{{infobox soap character 2 |series	Neighbours
name	Gail Robinson
portrayer	Fiona Corke
first	11 March 1987
last	27 June 2007
years	1987–89, 2005, 2006, 2007
introducer	Reg Watson (1987)Ric Pellizerri (2005–07)
classification	Former, regular
born	1961
occupation	Flight AttendantThe Daniels Corporation assistant managerManager of Lassiter's HotelGarden Nursery owner
home	Tasmania
father	Ian Chadwick
mother	Louise Hampstead
adoptivefather	Rob Lewis
adoptivemother	Brenda Lewis
husband	Jeremy Lord (??-??)Paul Robinson (1987–89)
sons	Robert RobinsonCameron Robinson
daughters	Elle Robinson }}

Gail Lewis (previously Robinson) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'', played by Fiona Corke. She made her first appearance on-screen on 11 March 1987. She departed on 27 June 2007. She made guest appearances in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Casting

Corke first appeared in ''Neighbours'' in 1987. She described her time on the show as "an amazing experience" and added "It was so full on and so huge you didn't know if you were an actor or in a pop group half the time." In 1988, Corke became one of ten actors from the show who were flown to London to perform in front of the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance. Corke departed ''Neighbours'' in 1989 after deciding she wanted to experience life outide of the show.

In 2005, Corke was one of many ex-cast members who made a return to ''Neighbours'' to appear in an episode celebrating the show's 20th anniversary. Corke made two brief appearances in 2006 and 2007. In December 2009, Stefan Dennis called for the return of Gail and Corke. He said "I'd like to see Fiona Corke come back, even for another guest role, because she's just adorable and fun to work with. And she's got every right to come back because she's still got a tie with Paul's children."

Storylines

Backstory

Adopted by mechanic Rob Lewis (Ernie Bourne) and his wife Brenda, Gail Lewis grew up an ambitious and bright young woman who opted for a career as an air stewardess. It was here that Gail met Paul Robinson, who was training to be an air steward. A brief romance developed between the two, but it ended after and Paul married Terry Inglis (Maxine Klibingaitis). Gail went on to marry Jeremy Lord (Tim Elston), but after the death of her mother, Gail divorced Jeremy and left the airline.

1987–89

Gail re-enters Paul's life when she applies for the job at the Daniels Corporation and moves to Ramsay Street with Rob. Paul gives her the job and they begin working together. Jeremy arrives in Erinsborough in the hope that Gail will take him back and proposes to her again, but he is killed in a racing car accident. As Gail deals with her grief, she discovers that Jeremy was already married when his widow, Meredith (Terrie Waddell) arrives. Gail and Paul kiss after signing a business deal, but Paul quickly pulls away and apologises. When Paul realised that Japanese businessman, Mr Udugawa (Lawrence Mah), prefers dealing with family men. Paul asks Gail to enter into a marriage of convenience. They fool their friends and family with their fake marriage and they slowly begin to fall for each other. When her friend Glen Matheson (Richard Moss) calls out of the blue and invites her to lunch, Gail jumps at the chance to meet him. Throughout the dinner, Gail an only talk about Paul and Glen realise that she was clearly in love him. When Gail met up with Glen again, it was following an argument with Paul. She revealed the truth about the marriage to Glen. Gail kisses Glen goodbye and it was witnessed by Paul's grandmother Helen Daniels (Anne Haddy) who confronts Gail and she admits that she loves Paul, which he overhears.

Gail leaves for a business trip and on her return she ells Paul that they had no future and wanted a divorce. Although they had separate, Gail and Paul agree they madke a good team at the Daniels Corporation and remain working together. But the tension between them quickly becomes unbearable and Gail resignes.She decided to leave for New York, but just before she is about to leave she says her goodbyes to everyone and Paul tells her he loves her. Gail agrees to stay in Erinsborough. Paul and Gail affirmed their love and commitment for each other properly by renewing their wedding vows on Valentine's Day alongside Paul's father Jim (Alan Dale) and Beverly Marshall (Lisa Armitage) . Gail and Paul want start a family, but Gail discovers she is infertile, leaving. They then begin making plans to begin IVF treatment. During this time Paul discovers that he had fathered a child, Amy (Nicolette Minster), with Nina Williams (Leigh Morgan). Gail fears Paul will no longer want to have children with her, but she is proved wrong and Gail becomes pregnant with triplets. The prospect of becoming a mother leads Gail to track down her real parents. She discovers that her real mother Louise Hampstead has died, but finds her biological father, Ian Chadwick (Robin Bowering). Rob is jealous of Ian's presence but soon accepts it.

