FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 4, 2022 Ed Bruce's Little-Known Christian Albums Reissued Digitally; CDs Also Available (Clarksville, Tenn.) - When country singer, songwriter and actor Ed Bruce died in 2021, he left a legacy of great songs, many of which were recorded by other artists; others by himself. Some of the best-known include "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" (Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson), "Restless" (Crystal Gayle), and Tanya Tucker's "Texas (When I Die)." One of his biggest hits, as a singer, was "You're the Best Break This Old Heart Ever Had," while he was signed with MCA Records. And there were many more. Now, Bruce's estate has rereleased two little-known, independently produced Christian albums he recorded nearly two decades ago, which received little attention: CHANGED (2004) and SING ABOUT JESUS (2007). "When Ed made those albums, he was no longer signed to a label," his widow, Judy Bruce, explained. "He had about a thousand CDs printed, which he sold out of the trunk of his car. Digital distribution was a new thing, and Ed didn't understand it. He was happy just singing in front of twenty people or twenty-thousand and selling a handful of CDs here and there." Judy married Ed in 1989, after meeting him ten years earlier while working at MCA Records. By the time they married, Ed had stopped recording music to focus on an acting career which included several TV shows and movies (Walker, Texas Ranger with Chuck Norris, Fire Down Below with Steven Seagal, Country Strong with Gwyneth Paltrow, etc.). In the early 1980s, he had costarred in the NBC series Bret Maverick with James Garner. Ed and Judy lived in Clarksville, Tennessee, during the last few years of his life, but were living on a farm in Hickman County when he became a Christian in 2003. As Judy tells it, Ed had an epiphany while riding his tractor one cool Sunday morning in March, when some deer ran in front of him and he was suddenly struck by the beauty of nature. "He came back to the house and said he realized at that moment that 'He lives,' meaning Jesus lives," Judy said. "He sat down and started writing that song." He lives, He said He would / He lives, He said He could / He lives, He said we should believe / In Him, if we have faith / With Him, there is a place / Through Him, we have grace because He lives. "I told Ed, 'You have got to put out a Christian album,'" Judy recalled. "He said, 'We don't have the money,' and I said, 'Well, we might. I've been rat-holing for a long time.'" With the money that Judy had secretly saved for a rainy day, Ed self-produced his first Christian album, CHANGED, in 2004, followed by SING ABOUT JESUS in 2007. Both projects were recorded at County Q in Nashville, with CHANGED being coproduced by John W. Thompson, whose producing credits include records by Earl Scruggs, the Bill Gaither Trio, Doug Oldham, the Oak Ridge Boys, Roseanne Cash, Mel Tillis, Bonnie Bramlett, the Burrito Brothers, and Don Francisco. (Listen to "Changed" here: https://open.spotify.com/track/5fkdA9Hw9Ry0NYMGWcRx6o?si=e0e50b1e2689486c) Some of Ed Bruce's former associates are planning to produce an album of his unreleased recordings, in the near future. For now, Judy is passionate about getting the word out about his obscure Christian albums, which meant so much to them both. "I can't tell you how thrilled I was when Ed became born again; it changed him tremendously," Judy said. "He wrote these songs from the heart. They are too good to just be on a few hundred CDs, so now they are online where anyone can hear them." CHANGED and SING ABOUT JESUS are available on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and other digital platforms. CDs are available, while supplies last, through his website, EdBruceMusic.com. Ed Is Now on Facebook - July 2022 Join Ed's official Facebook Group, Ed Bruce Music! Ed Bruce left this world on January 8, 2021, to sing God's praises from a higher place. This Facebook Group has been created with the blessing of his wife, Judy, so that we may celebrate her beloved Ed's extraordinary life and career. It is our hope that you will join us here to share the memories, photos, songs, and such, of this talented singer, songwriter and actor. He will be greatly missed. New Digital Downloads - July 2022 We are excited to share with you that Ed's albums Changed, Sing About Jesus and This Old Hat are now available to download as MP3's. You can find these praised recordings at Amazon, Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, Deezer, Pandora and more. Add to your playlist now! Ed Bruce – A Music Charts Magazine Celebrity Interview - October 2014 Here is the link to Ed's audio interview done by Big Al Weekley, first published in April of this year: Ed Bruce Interviw. Bret Maverick released on DVD by Warner Brothers - May 2014 Enjoy Ed and James Garner again in the television series Bret Maverick! Look for “Bret Maverick: The Complete Series” (Warner Archive/DVD, 1981-82, five discs, 17 episodes). Following the six-season success of “The Rockford Files,” James Garner revived the role that made him a star in the 1950s comedy-Western series “Maverick.” (Photo of Ed Bruce with co-stars Darleen Carr and James Garner in 1981) America’s Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame announces first inductee this year - 2013      For thirty-eight years, the National Traditional Country Music Association has been honoring and inducting deserving country music artists into America’s Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame. Formed in 1976 as a means to salvage and save some of America’s very unique and truly American musical art forms, the president, Bob Everhart, set about honoring those that have made significant contributions to the musical genre. According to Everhart, “We knew back in 1976 that the inevitable changes that were taking place in America’s very own musical art form called country, would drastically change in the near future. Today music called ‘country’ is hardly recognizable as that same genre of music. We hold a Pioneer Ag Expo in Iowa, and have been since 1976. That is the venue we use to induct deserving individuals into the Hall of Fame. We represent ‘rural’ America, the farmers and small town folks that still care about America’s rural music, and country music on a whole. We have a large membership in our organization that still desire and listen to the music they still call country. We like to refer to it as ‘rural country’ so as not to have it confused with today’s so-called country music. In just the past few years we have inducted Jim Ed Brown, Lynn Anderson, Charley McCoy, Michael Martin Murphey, Bill Anderson, even the legendary Patti Page who had a deep and abiding love for ‘real’ country music. It is with a great deal of respect and honor that we announce our first inductee into the Hall of Fame for this year, none other than the cowboy that mama let grow up, the one and only Ed Bruce.”      