User:Samantha Beddingham/Rebecca Lindsey

Rebecca Lindsey (born June 8, 1973) is an American country music performing singer/songwriter as well as model and philanthropist. Rebecca was born as Rebecca Gabriella Trombino in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to Kathleen Ann Funk and Albert Francis Trombino, Jr. Her older sister is Angelique Marie (Trombino) Butler. Lindsey's parents divorced when she was 2 years old. Lindsey lived full-time with her mother during the school year in Pennsylvania and spent summers at the shore in Cape May, NJ with her father, stepmother and sister, visiting her paternal grandparents in neighboring Wildwood, NJ at their summer home. Crediting her childhood experience being at the beach in New Jersey and Wildwood boardwalk is why Lindsey eventually moved to the beach and warm weather in Florida.

Genealogy
On her father's side, Lindsey is of Italian descent, and on her mother's side, she is of primarily Irish, French, Swiss and German ancestry. Lindsey is the four-times great granddaughter of General Joseph Farmer Knipe.

Early life
Lindsey grew up in a very musical family. Music was their outlet for creativity, relieving stress, and creating strong family bonds. Per Lindsey, "If you weren't musical in my family you were like an alien". According to Lindsey, Lindsey's mother was always making up songs and singing, while her sister, Angelique, was in the Chorus and, as an English major, loved writing poetry. Lindsey's father always played the sax, piano, and guitar and to this day sings at various events in the New Jersey area. Lindsey's stepmother, Nancy, who has been in Lindsey's life she was 2, plays the organ. Lindsey's paternal grandmother turned 101 April 5, 2013 and still plays the organ as well as piano and sings. Lindsey's paternal grandfather, Albert Francis Trombino, Sr., played the sax, piano, organ and sang. Albert Trombino, Sr. died May of 2006 at the age of 94. As her sister did, in 6th grade Lindsey joined the school Chorus and started writing poetry, which she eventually turned into songs.

1990s
1991 Lindsey graduated from Susquehanna Township High School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Stating she was not a student that good grades "just came to", Lindsey initially had bad grades her 9th and 10th grade year. Her 10th grade year she skipped several days of school. Wanting to better herself, by 11th grade Lindsey was on the Distinguished Honor Roll. Lindsey's mother had gotten re-married in the fall of 1990, and planned to sell her house to be with her husband after Lindsey graduated high school. However, due to the unexpected early sale of her mother's house, Lindsey moved out from her mother's home before graduating from high school. Lindsey rented a room privately from a friend's mother until she turned eighteen and could legally sign an apartment rental agreement. Despite the set-back, Lindsey graduated high school with Perfect Attendance and Honors.

Armed with only a high school diploma, Lindsey lived in various apartments she could afford which were in the city, and not so safe. In 1992 Lindsey graduated with a Medical Assisting/Phlebotomy/Laboratory Technician degree. After graduating, Lindsey took a job at the Camp Hill Pennsylvania State Prison where she worked as a Phlebotomist until she became employed through Laboratory Corporation of America.

By November, 1997, Lindsey met Sean Paul Lindsey, who would become her husband. Sean was from Jacksonville, Florida. They married February 14, 1998. Two weeks into their marriage Sean became physically abusive. Lindsey immediately sought counseling and assistance for her and her husband. The abuse stopped, and they prepared for the birth of their child, due in September. A few weeks after her first child was born, Lindsey became pregnant with their second child. According to Court documents, all of Lindsey's husband's issues seemed to be resolved in the marriage until the second month into the second pregnancy when the violence began again, only to escalate. Sean continued to be abusive, and kept them financially poor so Lindsey could not leave. To make matters worse, all efforts on Lindsey's part to find employment were stopped upon arrival to job interviews due to the pregnancy. At the end of June 1999 Lindsey's husband was offered a job in Ocala, Florida, not far from Jacksonville, where he is from. In July 1999 the Lindseys moved to Florida.

August 1999 Lindsey gave birth to her youngest child at Munroe Regional Hospital in Ocala, Florida. After seeing no change from her husband, in early December Lindsey left with her two children and returned to Pennsylvania. However, there was no sustained support there and Lindsey returned to Florida where there was a possible job offer for her.

