  LeAnn Rimes was born August 28,
1982 in Mississippi and raised in Texas. At
the tender age of 13, LeAnn started her
journey toward country sensation and had her
vocals being compared to the likes of Patsy
Cline. Within a year of conquering
the country music scene, LeAnn was able to
crossover to pop radio and in 1997 was named Billboard magazine's biggest
selling artists (of singles and LPs). LeAnn's
childhood was filled with singing and
entering talent contests. LeAnn was singing
by the time she was 2 years old and has said,
"...my dad has tapes of me doing
"You Are My Sunshine,"
"Getting To Know You" and
"Have Mercy" by the Judds."
She also won twice on the show Star
Search when she was 8. LeAnn has also
turned her singing talent into a few acting
and stage performances. When LeAnn was 6 and
her family first moved to Texas, she
auditioned and almost got the lead role in Annie
II on Broadway. A year later she was
making her stage debut in a Dallas production
of A Christmas Carol, playing Tiny
Tim.
LeAnn's talent and desire for
show business led the family to Texas and
eventually led to an independent LP (when
LeAnn was 11). Under the guidance of Bill
Mack, a record promoter and DJ from Dallas,
LeAnn performed throughout 1995 on television
and concerts, and became a local favorite in
the Dallas area.
Mack had LeAnn record a version
of his song "Blue" (which he claims
was originally written for Patsy
Cline before she died) and the song
became a hit on country radio.
 July 9: LeAnn's debut LP, Blue, was released and
became a multi-million selling country and
pop LP. Critics hailed the LP as unbelievably
bold for such as young vocalist. Entertainment
Weekly said of the LP:
"...ironically, such raw, old-fashioned
country music, with such a big, twangy, sexy
voice at the center, wouldn't be making such
a stir in bland 90s Nashville if LeAnn
weren't 13... the hype machine has
inadvertently coughed up a gem." The LP
also contained a duet with Eddy
Arnold and went on to sell over 8
million copies in the U.S.
LeAnn topped the Billboard Hot
Country Singles Sales chart for 20 weeks with
"Blue."
LeAnn hit the Top 40 with "Blue."
Blue topped the Billboard
Country Albums chart for 27 weeks into 1997.
LeAnn became the youngest artist
to ever be nominated for a Country Music
Award (she was nominated for 2 of the awards,
but won neither that year).
LeAnn topped the Billboard
Country Singles chart for 2 weeks with
"One Way Ticket (Because I Can)."
 # 30
Singles Artist of the Year
LeAnn won an American Music
Award for Favorite New Country
Artist.
Blue was certified 3x
platinum.
 LeAnn won 2 Grammy
Awards for Best New
Artist and Best Country Vocal
Performance - Female ("Blue").
LeAnn released Unchained
Melody - The Early Years - a
collection of songs recorded before Blue. Tracks include a
version of the Beatles' "Yesterday"
and Dolly Parton's classic "I Will
Always Love You."
Unchained
Melody - The Early Years topped the Billboard
200 Albums chart for a week and the Billboard
Country Albums chart for 10 weeks.
LeAnn hit the Top 40 with "How Do I Live."
The single "How Do I Live" was certified
platinum. "How Do I Live" began a long
streak of 32 weeks at #1 on the Billboard
Country Singles Sales chart (the run lasted
in 1998).
 
"How Do I Live" topped the
Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for 11
weeks.
LeAnn released You
Light Up My Life - Inspirational Songs and had her
second #1 LP on the Pop LP charts (3rd on the
Country LP charts).
You
Light Up My Life - Inspirational Songs topped the Billboard
200 Albums chart for 3 weeks and the
Billboard Country Album charts for 9 weeks.
The LP contained LeAnn's first Top 10 pop
hit, "How Do I Live" (a version of
the song used for the summer hit movie, Con
Air), as well as the remake of "You Light Up My Life" which was
certified gold during the month.
You
Light Up My Life - Inspirational Songs was certified 2x
platinum.
LeAnn hit the Top 40
with "You Light Up My Life" while "How Do I Live" hit the Top 10.
Blue was certified 5x
platinum, The
Early Years: Unchained
Melody was certified 2x platinum, and
the single "How Do I Live" was certified 2x
platinum.
SoundScan proclaimed LeAnn's You
Light Up My Life - Inspirational Songs the tenth best-selling
LP of 1997 - selling over 2.9 million copies
in the U.S.
