LeAnn Rimes

Major Works

Albums

• Blue 1998
• The Early Years 'Unchained Melody'"  1997
• Sittin' On Top of the World  1998
• You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs 1997
• LeAnn  (to be released October 26, 1999)
• Written In The Stars Pt.1 , Pt. 2 with Elton John

Singles

• I’ll Get Even With You
• I Will Always Love You
• Blue 
• One Way Ticket (Because I Can)
• The Light In Your Eyes
• Looking Through Your Eyes
• You Light Up My Life

Books

• Holiday in Your Heart

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LeAnn Rimes: A Biography
By Mandi Alexander (SHS)

When the world was created, each person was created to have a different personality and talents.  In every little boy/girl's life, goals are set and dreams are made, but not everyone’s dream comes true.  In the world of LeAnn Rimes, her dream of becoming a country music superstar has become reality.  Born on August 28, 1982, in Jackson, Mississippi,LeAnn Rimes (like Brenda Lee and Tanya Tucker), has  become a young country music superstar. LeAnn Rimes is an only child who began singing before she was two.

LeAnn Rimes  won her first talent contest at the age of five and almost won the lead in Broadway’s Annie 2 at age six. Musically, she  has been influenced by Patsy Cline, Reba McEntire, Barbara Streisand, and her parents. At age six,  she moved to Texas  to pursue her dream of  country superstar.  At age eight, she was a two-week champion on TV’s star search.
(http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/6178/facts.html)   At age eleven, she  recorded her first album, After All, which was produced by Wilbur.  After the success of her album, LeAnn released another album titled Unchained Melody:  The Early Years.  The songs on this album were recorded when LeAnn was only twelve.  Critics commented that at  fourteen, LeAnn seemed wise beyond her years. She didn't  look or act like  fourteen but that could be because of the fact that she has been in the  business since she was six or seven years old.

In May 1996, her recording of  Blue  hit the Billboard charts.  According to one source, “LeAnn’s strong voice has lead her to be one of the most recognizable women of Country Music  today.” (http://www.curb.com/Artists/larbio.html).  LeAnn Rimes has many accomplishments and  has won many awards. In 1996 she won  awards such as the Academy of Country Music Single of the Year, the Academy of Country Music Song of the Year, Academy of Country Music Top New Female Vocalist, Grammy Best Female Country Vocal Performance, and Grammy Best New Artist.  In 1997 she won awards at the American Music Awards as the Favorite New Artist, CMA Horizon Award, TNN/ Music Cry News Stars of Tomorrow – Female. Her semi-autobiographical novel Holiday in Your Heart was published in 1997. In June, 1998, she was again nominated  as Best Female Artist by the TNN Music City News Country Awards. 

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Timeline

1982--August 28, LeAnn was born in Jackson, Mississippi
1987--won her first talent contest
1988--moved to Texas
1990--June 22, First TV performance at Disney World
1991--Appeared on Star Search
1993-- recorded her first album All That
1996--recorded the album Blue
1996--Award:  Academy of Country Music Single of the Year
1996--Award:  Academy of Country Music Song of the Year 
1996--Award:  Academy of Country Music Top New Female Vocalist
1996 --Award:  Grammy Best Female Country Vocal Performance
1996--Award:  Grammy Best New Artist
1996--May, Blue hits Billboards to top
1996--September, appears on the David Letterman Show and Grand Old Opry
1997-- Award:  American Music Awards –wins  Favorite New Artist
1997--Award:  CMA Horizon Award
1997--Award:  TNN/ Music Cry News Stars of Tomorrow- Female
1997--Her semi-autobiographical book Holiday in Your Heart published,  LeAnn co-writes  book with Tom Carter.
1997- LeAnn's acting debut, when she stars in the ABC-TV movie Holiday in Your Heart in December.
1997--LeAnn has a number one pop single with "How Do I Live," written by Diane Warren.
1999--records Sittin' On Top of the World
2001-Mar 2001 - A judge refused to let Leann Rimes out of a recording contract entered when she was 12 years old. The singer, who now lives in LA, recently issued a statement apologizing to fans for her latest album, saying it was produced "without her creative input". LeAnn, who became a major star at age 13 in 1996 with the hit 'Blue', is also suing her father in Texas over a different issue, alleging that he and a former co-manager have cheated her out of millions in income.

Review of Holiday in Your Heart by LeAnn Rimes
by Mandi Alexander (SHS)

The autobiographical novel Holiday in Your Heart by LeAnn Rimes and Tom Carter  tells the story of LeAnn Rimes's  life from birth to 1997.   Born in  Jackson, Mississippi, in 1982, LeAnn now lives at home with her parents in Dallas, Texas, and  pursues her dream of becoming a country superstar.  Her career shot to the top when her album Blue went to Billboard’s Top 10, making LeAnn Rimes the youngest country singer ever to debut that high.  She is the only country singer ever to win a Grammy for Best New Artist and have a hit on Billboard’s Top 10.  Many girls dream of becoming Cinderella, but LeAnn's  dream was to be a country superstar."(LeAnn Rimes quoted in Holiday in your Heart) 

In the book a teenaged singing sensation Anna Lee realizes her dream of performing a holiday concert on the stage.  Yet her happiness is somewhat lessened by  thoughts of her grandmother at this special time of year, who is stricken with an illness and unable  to see her beloved granddaughter.  It takes lessons from an older country singer, a musical legend now past her prime, who tells the young singer that  she  can carry a holiday in her  heart all year round if she knows which things matter the most.  LeAnn Rimes’s many fans will find Holiday in Your Heart a heart breaker by this fine young  country female singer. 

Related Websites

Up-to-date page for LeAnn by Robert the Bruce.
Another excellent site for all kinds of info about LeAnn.  Choose between English or German.
Crucifunkins Top 5 Country Albums lists LeAnn Rimes's albums Blue and Unchained Melody/The Early Years as Numbers 3 and 4.
The Beautiful LeAnn Rimes page has lots of photos.
The Official Unofficial LeAnn Home Page. Mostly photos.
The source for everything LeAnn.
Hear audio from Blue.
Concert review and photos.
Country stars biography and photos, includes a video.

Bibliography

“LeAnn’s Facts.” Artist Fact Sheet n. pag. Online.  2 Apr. 1998. Available
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/6178/facts.html.

“LeAnn’s Profile.” Country Artist Profiles n. pag. Online.  12 Apr. 1998. Available
http://www.geocities.com/Nashville/2985/le00002.html.

“The Artist.” Country Music Artists n. pag. Online. 4 Apr. 1998. Available
http://www.country.com/gen/music/artist/leann-rimes.html.

“You Light Up My Life” Country Artists Online n. pag. Online. . 1 Apr. 1998. Available http://www.curb/Artists/larbio.html.

Rimes, LeAnn and Tom Carter. Holiday in Your Heart. New York, NY:  Doubleday. 1997. 

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