2000s
February 2000 Lindsey packed up a 17 foot U-Haul (thus why U-Haul International, Inc. endorsed her hit song, "While You Were Sleeping") and headed to St. Petersburg, Florida where she stayed for a few days with her cousin until she could secure a rental for her and her two children. At the behest of Sean to try the relationship again, after a successful round of counseling with her husband, Lindsey and Sean reconciled. Unfortunately it didn't last, and things got worse for Lindsey. As is with domestic violence, the survivor is never in more danger then when they are attempting to leave their abuser. By July Lindsey stated she "let the rent lapse" "knowing" her "husband would leave if he thought" they "were being evicted". July 11, 2000, the day the eviction proceedings were to begin, Lindsey secretly paid the rent, and Sean left Lindsey and their two children to go to the safety of his family's home in Jacksonville where there were no evictions proceeding. Lindsey stated she "even drove him to the bus station". After dropping her husband off Lindsey went to the Courthouse where she filed for a divorce and a permanent injunction for her and her two children, which remains in place to this day. April 11, 2001 Sean and Lindsey were divorced.

2001-2006: FOUR FULL-TIME JOBS, ONE PART-TIME JOB
Full-time single Mom, Full-time Job with Overtime, CEO Rebecca Lindsey™, LLC, Full-time College Student and Part-time Model

Lindsey worked full-time in College Admissions as well as part-time model. In 2003 Lindsey moved from St. Petersburg, Florida. It was around that same time she started singing and songwriting. By 2006 Lindsey started working on her Bachelor's degree in Business Management, which she graduated Magna Cum Laude/Alpha Sigma Lambda National Honor Society. She credits her degree in giving her the tools to start her business, Rebecca Lindsey™, LLC. 2006 was the same year Lindsey recorded her debut album, "Headlights on the Highway" which she recorded on her birthday, June 8, 2006 at EMI Record Label, Nashville, TN, (Chris Latham, Engineer; Charlie Craig, Producer). "Headlights on the Highway" is about Lindsey's life as a survivor of domestic violence and the healing that took place after her marriage ended.

Hit Songs
Referring to her 2006 album debut, "Headlights on the Highway", Lindsey is best known for her songs "On the Fourth of July", "Hanging on Hope", "I Will Be", and "Everything but Lying". Receiving positive reviews, Lindsey was endorsed by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, U-Haul International, Inc., 1-800CharityCars, and Wrangler Jeans, to name a few.

Philanthropy
Lindsey is an avid philanthropist with various charities supporting awareness regarding domestic violence. Lindsey has used her connections with the music industry as well as the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence to raise awareness of the subject as well as providing various vehicles to domestic abuse shelters and survivors of domestic violence through 1800-CharityCars.

Since recording Lindsey’s debut album at EMI, Lindsey trademarked her name and established her company, Rebecca Lindsey™, LLC. Charlie Craig, whose credits included co-writing “Wanted” with Alan Jackson as well as was nominated for ‘Song of the Year’ for Janie Fricke’s “She’s Single Again” and had songs recorded by Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, Johnny Cash, Aaron Tippin and George Strait, was Lindsey’s Producer as well as one of the writers on her album. All the writers on the album were either nominated for, or won a Grammy, such as Hillary Lindsey who co-wrote Carrie Underwood’s hit, “Jesus Take the Wheel”. Chris Latham, who has engineered for artists such as Brad Paisley, was the engineer on Lindsey's album.

Airplay/Recording
Lindsey’s single “On the Fourth of July” has been played in over a thousand radio stations world-wide. You can hear “On the Fourth of July” in 48 chain stores and their subsidiaries such as Walgreen's, ACE Hardware, ACME, Giant Carlisle, Tops, Kroger, Safeway, Albertson’s, SuperValu, Winn Dixie and Meijer, etc. January 2006 Lindsey was voted “The Best of 2006″ by TLC radio network. Lindsey was also in the top 10 playlist for WAGS Radio Station in Bishopville, SC, Mark Trail Music, TCBG, Songcast.net, American Idol Underground and the European Playlist Forum Bravenet.com. “Hanging on Hope” can be heard on Lan Chile Airlines, Bangkok Airlines, Delta Airlines as well as AIR FORCE ONE.

Lindsey’s company, Rebecca Lindsey™, LLC partnered with The Orchard for certain distribution. As a result “Headlights on the Highway” became available at Amazon.com, Borders.com, Walmart.com, CD Baby, Target.com, iTunes USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK, European Union, Japan, as well as Napster, eMusic and Sony Connect, to name a few. Prior to recording "Headlights on the Highway", Lindsey released two singles, “My Man” and “You Got Me”, both of which charted overseas. Lindsey’s song that she wrote and sang, “My Man”, is currently being played on France’s Music Box Radio 92.8 FM and is also playing worldwide on web radio.