Rob is involved in a fatal car crash and dies and the blame falls on Paul. When Gail learns The two had been engaged in a vicious argument where Paul accused Rob of dealing in stolen car parts, and Rob had stormed off in a rage, culminating in the car accident. Thus, Gail holds Paul responsible for her father's death. After the funeral Gail leaves a note for Paul and told him that she was leaving. Soon after arriving there in Tasmania, she give birth to Robert, Cameron (Adam Hunter) and Lucinda (Pippa Black). Paul flies out to see his children and attempts a reconciliation with Gail, but she is adamant the marriage is over. The couple agree to remain friends.

2005–07

Gail returns to Erinsborough again when she received the news that Robert was put into a coma by Cameron. However, it turns out that Robert had actually put Cameron in a coma before assuming his identity and joining Elle and Paul in Erinsborough. Robert plots to destroy his father and everyone who meant anything to him. Gail's feelings for Paul resurface and Paul insistes that she stay at No.22. After taking a visit to Rob's grave, Gail kisses Paul. Robert kidnaps Paul and left him trapped in a mineshaft. Gail, Isabelle Hoyland (Natalie Bassingthwaighte) and Elle found Paul and rescue him. Paul and Gail then concoct a plan to get married again to lure Robert out of hiding. During the wedding, Gail is touched when Paul spoke from the heart about how blessed he was to have found her again. Robert shows up and tries to shoot Paul. However, Pul was wearing a bulletproof vest and Robert is arrested. Gail returned to Tasmania, leaving Elle and Cameron behind to continue getting to know their father better. Cameron is killed accidentally by Max Hoyland (Stephen Lovatt) and Paul and Elle bring Cameron's body home to Tasmania for burial. Gail blames Paul for effectively costing her her two boys and vows never to speak to him again.

Paul undergoes life-saving surgery to remove a tumour that has been growing on his brain for a number of years and wakes up unable to recall anything that had happened to him since the late 1980s. Gail returns to Erinsborough upon receiving a confused call from Paul declaring his love for her. Gail is sceptical of Paul's memory loss and rejects Elle's pleas to keep the truth from him. Unable to bring herself to hurt him, Gail agrees to go along with Elle's plan and spares Paul from knowing the truth about his past. But Paul overhears Gail and Elle discussing all the pain he has caused people. Gail tells Paul everything and he is stunned as he realises all the things that he had done to his family and friends. When Elle overhears Paul complaining about how he had no feelings for her as a father, she storms off. Gail follows her and tries to persuade her to return to Tasmania, but Elle is determined to make things work with Paul. Gail finds herself being drawn to Paul again and he askes her to give their marriage another go. During a picnic, Gail realises that she cannot forget the past twenty years and she returns to Tasmania.

Reception

The BBC said Gail's most notable moment was "Running off with the triplets." Ruth Deller of television website Lowculture said Gail was the "most well-remembered" of Paul's wives. Of Gail and Paul's relationship ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' said "we fretted for what seemed like days until Gail Lewis (Fiona Corke) sashayed into Mr R's love zone. We knew from the start that Paul and Gail were star crossed. But who could have predicted that one love's rose could have so many thorns." Gail is referred to in Emily Barr's fictitious novel ''"Out of My Depth"'', in which character Amanda is watching ''Neighbours'', with scenes featuring Gail and Paul receiving disapproval from Harold, Amanda opines that she believes the couple are in love. Lorna Cooper from MSN said she "loved" Gail and Paul's romance.

