Sharon Vaughn

Induction Year: 2019

Birth Name: Mary Sharon Vaughn

Birth Date: 05-02-1947

Place of Birth: Orlando, Florida

Sharon Vaughn is a Florida native whose first notable success as a songwriter came in 1976 when Waylon Jennings recorded her “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys” on Country’s first platinum album, Wanted: The Outlaws. (Willie Nelson’s version – which appeared in the film The Electric Horseman – would top the Country charts in 1980. In 2021, the song was selected by the Western Writers of America as one of the Top 100 Western Songs of All Time.)

Sharon’ first hit single was with The Oak Ridge Boys’ 1977 smash “Y’all Come Back Saloon.” Since then, Sharon has written more than a dozen Top 40 Country hits, including “Broken Promise Land” by Mark Chesnutt, “Til A Tear Becomes A Rose” by Keith Whitley & Lorrie Morgan, “I’m Not That Lonely Yet” by Reba McEntire, “Lonely Too Long” by Patty Loveless, “Out Of My Bones” by Randy Travis, “Powerful Thing” by Trisha Yearwood, and “Trip Around The Sun” by Jimmy Buffett & Martina McBride (also #1 Bluegrass in 2024 for Bronwyn Keith-Hynes w/ Dierks Bentley).

In 2008, Sharon moved to Stockholm, Sweden, where she lived and worked for seven years. During this time, her song “Release Me” by Swedish Pop artist Agnes reached #1 on Billboard’s U.S Dance chart and became a hit in more than 40 countries. In 2021, Sharon became the first songwriter to have three songs from three different countries (Estonia, Moldova, and Greece) represented in the Eurovision Song Contest.

In addition to numerous hits with artists in Europe and Japan – including Belgium’ Kate Ryan, Greece’s Stefania, Germany’s Stefanie Heinzmann, Japan’s EXILE, Australia’s Delta Goodrem, and Ireland’s Boyzone – Sharon continues to pursue her passion for musical theatre, writing for projects such as The Sweet Potato Queens, Breathe, and Fighting Star.

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Song Catalog

 

"(I'm Not) A Candle In The Wind"

(written with Bill Rice)

Bobby Bare1982 #37 country
Tammy Wynette1992 
 

"Broken Promise Land"

(written with Bill Rice)

Waylon Jennings1985 
Mark Chesnutt1992 #10 country
 

"I Could'a Had You"

(written with Bill Rice)

Leon Everette1984 #6 country
 

"I'm Not That Lonely Yet"

(written with Bill Rice)

Reba McEntire1982 #3 country
Rhonda Vincent1991 
 

"Lonely Too Long"

(written with Mike Lawler, Bill Rice)

Patty Loveless1996 #1 country
 

"Maybe"

(written with Bill Rice)

Kenny Rogers w/ Holly Dunn1990 #25 country

"My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys"

Waylon Jennings1976 
Willie Nelson1980 #1 country, #44 pop
Chris LeDoux1980 
 

"Out Of My Bones"

(written with Gary Burr, Robin Lerner)

Randy Travis1998 #2 country, #64 pop

"Powerful Thing"

(written with Al Anderson)

Trisha Yearwood1999 #6 country, #50 pop
 

"Pretty Little Baby Child"

(written with John Barlow Jarvis, Bill Rice)

The Oak Ridge Boys1995 
Kenny Rogers1996 
Don Williams2000 
LeAnn Rimes2007 

"Release Me"

(written with Anders Hansson, Agnes Carlsson)

Agnes2009 #1 hot dance club songs, #1 UK club chart
 

"Right On Time"

(written with Al Anderson)

Randy Travis2004 
Al Anderson2006 
Jerry Douglas w/ Marc Cohn2012 
Gretchen Wilson2013 
 

"Soul Searchin'"

(written with Bill Rice)

Leon Everette1982 #10 country
 

"Susannah"

(written with Bill Rice)

Tom Wopat1987 #20 country
 

"There Ain't No Future In This"

(written with Bill Rice)

Reba McEntire1983 #12 country
 

"Til A Tear Becomes A Rose"

(written with Bill Rice)

Leon Everette1985 #44 country
Keith Whitley & Lorrie Morgan1990 #13 country
 

"Till Your Memory's Gone"

(written with Bill Rice)

Bill Medley1983 #28 country

"Trip Around The Sun"

(written with Al Anderson, Steve Bruton)

Jimmy Buffett & Martina McBride2004 #20 country
Maura O'Connell2004 
Al Anderson2006 

"Y’all Come Back Saloon"

Oak Ridge Boys1977 #3 country
Henson Cargill2008 

Other Media

Sharon Vaughn

Induction Year: 2019