LeAnn starred also in a holiday
television movie.
LeAnn also ended the year with
numerous wins at the Billboard Music Awards
taking home honors for Artist of the Year,
Country Artist of the Year, and Country Album
of the Year for Blue.
At the Country Music Awards
LeAnn won the Horizon Award.
You
Light Up My Life - Inspirational Songs was certified 3x
platinum.
LeAnn topped the Billboard Hot
Country Singles & Tracks chart for 2
weeks with "One Way Ticket (Because I
Can)."
Readers of Rolling
Stone named LeAnn the Best Country
Artist of the Year.
LeAnn topped the Billboard
Year-End Charts as the Top Pop Artist
(singles & albums), Top Pop Artist -
Female (singles & albums), Top Billboard
200 Album Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album
Artist - Female, Top Country Artist (singles
& albums), Top Country Artists - Female
(singles & albums), Top Country Album (Blue), Top Country Album
Artist, Top Country Album Artist - Female,
Top Country Singles Sales ("How Do I Live"), and Top
Country Singles Sales Artist.
 # 133
Singles Artist of the Year
LeAnn was
nominated for 2 American Music
Awards for Favorite Female Artist
Country and Favorite Album Country.
You
Light Up My Life - Inspirational Songs was certified 4x
platinum.
LeAnn was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal
Performance - Female for "How Do I Live" (but lost to Trisha
Yearwood for the same song).
LeAnn topped the Billboard
Maxi-Singles Sales chart with "How Do I Live" for a week.
LeAnn's single "How Do I Live" became the
biggest selling country single when it was
certified 3x platinum.
 LeAnn's next LP, Sittin'
On Top Of The World, was released
and she hit the charts with "Looking
Through Your Eyes."
At the World Music Awards held
in Monte Carlo, LeAnn was awarded World's
Best-Selling Country Artist and Best-Selling
American Artist/Group.
The single "Looking Through Your
Eyes"
hit the Top 40 and was certified gold.
LeAnn cancelled a performance in
Colorado and found herself in a hospital
complaining of "weakness." LeAnn
was in the emergency for an hour before being
released. The reason was later said to be a
low-grade viral infection which hampered the
singer after performing in extreme heat the
day before.
 LeAnn told Entertainment
Weekly that movies may be her next big
adventure: "We've been talking about
bringing back A Star Is Born.
Something along the lines of a love story
that involved my music. A film with an
edge."
LeAnn aired her feelings about
losing a Grammy to Trisha Yearwood for the
same song, "How Do I Live," - "I
wasn't a happy person... I felt betrayed. Not
by fans but by people in the business... it's
disheartening to see what the fans like and
(have) politics take it from me."
LeAnn told Country
Weekly: "When I become 20,
hopefully, it won't be the teen thing
anymore. Then they'll probably call me a
young adult singing sensation. They'll come
up with something. They always do."
Sittin'
On Top Of The World was certified
platinum.
LeAnn was forced to cancel 3
concerts due to a respiratory infection.
LeAnn set a record on the
Billboard pop charts by having the longest
running single for "How Do I Live" (70 weeks on the
Hot 100 as of October) and most weeks in the
Top 10 (32 weeks).
LeAnn talked with Country
Weekly about making plans for the new
year including a country classics LP and
a pop LP: "I've had so many people ask
me to do an album of country's more
traditional songs... and I've wanted to do
one because I love traditional country
music...I've always blended country and pop
songs on the same album, but now I think it's
time to split up the music and go 2 ways... I
love country music and I will never turn my
back on country music or Nashville... but I
also enjoy singing other styles of
music."
LeAnn topped the Billboard
Year-End Charts as the Top Country
Artist - Female (singles & albums), Top
Country Singles Sales Artist, Top
Contemporary Christian Artist, and with the
Top Contemporary Christian Album (You
Light Up My Life - Inspirational Songs).
 # 94
Singles Artist of the Year
LeAnn was
nominated for an American Music
Award for Favorite
Country Female Artist.
 LeAnn could be heard on the Top
40 duet with Elton
John, "Written
In The Stars" from the Elton
John And Tim Rice's Aida compilation.
Blue was certified 6x
platinum.
LeAnn could be seen on VH1 as
part of VH1
Divas Live '99.
The single
"Written
In The Stars" was certified gold.