References

Category:Neighbours characters Category:Fictional adoptees Category:Fictional flight attendants Category:Fictional characters introduced in 1987

Name	Shania Twain
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Eilleen Regina Edwards
Alias	Eilleen Twain (1967–1992)
Birth date	August 28, 1965
Birth place	Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Genre	Country, country pop, country rock
Years active	1993–present
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, television personality
Associated acts	Billy Currington, Mark McGrath, Lionel Richie, Michael Bublé, Alison Krauss
Label	Mercury Nashville
Website	www.shaniatwain.com }}

Shania Twain, OC (; born Eilleen Regina Edwards; August 28, 1965) is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album ''The Woman in Me'' (1995), brought her fame and her 1997 album ''Come On Over'', became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide and is the ninth best-selling album in the U.S. Her fourth album, ''Up!'', was released in November 2002. To date it has sold 20 million copies worldwide.

Twain has won five Grammy Awards and 27 BMI Songwriter awards. She has had three albums certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America and is the second best-selling artist in Canada, behind Céline Dion, with three of her studio albums certified double diamond by the Canadian Recording Industry Association. Sometimes referred to as "The Queen of Country Pop", Twain has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide and is ranked 10th best-selling artist of the Nielsen SoundScan era. She was also ranked 72nd on ''Billboard's'' "Artists of the decade" (2000–10). Most recently, Twain has her own TV series, ''Why Not? with Shania Twain'', that premiered on the OWN on May 8, 2011. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on June 2, 2011.

Early years

Shania Twain was born Eileen Regina Edwards in Windsor, Ontario, daughter of Sharon (née Morrison) and Clarence Edwards. Her parents divorced when she was two and her mother then moved to Timmins, Ontario with Eilleen and her sisters Jill and Carrie Ann. Sharon married Jerry Twain, an Ojibwa, and they had a son together, Mark. Jerry adopted the girls, legally changing their last name to Twain. When Mark was still in diapers, the Twains adopted Jerry's baby nephew, Darryl, after Darryl's mother died. Because of her connection to her stepfather, in the past, people had presumed Twain's ancestry was Ojibwa, but she stated in an interview that her biological father was part Cree. Through her maternal grandfather, she is a descendant of Zacharie Cloutier. Her maternal grandmother, Eileen Pearce, emigrated from Newbridge, Kildare, Ireland.

Eilleen Twain had a hard childhood in Timmins. Her parents earned little and there was often a shortage of food in the household. Eilleen did not confide her situation to school authorities, fearing they might break up the family. In the remote, rugged community, she learned to hunt and to chop wood. Sharon and Jerry's marriage was at times stormy, and from a young age, Eilleen witnessed violent fights between them. Sharon struggled with bouts of depression. In the summer of 1979, while Jerry was at work, at Eilleen's insistence, her mother drove the rest of the family 680 km (425 mi) south to a Toronto homeless shelter for assistance. Sharon returned to Jerry with the children in 1981. In Timmins, Twain started singing at bars at the age of eight to try to make ends meet, often earning twenty dollars between midnight and one in the morning performing for remaining customers after the bar had finished serving. Although she expressed a dislike for singing in those bars, Twain believes that this was her own kind of performing arts school on the road. She has said of the ordeal, "My deepest passion was music and it helped. There were moments when I thought 'I hate this'. I hated going into bars and being with drunks. But I loved the music and so I survived". Twain wrote her first songs at the age of ten, ''Is Love a Rose'' and ''Just Like the Storybooks'' which were fairy tales in rhyme. She states that the art of creating, of actually writing songs, "was very different from performing them and became progressively important".

In the early 1980s, Twain spent some time working with her father's reforestation business in northern Ontario, a business that employed some 75 Ojibwe and Cree workers. Although the work was demanding and the pay low, Twain said "I loved the feeling of being stranded. I'm not afraid of being in my own environment, being physical, working hard. I was very strong, I walked miles and miles every day and carried heavy loads of trees. You can't shampoo, use soap or deodorant, or makeup, nothing with any scent; you have to bathe and rinse your clothes in the lake. It was a very rugged existence, but I was very creative and I would sit alone in the forest with my dog and a guitar and would just write songs".