The induction takes place in LeMars, Iowa, where the NTCMA holds their annual Expo, festival, and old-time country music event. According to Everhart, “We have so many performers and supporters for America’s ‘real’ country music, the event is now seven days long. It goes from 9am to midnight every day on no less than ten stages. What that means is, for an entire week, well over 650 musicians and performers congregate at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds in LeMars, Iowa, for the festivities. It’s a very ‘acoustic’ music event, we do not need nor do we want, loud electrified noise. We’re more interested in the ‘truth’ of country music, the bottom line, the ‘gift’ if you will. Can you imagine Bill Anderson, all by himself on a stool with just an acoustic guitar, entertaining 2,500 folks, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. And not one show but two, simply because there were so many that wanted to see him inducted into America’s Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame. We expect the same thing to happen to Mr. Bruce, who will be with us on August 31st. The festival runs from Aug. 26-Sept. 1, and is now in it’s 38th year.”      Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings recorded “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys” in 1978, only two years after Everhart created the National Traditional Country Music Association. The song, written by Ed Bruce, became a major hit, and put Mr. Bruce on the upward spiral. In 1979, Tanya Tucker recorded Bruce’s “Texas When I Die.” By 1980, Ed Bruce was a songwriter and recording artist of incredible merit. He signed with MCA Records, recording such self-penned hits as “When You Fall In Love,” and “Love’s Found You and Me.” His biggest hit “You’re The Best Break This Old Heart Ever Had,” was in 1982. As an actor he also scored big time working with James Garner, as a surly town lawman in Maverick. According to Everhart, “Ed Bruce is a very likable, successful, and deserving man for this ‘rural’ Hall of Fame honor. The Hall of Fame is located in the Pioneer Music Museum in Anita, Iowa, and contains some incredible memories of what real country music was all about, and memorabilia of many stars and superstars. Ed Bruce is a welcome addition to this honor. Anyone interested in our work can find us at www.ntcma.net. There’s great RV camping facilities at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds where we have the inductions, along with terrific rural food and a number of other attractions, including a rendezvous tipi village in a ghost town, workshops, jams, contests, themed shows, old-time dances, old-time rural critters and animals, and a tremendous interaction of musicians and guests. We’ll also have other celebrities with us to be inducted into the Hall of Fame,” he said.   (As posted on May 3, 2013 by Jaimie Ward) Ed's English Setters and Tennessee Walkers - 2011 While Ed sold the last of the pups and horses in 2005, we left this link with photos of Ed with some of the friends he loved so much. See photos here. Ed appears in new movie - "Public Enemies" - 2009 Ed has continued to enjoy acting and in the Universal Pictures release, Public Enemeies, he appears in the role of Senator Kenneth McKellar. It was directed by Michael Mann and the cast includes Johnny Depp as John Dillinger and Christian Bale as Melvin Purvis. "Sing About Jesus," Ed's new Country Gospel album released February, 2007! This sequel to his acclaimed 2004 CD release "Changed" contains a dozen more inspired songs including "Thank You For the Son," "Devil Ain't Got A Prayer," "He Lives" and "I Pray." Ed is special guest on Bill Mack show On August 1, 2004 at 1:00 pm, Ed will join Bill Mack live on the waves of his satellite radio trucking show. "Changed," Ed's new Gospel album is now available! - July, 2004 This much anticipated release contains a dozen songs including "In Jesus Eyes," "The Family," "Standing In The Fire," "Changed" and "Tougher Than Nails." Ed To Appear At The Ryman Auditorium on June 13, 2004 On June 13, from 9am-12noon, Ed will appear as part of the Music City Christian Fellowship that will gather at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, former home of the Grand Ole Opry. It will be a Concert of Celebration and Inspiration, presenting the 25th Anniversary of "Sunday Mornin’ Country." More information on tickets and other details will soon appear at the Music City Christian Fellowship. New Ed Bruce Interview - February, 2004 Ed was recently in West Virginia to perform at the Highway 23 Jamboree. He was interviewed by Dave Lavender at The Herald-Dispatch in Huntington. To read the article, click Here. "12 Classics" released April 2003 - This special collection contains an inspiring rendition of The Lord's Prayer and Ed's own arrangement of In The Garden as well as other timeless gems including After All, You're The Best Break This Old Heart Ever Had and Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys. Click Here to order. Response to Ed's 700 Club interview Ed's testimony on the 700 Club aired in June on television stations including the Fox and Family Channels. The interview took place with Ed & Judith at their "Home at Last" farm in Tennessee. Many thanks for the outpouring of kind words that immediately followed. "This Old Hat" Ed's new CD includes thirteen songs and it is his first release in several years. Songs include You're The Best Break This Old Heart Ever Had, The Greatest Hit, One, The Bartender (It's All on the Jukebox) and My First Taste of Texas. Country Music News says, "Getting to hear Ed Bruce on disc again is one of the better gifts that fans of "real" country music have been given so far in the 21st century. The man possesses one of the all-time great voices of the genre and his music has been sadly missed in recent years." Click Here for more information and how to order.