 LeAnn's next LP, LeAnn
Rimes, was released.
LeAnn hit the Top 40 with "Big
Deal."
LeAnn
Rimes topped the Billboard Country
Albums chart for 2 weeks.
LeAnn
Rimes was certified gold.
 # 76
Singles Artist of the Year
 LeAnn
Rimes was certified platinum.
LeAnn hit the
Top 10 Country charts with "I Need
You" from the TV movie, Jesus.
LeAnn filed a lawsuit against
her father and former manager for over $7
million. Her attorney stated: "It would
appear that her father didn't always act in a
fatherly way to her."
LeAnn had to cancel her summer
concert tour due to a strained vocal cord
after her doctor order 60-90 days of vocal
rest.
 LeAnn could be seen briefly in
the film Coyote
Ugly and also could be heard on 4
songs in the film ("Right Kind Of
Wrong," "But I Do Love You,"
"Can't Fight The
Moonlight," and Diane Warren's
"Please Remember"), including the
singing voice of one of the lead characters.
The recordings were made during mid-summer
when LeAnn was advised by her doctors to rest
her vocal chords.
LeAnn filed a lawsuit to end her
contract with Curb Records and end a deal
established by her parents when she was 12.
LeAnn hit #1 in the UK for a
week with "Can't Fight The
Moonlight."
 # 168
Singles Artist of the Year
 LeAnn released I
Need You with the track "Can't Fight The
Moonlight."
I
Need You topped the Billboard
Country Albums chart for a week.
LeAnn won a Blockbuster
Entertainment Awards for Favorite Song from A
Movie ("Can't Fight The
Moonlight").
LeAnn hosted the Academy of
Country Music Awards (on CBS).
I
Need You was certified gold.
The single "Can't Fight The
Moonlight" was certified gold.
 God
Bless America was released.
LeAnn hit the Top 40 with "Can't Fight The
Moonlight."
LeAnn got engaged.
LeAnn topped Billboard
Year-End Charts as the Top Country
Singles Sales Artist and with the Top Country
Single Sales ("But I Do Love You / Can't Fight The
Moonlight").
 # 26
Singles Artist of the Year
 LeAnn was nominated for an American Music
Award for Favorite
Adult Contemporary Artist.
LeAnn hit the Top 10 with "Can't Fight The
Moonlight."
LeAnn got married to dancer Dean
Sheremet.
LeAnn hit the Top 40 with "Life Goes On."
 LeAnn released her next LP, Twisted
Angel. LeAnn executive produced the
LP.
Twisted
Angel was certified gold.
LeAnn topped the Billboard
Year-End Charts with the Top Country
Single Sales ("Can't Fight The
Moonlight").
 # 65
Singles Artist of the Year
LeAnn hit the
Top 40 with "Tic Toc."
 LeAnn appeared on the NBC TV
series American
Dreams performing as Connie
Francis.
LeAnn could be heard on the Legally
Blonde 2 soundtrack with the
track "We Can."
LeAnn performed with the Boston
Pops at the annual 4th of July fireworks
display and concert in Boston.
 LeAnn's first children's book, Jag, was published.
LeAnn released LeAnn
Rimes Greatest Hits (To Be Continued).
LeAnn
Rimes Greatest Hits (To Be Continued) was certified gold.
LeAnn released the holiday LP What
A Wonderful World.
 # 192 on the Top Pop Artists
of the Past 25 Years chart.
LeAnn released This
Woman.
LeAnn could be heard on the
soundtrack for Desperate
Housewives with "Running Out Of
Time."
This
Woman was certified gold.
LeAnn was nominated for an American Music
Award for Favorite Country Female Artist.
LeAnn could be heard on the
tribute compilation She
Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool: A
Tribute To Barbara Mandrell with "If Loving
You Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right."
LeAnn was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal
Performance - Female ("Something's Gotta
Give").
LeAnn
Rimes Greatest Hits (To Be Continued) was certified
platinum.
 LeAnn could be heard on Bon
Jovi's LP Lost
Highway on the track
"Stranger."
LeAnn could be heard on the Reba McEntire LP Reba
Duets with "When You Love
Someone Like That."
LeAnn released Family.
LeAnn was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal
Performance - Female ("Nothin' Better To
Do").
 LeAnn hit the Top 40 as part of Artists
Stand Up For Cancer with the charity
single "Just Stand Up!"