Music career

Career as Eilleen Twain

At 13, Eilleen was invited to perform on CBC television's the ''Tommy Hunter Show''. While attending Timmins High and Vocational School in Timmins, she was also the singer for a local band called "Longshot" which covered Top 40 music.

After graduating from Timmins High in June 1983, Twain was eager to expand her musical horizons. After the demise of the band Longshot, Twain was approached by a cover band led by Diane Chase called "Flirt" and they toured all over Ontario. Twain also began taking singing lessons from Toronto-based coach Ian Garrett and would often clean his house in payment for her lessons. In the autumn of 1984, Twain's talents were noticed by Toronto DJ Stan Campbell who wrote about her in a ''Country Music News'' article: "Eilleen possesses a powerful voice with an impressive range. She has the necessary drive, ambition and positive attitude to achieve her goals". Campbell happened to be making an album by Canadian musician (and present-day CKTB radio personality) Tim Denis at the time and Twain was featured on the backing vocals of the song ''Heavy on the Sunshine''. Campbell later took Twain to Nashville to record some demos, which Twain found particularly difficult to finance. She became acquainted with regional country singer Mary Bailey who had had some country chart success in 1976. Bailey had seen Twain perform in Sudbury, Ontario, saying "I saw this little girl up on stage with a guitar and it absolutely blew me away. She performed Willie Nelson's "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" and Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". Her voice reminded me of Tanya Tucker, it had strength and character, a lot of feeling. She's a star, she deserves an opportunity". Bailey later said "She sang a few songs that she had written, and I thought to myself, this kid is like nineteen years old, where does she get this? This is from a person who's lived sixty years". thumb|right|Lake Kenogami where Twain spent much time practicing in 1985. Bailey acquired the contract from Stan Campbell and Twain moved into Bailey's home on Lake Kenogami where she practiced her music every day for hours. In the fall of 1985, Bailey took Twain down to Nashville to stay with a friend, record producer Tony Migliore, who at the time was producing an album for fellow Canadian singer Kelita Haverland and Twain was featured on the backing vocals to the song ''Too Hot to Handle''. She also demo-ed songs with Cyril Rawson but the demos were without success, partly due to Twain's wish to become a rock singer, not a country artist. After five months she returned to Canada and moved in with Bailey in a flat in downtown Kirkland Lake. There she met rock keyboardist Eric Lambier and drummer Randy Yurko and formed a new band, moving three months later to Bowmanville, near Toronto. In late summer 1986 Mary Bailey arranged for Twain to meet John Kim Bell, a half Mohawk, half American conductor who had close contacts with the directors of the Canadian Country Music Association. Bell recognized Twain's ability as well as her looks and the two began secretly dating. In the fall of 1986 Twain continued to express her desire to be a pop or rock singer rather than country, which led to her falling out with Mary Bailey for two years. Twain's first break finally came on February 8, 1987, when Bell staged a fundraiser for the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation at the Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto where Twain performed with Broadway star Bernadette Peters, jazz guitarist Don Ross, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Her performance received little acclaim, but it convinced Bell, who hated pop music, that Twain should stay well away from it and concentrate on country music.

On November 1, 1987, Twain's mother and stepfather died in a car accident approximately 50 kilometres north of Wawa, Ontario. As a result Twain moved back to Timmins to take care of her younger siblings and then took them all to Huntsville, Ontario. There, she supported them by earning money performing at the nearby Deerhurst Resort.

1993–1994: ''Shania Twain''

A couple of years passed and Twain's siblings got older and moved out on their own. Twain assembled a demo tape of her songs and her Huntsville manager set up a showcase for Twain to present her material to record executives. She caught the attention of a few labels, including Mercury Nashville Records, who signed her within a few months. During this time, she changed her name to Shania, which was said to be an Ojibwa word which means "on my way". However, Twain's biographer, Robin Eggar, writes: "There is a continuing confusion about what 'Shania' means and if indeed it is an Ojibwe word or phrase at all. [...] There is no mispronounced or misheard phrase in either Ojibwe or Cree that comes close to meaning 'on my way.' Yet the legend of her name continues to be repeated in the media to this day and will doubtless provide the obituary headline when Shania eventually passes on."

