With her phenomenal early success, LeAnn Rimes has gone from being the little girl from Garland, Texas with the big voice to a contemporary, cosmopolitan young woman. Possessing one of the most spectacular voices in the business, as well as an incredible gift for performing, LeAnn made her motion picture debut in 2000 in the film "Coyote Ugly," stunning audiences with a fresh look and sound that are reflective of her growth as a young adult.LeAnn recently ventured through the historic and rugged Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico to record a musical special for "Music in High Places." Airing on DirecTV throughout Spring 2001, and on VH-1 in June and July 0f 2001, the show is an excellent showcase for LeAnn's personality and extraordinary vocal talent. The special features acoustic performances on the picturesque beaches of Punte Morales; near the crocodile-infested swamplands of the Yucatan jungle; in the expansive ancient ball courts of Chichén Itzá and atop the pyramids of Izamal. LeAnn also performs a chillingly beautiful a cappella version of "Amazing Grace" in the stunning 16th century San Bernadino de Siena Convent. While all of the performances bear LeAnn's musical trademark, her fun and adventurous spirit shines through as she explores the ancient ruins and interacts with the local people sex appeal.
LeAnn was born August 28, 1982 in Jackson, Mississippi, and began singing before she reached the age of two. She moved to Texas a few years later, and by age 11, had recorded her first album, All That, which was released on a small, independent label. The buzz created throughout Dallas by this album garnered the attention of Curb Records. Shortly thereafter, LeAnn released her remarkable major label debut, Blue, which went multi-platinum. The title track from that album ultimately became one of her signature songs.
In the following year, LeAnn released You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs, and accomplished a feat never before achieved by a Country artis–the album debuted simultaneously on three Billboard Magazine charts (Pop, Country and Contemporary Christian). Next came The Early Years: Unchained Melody, a compilation of her compelling early work, which went multi-platinum. LeAnn had a massive hit with the #1 pop single "How Do I Live," which currently holds the Billboard chart record of 32 consecutive weeks at #1. This single also gave LeAnn the distinction of becoming the first Country artist ever to achieve triple-platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). She is also only the second woman, along with Whitney Houston, ever to earn this honor. "How Do I Live" has also recently passed the 200-week mark on the Top Country Singles Sales Charts; this is the first time any single has reached the 200 mark on any Billboard chart.
LeAnn's career has been marked by more than stratospheric record sales. In 1997, she won two Grammys, including "Best New Artist," which marked the first time a Country artist had ever captured that honor. She also won an American Music Award, three Academy of Country Music awards, a TNN Music City News award, Billboard's special "Hot 100" award, and the CMA "Horizon Award." LeAnn closed that year with four Billboard Music Awards, including "Artist of the Year." Overseas, she has also been awarded the BBC's prestigious "Rising Star" award.
In 1998, LeAnn recorded and released Sittin' On Top of the World. The album featured the hit single "Commitment," as well as "Looking Through Your Eyes," which was included on the soundtrack of the animated film "Quest for Camelot."
The following year, LeAnn released the self-titled LeAnn Rimes, which featured her unique interpretations of 11 Country standards including "Crazy," "I Fall To Pieces," "Leavin' On Your Mind," and "Me And Bobby McGee." The album produced the smash hit single "Big Deal." Among her professional and personal highlights that year, LeAnn credits recording "Written In The Stars," a duet with Elton John for the award-winning soundtrack to the Broadway musical, "Aida," and traveling to Europe to present a special Thanksgiving Day concert for the Pope. She also enjoyed serving as "Good Morning America’s" celebrity host for the American Music Awards.LeAnn made her acting debut in 1997, starring in the ABC movie "Holiday in Your Heart," which aired to public and critical acclaim. The movie was based on the book of the same title, which LeAnn co-wrote with Tom Carter.
In 2000, LeAnn made her motion picture debut in Buena Vista's "Coyote Ugly" for producer Jerry Bruckheimer. In addition to appearing in a surprise cameo in the film, LeAnn recorded four Diane Warren songs for the soundtrack, including the hit single "Can't Fight The Moonlight." Both the album and song were huge multi-platinum hits in the U.S. and worldwide. The album was nominated for an American Music Award and the Blockbuster Entertainment Award in the category of "Favorite Soundtrack" and "Can't Fight The Moonlight" won the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for "Favorite Song From A Movie." LeAnn made another soundtrack contribution in 2000, recording the char--topping hit single "I Need You" for the television miniseries "Jesus." LeAnn donated her artist fee and royalties from the single to create a wing at the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Tennessee called the LeAnn Rimes Adventure Gym.
