
| 1980 | Willie Nelson | "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" | |
| 1982 | Reba McEntire | "I'm Not That Lonely Yet" | |
| 1982 | Bobby Bare | "(I'm Not) A Candle in the Wind" | |
| 1982 | Leon Everette | "Soul Searchin'" | |
| 1983 | Leon Everette | "I Could'a Had You" | |
| 1983 | Reba McEntire | "There Ain't No Future in This" | |
| 1985 | Waylon Jennings | "The Broken Promise Land" | |
| 1986 | John Schneider | "The Broken Promise Land" | |
| 1988 | John Anderson | "Warm Place in the Snow" | |
| 1989 | Keith Whitley | "Lady's Choice" | |
| 1990 | Kenny Rogers and Holly Dunn | "Maybe" | |
| 1990 | Keith Whitley and Lorrie Morgan | "'Til a Tear Becomes a Rose" | |
| 1990 | Earl Thomas Conley | "Who's Gonna Tell Her Goodbye" | |
| 1991 | Mark Chesnutt | "Broken Promise Land" | |
| 1993 | George Jones | "Tear Me Out of the Picture" | |
| 1996 | Patty Loveless | "Lonely Too Long" | |
| 1997 | Sara Evans | "True Lies" | |
| 1998 | Randy Travis | "Out of My Bones" | |
| 1999 | Trisha Yearwood | "Powerful Thing" | |
| 2000 | Craig Morgan | "When a Man Can't Get a Woman Off His Mind" | |
| 2004 | Randy Travis | "Right on Time" | |
| 2004 | Jimmy Buffett and Martina McBride | "Trip Around the Sun" | |
| 2007 | Delta Goodrem | "The Guardian" | |
| 2008 | Agnes | "Release Me" | |
| 2009 | Alcazar | "Harlem Nights" | |
| 2009 | Kevin Borg | "More Than I Do Now" | |
| 2009 | Malena Ernman | "One Step From Paradise" | |
| 2010 | The Wanted | "A Good Day For Love To Die" | |
| 2010 | Boyzone | "Too Late For Hallelujah" | |
| 2011 | September | "Heat Rising" | |
| 2011 | EXILE | "Rising Sun" | |
| 2011 | Girls' Generation | "Top Secret" | |
| 2012 | Namie Amuro | "Only You" | |
| 2012 | Jedward | "Waterline" | |
| 2012 | Charlotte Perrelli | "In The Sun" | |
| 2012 | Tegoshi Yuya | "愛なんて" (Ai Nante [Such Thing As Love]) | |
| 2013 | Diandra | "Colliding Into You" | |
| 2013 | Kimberley Walsh | "You First Loved Me" | |
| 2013 | Sunrise Avenue | "Unholy Ground", "Lifesaver", I Can Break Your Heart", "Hurtsville", "Letters In The Sand", "Aim For The Kill", "Afraid Of The Midnight" | |
| 2013 | Robin Stjernberg | "Beautiful" | |
| 2013 | Måns Zelmerlöw | "Braver On The Outside" | |
| 2013 | Shirley Clamp | "Burning Alive" | |
| 2013 | Helena Paparizou | "Survivor" | |
| 2013 | Ellen Benediktson | "Songbird" | |
| 2018 | Claire Richards | "My Heart Is Heading Home (This Christmas)" | |
| 2019 | Sergey Lazarev | "Scream" | |
| 2020 | Stefania Liberakakis | "Superg!rl" | |
| 2020 | Uku Suviste | "What Love Is" | |
| 2021 | Uku Suviste | "The Lucky One" | |
| 2021 | Stefania Liberakakis | "Last Dance" | |
| 2021 | Natalia Gordienko | "Sugar" | |
| 2021 | Dimash Kudaibergen | "Stranger" |