Twain's self-titled debut album was released in 1993 in North America and garnered her audiences outside of Canada. The album only reached No.67 on the US Country Albums Chart, but it gained positive reviews from critics. The album failed to sell significant copies initially, although Twain's future success generated enough interest for the album to be certified platinum six years later by the RIAA, denoting sales of over a million. The album yielded two minor hit singles in the United States with "What Made You Say That" and "Dance with the One That Brought You". The album was more successful in Europe, where Twain won Country Music Television Europe's "Rising Video Star of the Year" award.

1995–1996: ''The Woman in Me'' and her breakthrough

When rock producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange heard Twain's original songs and singing from her debut album, he offered to produce and write songs with her. After many telephone conversations, they met at Nashville's Fan Fair in June 1993. Twain and Lange became very close within just weeks. Lange and Twain either wrote or co-wrote the songs that would form her second studio album, ''The Woman in Me''. Record executives were stunned when they listened to the album. It was unlike anything else in country music.

''The Woman in Me'' was released in the spring of 1995. The album's first single, "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?" went to No.11 on the ''Billboard'' Country Chart. This was followed by her first Top 10 and No.1 hit single, "Any Man of Mine". Twain had further hits from the album, including the title track which peaked at No.14 and three additional No.1 hits: "(If You're Not in it for Love) I'm Outta Here!", "You Win My Love", and "No One Needs to Know". As of 2007, it had sold more than 12 million copies. The album was a quick breakthrough and because of this Twain performed selected international venues and television shows including two CMA Fan Fair performances with Nashville guitarists Randy Thomas (co-writer of the song "Butterfly Kisses"), Dan Schafer, Chris Rodriguez, Russ Taff, Hugh McDonald bass player of Bon Jovi, Dave Malachowski and Stanley T., formerly with The Beach Boys.

Mercury Nashville's promotion of the album was based largely upon a series of music videos. During this period, Twain made major television appearances on shows such as two performances on ''Late Show with David Letterman'', ''Blockbuster Music Awards'', ''Billboard Music Awards'' and the ''American Music Awards''. ''The Woman in Me'' won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album as well as the Academy of Country Music award for Album of the Year; the latter group also awarded Twain as Best New Female Vocalist.

1997–2001: ''Come On Over''

In 1997, Twain released her follow-up album, ''Come On Over''. This was the album that would establish her as a successful crossover singer. Slowly, the album started racking up sales. It never hit the top spot, but with the multi-chart hit single "You're Still the One", sales skyrocketed. Other songs like "Don't Be Stupid", "You've Got A Way", "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!", "That Don't Impress Me Much" and "From This Moment On" joined the 12 songs that eventually saw release as singles. "From This Moment On" is a duet with singer Bryan White and there was a pop version as well.

The album stayed on the charts for the next two years, going on to sell 40 million copies worldwide, making it the biggest-selling album of all time by a female musician. It is also the eighth biggest-selling album by any type of artist in the US and the top selling country album in history. Songs from the album won four Grammy Awards during this time, including Best Country Song and Best Female Country Performance (for "You're Still the One" and "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!") for Twain. Lange won Grammys for "You're Still the One" and "Come on Over".

Despite the album's record sales it wasn't able to top the ''Billboard'' 200, peaking at #2. In 1999, the ''Come on Over'' album was remixed for the European market as a pop album with less country instrumentation and actually gave her the big breakthrough in Europe she and her producer husband (Robert John "Mutt" Lange) were looking for. ''Come on Over'' went to number 1 on the UK album charts for 11 weeks. It became the biggest selling album of the year in Great Britain and a bestseller in other big European markets as well, selling more than one million copies in Germany and nearly 4 million in the UK alone. The songs that had finally drawn European attention to the album were the pop remixed singles "That Don't Impress Me Much", a No.3 in the UK and Top 10 hit in Germany in the summer of 1999, and "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" which peaked at No.3 in both the UK and France in autumn of that year. Additionally, the album set the record for the longest ever stay in the Top 20 of the ''Billboard'' 200, remaining in the Top 20 for 99 weeks.