LeAnn will soon head back into the studio to record her eighth album, on which she hopes to take some musical departures and give voice to the new and exciting directions in which she is moving as an artist. She is also looking to explore more options in film and television.
LeAnn currently resides in Los Angeles.
Mississippi Baby
Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Margaret LeAnn Rimes is the only child of Wilbur and Belinda. After little LeAnn demonstrates the ability to sing in perfect pitch at just 18 months, her parents sign her up for vocal and dance class. By age 5, she is determined to be a performer. "I told my mom and dad, 'This is what I want to do,' and I went for it," Rimes tells Interview in 1998. At 6, she wins her first talent contest when she performs "Getting to Know You."
Star-Spangled Girl
At 8, Rimes becomes a finalist on Star Search, and becomes a popular act, performing more than 100 stage dates a year. She adds to her local fan base when she sings the national anthem at Dallas Cowboys football games, where Texas deejay Bill Mack hears her. Mack, who wrote a song titled "Blue" for Patsy Cline, taps Rimes (pictured with her parents) to record the ballad.
Breakthrough Blues
Just two years after telling the Dallas Morning News, "I'm going to be a huge star," Rimes makes the big time with her breakthrough single and album, Blue. Asked to explain the meaning of "Blue," Rimes giggles: "Something about a man and a girl falling in love or something, I don't know." The 13-year-old's album goes on to sell more than 8 million copies.
Million Dollar Baby
Rimes picks up five Billboard Music Awards and two Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist, making her the first country artist to win the prestigious award. The Academy of Country Music also names "Blue" Song of the Year, while the Country Music Association hands Rimes the Horizon Award. "It probably wasn't until 'Blue' came out that it hit me that I have this talent that's kind of rare," Rimes tells Interview.
How Do I Live
Rimes has two albums in both the country and pop Top 10, with the release of her follow-up album, Unchained Melody: The Early Years. Rimes' hit machine continues with the song "How Do I Live," which spends a record 69 weeks on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. In September, Curb releases You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs, helping Rimes become the biggest-selling recording artist in the U.S. for 1997. But at home, the Rimes family is falling apart, with Belinda and Wilbur separating. "It was hell on me," LeAnn tells EW.
Growing PainsRimes has her sights set on Hollywood and begins talking to producers. "One of the hardest things for me is having people look at you and say, 'Oh, she's such a cute kid,'" Rimes tells the Los Angeles Times. "I understand why people say that. You only expect so much from someone 15, much less 13, when 'Blue' came out. But I don't call myself a teenager. I call myself a businesswoman." In March, Rimes, 15, begins dating 19-year-old actor Andrew Keegan (right), and in the fall moves to L.A. with her mother.
Legal Blues
After taking some time off to relax and workout, Rimes files a lawsuit, alleging that her father, Wilbur, and her former co-manager, Lyle Walker, took more than $7 million from her. In a second lawsuit, she sues her record label and seeks to be released from her contract. "I've got many years ahead of me. All this mess will be over soon," she tells Texas Monthly. In brighter news, she appears in Coyote Ugly (left), and wins a Billboard Award for her work on the soundtrack. In December 2001, Curb Records agrees to restructure Rimes' contract, while in 2002, her dispute with her father is settled on undisclosed terms.
Dean the Dream
At a rehearsal for the Academy of Country Music Awards show, Rimes, 18, is reintroduced to Dean Sheremet, a dancer she'd met several months earlier when she was dating Keegan. After one date, Rimes tells In Style that she told people, "This is the guy I want to marry." On Feb. 23, 2002, wearing a Vera Wang gown, Rimes marries Sheremet (right). "As soon as she started walking, tears filled my eyes," Sheremet says.
This Woman
Rimes wisely returns to her country roots with the album This Woman, which sells more than 100,000 units in its first week and debuts at No. 3 on Billboard's pop album chart. The single "Nothin' But Love Makes Sense" becomes Rimes' first top 10 country hit in more than four years. "I'm definitely confident and comfortable," Rimes, 22, tells the Chicago Sun-Times. "I have 10 years of experience, so it's tough to get anything past me in this business. I've become a very strong woman because of all I've gone through, good and bad."
Family
After taking a two-year breather, Rimes releases Family, a fusion of rock, pop, and country tracks, including a duet with Bon Jovi that lands Rimes a nomination from the Academy of Country Music for top female vocalist. "It's taken a long time for people to let go of that little girl that sang 'Blue,'" Rimes tells The State. "I tried to push out of it. I'm changing. I'm a married woman, and I'm 25."