Endorsements
“I Will Be”, a featured track on Lindsey’s debut album, was chosen by The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence to represent the organization’s effort to “Keep Every Home A Safe Home”. Lindsey recently performed “I Will Be” for Michael Bolton, Cissy Houston and DMC (from Run DMC) at a charity event in New York City.

Another popular song from Lindsey’s album, "Headlights on the Highway" is the track “While You Were Sleeping”. “While You Were Sleeping” is endorsed by U-Haul International, Inc.

Interviews/Media
Since finishing her debut album, Lindsey has received favorable response within the industry. November 2006 Lindsey won “Female Favorite Vocalist” on New Country Star. Maverick Country Music Magazine raves “Headlights on the Highway” is “A strong debut album with an extremely poignant message”. Lindsey was also a featured artist in an interview with Michael Coyle on CountryInterviews.net and in February she was a featured Artist on ‘Countrystarsonline.com’ who have featured other artists such as Martina McBride, Keith Urban and Trick Pony.

In March and October 2007 Fashion Bug and Wrangler Jeans showed support by donating wardrobe. December 2007 Lindsey was added to the prestigious list of Artists on CMT.com.

October 2006, Lindsey served as a Motivational Guest Speaker in New York City for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Virgin Records, several media outlets, as well as “The Red Jump Suit Apparatus” band were all guests at the event.

Lindsey has been interviewed on Fox 35, PAX TV, the ‘Gene Williams Show’ in Branson, Missouri, ‘Orlando Matters’, and the syndicated NBC show “Daytime”.

National Events
On November 11, 2006, Lindsey performed at the “Eternal Monument Light Ceremony” in New York City for the Veteran’s Day Parade representing her endorser U-Haul International, Inc. Mayor Bloomberg, dignitaries, 20,000 participants, CNN and 750,000 spectators were all in attendance. After the ceremony, Lindsey and her band performed songs from her album in the parade on the First Lincoln Mortgage float. This was a tremendous media event.

Lindsey was featured on HBO’s “From Broadway to Baghdad” giving tribute to the troops in Iraq as well as performing four of her songs from her debut album on the video.

Charitable Events
Lindsey has participated in several charity events as a Singer, Sponsor and Key Note Speaker such as the “2008 Walk Away- Drive Away Golf Classic & Twilight Walk” Fundraiser held in Nashville, TN. All proceeds from the event went to the ‘Morning Star Sanctuary’ and OFFICER DANITA MARSH who was shot and paralyzed while on a domestic assault call.

Lindsey was also a Celebrity Guest Speaker for the ‘CASA shelter’ where she opened for St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker and helped raise over $70,000 for the shelter. Lindsey stated this was a significant event for her because CASA was one of the shelters where she attempted to stay that was unfortunately full one of the nights she tried to seek shelter for her and her two children from her ex-husband.

Lindsey performed at the annual Charlie Daniel’s “Charlie- Palooza” Banquet in December 2007, at the Tampa Hard Rock Café and at the Ford Amphitheater. All proceeds raised during this event went to ‘The Angelus Home’ in Hudson, FL.

In June 2007 Lindsey attended the “Evening of Elegance” Charity Auction where she was a Celebrity Key Note Speaker and Singer to help raise funds for the ‘Avalon Center’. Over $12,000 was raised during the auction.

May 2007 Lindsey donated an autographed copy of her debut album in an effort to help raise awareness and funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Silent Auction is part of the Wishmaker’s Ball.

In February 2008 Lindsey gave away 6 cars to survivors at the Harbor House Shelter in Orlando through her affiliate, 1800 Charity Cars. The shelter was given a conversion van as well. Fox News Orlando covered the event.

July 2008 Lindsey gave a concert at the Mrągowo Country Piknik with 10,000+ in attendance. She received a ten-minute standing-ovation.

“''I consider one of my greatest accomplishments to be able to share my music with someone. Being able touch someone’s life is more meaningful to me than anything. I know how much music has inspired and influenced me. My dream is to be able to enrich someone else’s life in the same way.''” – Rebecca

Rebecca Lindsey is an active member of the American Federation of Musicians, NSAI and BMI.