LeAnn could be heard dueting
with Elvis Presley on Elvis
Presley Christmas Duets on the track
"Here Comes Santa Claus."
 LeAnn was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal
Performance - Female ("What I Cannot
Change").
LeAnn topped the Billboard Hot
Dance Club Play chart for a week with
"What I Cannot Change."
 LeAnn was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal
Performance - Female ("Swingin'").
LeAnn released Lady
& Gentlemen.
 LeAnn released Spitfire on June 4th
 February 3: LeAnn released Remnants.
March 4: LeAnn topped the
Billboard Dance Club Play Songs chart
with "Long Live Love."
August 5: LeAnn topped the
Billboard Dance Club Play Songs chart
with "Love Is Love Is Love."
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Blue
Released: July 9, 1996
US: 8x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 3
Tracks: "Blue" - "Hurt
Me" - "One Way Ticket (Because
I Can)" - "My Baby" -
"Honestly" - "The Light In
Your Eyes" - "Talk To Me"
- "I'll Get Even With You" -
"Cattle Call" - "Good
Lookin' Man" - "Fade To
Blue" |
|
Unchained Melody - The
Early Years
Released: February, 1997
US: 2x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 1 (for 1 week)
Tracks: "Cowboy's
Sweetheart" - "I Will Always
Love You" - "Blue Moon Of
Kentucky" - "River Of
Love" - "The Rest Is
History" - "Broken Wing" -
"Yesterday" - "Sure
Thing" - "Share My Love" -
"Unchained Melody" |
|
You Light Up My Life -
Inspirational Songs
Released: September, 1997
US: 4x Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 1 (for 3 weeks)
Tracks: "You Light Up My
Life" - "The
Rose" - "Bridge Over Trouble
Water" - "I Believe" -
"Ten Thousand Angels Cried" -
"Clinging To A Saving Hand" -
"On The Side Of Angels" -
"I Know Who Holds Tomorrow" -
"God Bless America" - "How Do I Live" (Extended
Mix) - "Amazing Grace" -
"National Anthem" |
|
Sittin' On Top Of The
World
Released: May, 1998
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 3
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks:
"Commitment" - "Looking
Through Your Eyes" -
"Undeniable" - "Feels Like
Home" - "Surrender" -
"These Arms Of Mine" -
"Nothin' New Under The Moon" -
"When Am I Gonna Get Over You"
- "Rock Me" - "More Than
Anyone Deserves" -
"Insensitive" - "All The
Lovin' & Hurtin'" -
"Sittin' On Top Of The World" -
"The Heart Never Forgets" -
"Purple Rain" |
|
LeAnn Rimes
Released: October, 1999
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 8
Tracks: "Crazy"
- "Don't Worry" - "Leavin'
On Your Mind" - "Faded
Love" - "Born To Lose" -
"Cryin' Time" - "She's Got
You" - "I Fall To Pieces"
- "Your Cheatin' Heart" -
"Lovesick Blues" - "Me And
Bobby McGee" - "Big Deal" |
|
I Need You
Released: January 19, 2001
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 10
Rolling Stone
review: 
Tracks: "Light The
Fire Within" - "I Need
You" - "But I Do Love You"
- "You Are" - "Soon"
- "Can't Fight The
Moonlight" - "Love Must Be
Telling Me Something" - "Written In The Stars" - "One
Of These Days" - "I Believe In
You" - "Together, Forever,
Always" - "Can't Fight The
Moonlight" (Graham Stack Radio
Edit) - "But I Do Love You"
(Almighty Radio Edit) - "Soon"
(Graham Stack Radio Edit) - "I Need
You" (Graham Stack Radio Edit) |
|
God Bless America
Released: October, 2001
Billboard
peak:
# 159
Tracks: "God Bless
America" - "National
Anthem" - "The Lord's
Prayer" - "The Sands Of
Time" - "Why Can't We" -
"Put A Little Holiday In Your
Heart" - "Middle Man" -
"I Believe" - "A Broken
Wing" - "Amazing Grace" |
|
Twisted Angel
Released: October, 2002
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 12
Tracks: "Life Goes On" -
