From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

LeAnn Rimes (born August 28, 1982) is an American country singer, songwriter, actress, and author. She is best known for her rich vocals, similar to those of country singer Patsy Cline, and for her rise to fame at the age of 13, becoming the youngest country music star since Tanya Tucker in 1972.

Rimes made her breakthrough into country music in 1996. Her debut album Blue reached number one on the Top Country Albums chart and was certified multi-platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album's lead single of the same name (originally intended to be recorded by Patsy Cline in the early 1960s) became a Top 10 hit. Thanks to her instant success, Rimes received widespread national recognition for her similarity to Cline's vocal style. When Rimes released her second studio album in 1997, You Light up My Life: Inspirational Songs, she leaned more toward country-pop material, setting a trend for a number of albums that were to be released over the following decade.

Since her debut, Rimes has received numerous major industry awards, including two Grammy Awards, three ACMs, one CMA, twelve Billboard Music Awards, and one American Music Award. In addition, Rimes has also released ten studio albums and four compilations through her label Asylum-Curb, with which she worked for 13 years, and since 1996 has placed more than 40 singles on American and international charts. She has sold more than 37 million records worldwide, of which 20.3 million albums were sold in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan.