Donald Ralph “Skip” Ewing was born in Redlands, California on March 6, 1964. Being in a military family, Skip moved around often as a child. He discovered country music through Merle Haggard and Lefty Frizzell. Glen Campbell, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson influenced his musical taste. His musical talents developed at an early age; Skip was playing the guitar at the age of four and performing in stage musicals before he thought about writing poems to girls. In his mid-teens, he began writing songs, and also learned to play the banjo, which he played at bluegrass festivals to ear a little extra cash. Skip attended Redlands High School in Redlands, California and graduated from Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado.
One of his first noted jobs was performing in a country show at the Busch Garden theme park in Virginia. Around the age of 19, he moved to Nashville where he worked as a songwriter and by the age of 21 he was performing at the Opryland theme park. He began recording demos and doing commercial singing. Eventually, Skip would land a job at Acuff-Rose music-publishing house. One of his first tracks to be recorded was “One Hell Of A Song” by George Jones. Jimmy Bowen signed him to MCA Records and he had US country successes with “Your Memory Wins Again” and “Burning A Hole In My Heart”. Skip had five hits to come from his first album, Coast of Colorado, and his style was likened to Randy Travis and Don McLean.
Skip has had 12 singles to chart on the Billboard charts: in 1988 “Your Memory Wins Again,” and I Don’t Have Far To Fall,” in 1989 “The Gospel According to Luke,” “The Coast of Colorado,” and “Burning a Hole in My Heart,” in 1990 “ It’s You Again,” If A Man Could Live on Love Alone,” and “I’m Your Man,” in 1991 “I Get The Picture,” in 1992 “Naturally,” in 1997 “Mary Go Round,” and in 1998 and 200 “Christmas Carol.”
Discography wise, Skip has recorded 9 albums: in 1988 – The Coast of Colorado, 1989 – The Will to Love , 1990 – A Healin’ Fire , 1991 – Naturally ,1991 – Greatest Hits ,1993 – Homegrown Love , 1995 – Following Yonder Star, 1997 – Until I Found You, 2001 – Indian Elephant Tea With The Big Kidz Band . Skip has had over 250 songs recorded by major recording artists in Nashville. Some of those include: Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, Doug Stone, Clint Black, Tim McGraw, Kenny Rogers, George Strait, Randy Travis, Collin Raye, Diamond Rio and others. Skip was named BMI Songwriter of the Year in 2000; he won (NSAI) Song Of The Year, (CMA) Triple Play Award (three #1 songs within 12 months). Additionally, Ewing has received a CMA Song of the Year nomination, several Grammy nominations, a Tony nomination and multiple BMI “Million Air” awards.
Currently, Skip Ewing and his staff host a yearly songwriter’s camp in Dubois, Wyoming at the Lasy L&B Ranch called The Horse and Writer. It is a weeklong adventure into song writing and communing with nature. Skip has been hosting this camp for the past eight years. For the past 8 years he has served as vice president of Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) and has been a faculty member for many Song Camps. Skip is an ardent reader, bike rider and scuba diving instructor, he also has a 5th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Also, Skip is a certified Equine Massage Therapist and an avid reining horse enthusiast.
The most recent of his cuts, “Every Other Weekend,” co-written with Connie Harrington, is Reba McEntire’s latest single release from the “Duets” album. But here’s the surprise… Skip is singing the duet with her! One of Skip’s dear friends and frequent writing partners Kenny Chesney joined Reba on the original recording, but it was soon determined that Kenny wouldn’t be able to take part in the single release. That’s when Skip’s singing voice joined his writing!
In addition to the amazing fan support both he and Reba receive, Skip credits some of the incredible and often unsung ears and hearts in radio for the ground-swell leading to the decision to play “Every Other Weekend,” even when it wasn’t going to be the single. Skip’s reaction? “i had no idea this would happen, absolutely no idea. But i can tell You, it’s one of the most heart opening, faith affirming, and truly fulfilling events i’ve ever experienced. i am humbled and honored to be a part of this in such a capacity. It never would have happened without the belief of so many people. We have some amazing fans in country music, and we have some real hearts in country radio. i feel blessed and fortunate.”
Of Reba McEntire, Skip says, “i have the exceptional privilege of knowing and working with many of the biggest and most talented artists, writers, and producers in the world, but i know very few with Reba’s class, loveliness, and elegance of spirit. She’s the real thing, and the minute You meet her You know. She’s someone i can always look at and say, “She has my respect.””
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