"Wound Up" - "The Safest
Place" - "Trouble With
Goodbye" - "Damn" -
"Suddenly" - "Tic Toc" - "Sign
Of Life" - "Review My
Kisses" - "No Way Out" -
"Love Is An Army" - "You
Made Me Find Myself" - "Twisted
Angel" |
|
LeAnn Rimes Greatest
Hits (To Be Continued)
Released: November, 2003
US: Platinum
Billboard
peak:
# 24
Tracks: "Blue" - "How Do I Live" - "Can't Fight The
Moonlight" - "One Way
Ticket" - "Commitment" -
"I Need You" - "Written In The Stars" (with Elton
John) - "Unchained Melody" -
"The Light In Your Eyes" -
"On The Side Of Angels" -
"You Light Up My
Life" - "Nothin' New
Under The Moon" - "Big Deal" - "Life Goes On" - "We
Can" - "Last Thing On My
Mind" - "This Love" -
"Crazy" - "O Holy
Night" |
 |
What A Wonderful World
Released: October, 2004
Billboard
peak:
# 81
Tracks: "Rockin'
Around The Christmas Tree" -
"Different Kind Of Christmas" -
"White Christmas" - "All I
Want For Christmas" - "Have
Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" -
"Christmas Song" - "Just
Love Me" - "Miss You Like
Christmas" - "O Holy
Night" |
|
This Woman
Released: January, 2005
US: Gold
Billboard
peak:
# 3
Entertainment
Weekly: B
Tracks: "I Want To
With You" - "You Take Me
Home" - "Something's Gotta
Give" - "Won't Be Lonely
Long" - "Nothin' Bout Love
Makes Sense" - "Probably
Wouldn't Be This Way" - "The
Weight Of Love" - "With
You" - "I Got It Bad" -
"I Dare You" - "When This
Woman Loves A Man" - "Some
People" |
 |
Family
Released: October, 2007
Billboard
peak:
# 4
Rolling Stone:  - - Entertainment
Weekly: B
Tracks:
"Family" - "Nothin' Better
To Do" - "Fight" -
"Good Friend And A Glass Of
Wine" - "Something I Can
Feel" - "I Want You With
Me" - "Doesn't Everybody"
- "Nothing Wrong" -
"Pretty Things" - "Upper
Hand" - "One Day Too Long"
- "What I Cannot Change" -
"Till We Aren't Strangers
Anymore" (with Bon Jovi) -
"When You Love Someone Like
That" (with Reba McEntire) |
|
Lady & Gentlemen
Released: September, 2011
Tracks:
"Swingin'" - "Wasted Days
And Wasted Nights" - "The Only
Mama That'll Walk The Line" -
"I Can't Be Myself" - "16
Tons" - "Help Me Make It
Through The Night" - "Rose
Colored Glasses" - "A Good
Hearted Woman" - "When I Call
Your Name" - "He Stopped Loving
Her Today" - "Blue" -
"The Bottle Let Me Down" -
"Crazy Woman" -
"Give" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Today Is Christmas
Released: October 16, 2015
Tracks: "Today Is
Christmas" - "We Need A Little
Christmas" - "That Spirit Of
Christmas" (featuring Aloe Blacc) -
"I Still Believe In Santa
Claus" - "Holly Jolly Christmas
/ Frosty The Snowman" -
"Celebrate Me Home" (featuring
Gavin DeGraw) - "Must Be Santa"
- "Christmas Time Is Here" -
"The Heartache Can Wait" -
"Little Drummer Boy" -
"Joy" - "Auld Lang
Syne" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Remnants
Released: February 3, 2017
Tracks: "The
Story" - "Love Line" -
"Outrageous Love" -
"Mother" - "Remnants"
- "Long Live Love" - "How
To Kiss A Boy" - "Love Is Love
Is Love" - "Learning Your
Language" - "I Couldn't Do That
To Me" - "Humbled" -
"Do It Wrong With Me" -
"Dang Dang" |
Amazon.mp3
vinyl |
God's Work
Released: September 16,
2022
Tracks:
"Spaceship" - "The
Only" - "Awakening" -
"How Much A Heart Can Hold" -
"Throw My Arms Around The
World" - "The Wild" -
"Innocent" - "God's
Work" - "Something Better's
Coming" - "Imagined With
Love" - "There Will Be A Better
Day" - " I Do" |
| Note: Song title and
position links lead you to the song's Top
40 chart run (from the ARC Weekly Top
40)
and LP links take you to Amazon.com's page for that LP
(often including track listings and sound
samples). |
|
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