Twain's mainstream pop acceptance was further helped by her appearance in the 1998 first edition of the ''VH1 Divas'' concert where she sang alongside Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan and Aretha Franklin, and also by VH1's 1999 heavily aired ''Behind the Music'', which concentrated on the tragic aspects of her early life as well as her physical attractiveness and Nashville's early resistance to her bare-midriff music videos.

In 1998, Twain launched her first major concert tour, aided by her manager Jon Landau, a veteran of many large-scale tours with Bruce Springsteen. The Come on Over Tour shows were enthusiastically received by audiences around the globe and answered critics who previously speculated that she could not perform live.

In 2000, Twain was initially scheduled to release a Christmas album, but plans to release one were cancelled later in the year.

Following the success of ''Come On Over'', independent label Limelight Records released ''The Complete Limelight Sessions'' in October 2001. The album includes 16 tracks recorded in the late 1980s before Twain signed her record deal with Mercury.

2002–2004: ''Up!''

After a change in management – QPrime replaced Landau — and a two year break, Twain and Lange returned to the studio. ''Up!'' was released on November 19, 2002. About a year later, Twain kicked off the Up! Tour in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on September 25, 2003.

''Up!'' was released with three different discs – country/acoustic (green CD), pop/rock (red CD), and world/dance (blue CD). ''Up!'' was given four out of five stars by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, and debuted at No.1 on the ''Billboard'' albums chart, selling 874,000 in the first week alone. It remained at the top of the charts for five weeks. ''Up!'' reached No.1 in Germany, No.2 in Australia and the Top Five in the UK and France. In Germany, ''Up!'' was certified 4x platinum and stayed in the Top 100 for one and a half years.

The international music disc was remixed with Indian-style orchestral and percussion parts recorded in Mumbai, India. The new versions were produced by Simon and Diamond Duggal, brothers from Birmingham, England. They were originally invited to contribute parts to the pop version of "I'm Gonna Getcha Good!" which retained the Indian influence.

Twain's popularity in UK was reflected by numerous appearances on the long-running music show ''Top of the Pops'', performing singles from ''Come on Over'' from 1999. In 2002 an entire special show was dedicated to her on sister show TOTP2, in which Twain herself introduced some past performances of her greatest hits and new singles from ''Up!''

The first single from the album, "I'm Gonna Getcha Good!" became a top 10 country hit in the US, after debuting at No. 24 after only five days of airplay; but only made the Top 40 on the pop charts. It was a much bigger hit on the other side of the Atlantic, released in a pop version, the single hit No.4 in the UK. In Australia, Germany and France the song reached the Top 15 in each case. The follow-up single "Up!" reached the Top 15 in the US country charts but failed to reach the pop Top 40.

The second European single became the mid-tempo song "Ka-Ching!" (which was never released as a single in North America) with lyrics where Twain was criticizing unchecked consumerism. The song eventually became another smash hit in the important European markets, reaching No.1 in Germany and Austria and other European countries, the UK Top 10 and the Top 15 in France. The third single from the album would be the most successful in the US. The romantic ballad "Forever and For Always" was released as a single in April 2003 and peaked at No.4 on the country chart and No.1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and made as well the ''Billboard'' Top 20. Again success was even bigger on the other side of the Atlantic with "Forever and For Always" again reaching the Top 10 in both, the UK and Germany. Further singles were "She's Not Just a Pretty Face" a country Top 10 hit, while the last US single, "It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing", made the Top 20 on both Country and AC.

Due to the enormous European success of ''Up!'' and its first three singles, two more singles were released in the second half of 2003 with up-tempo "Thank You Baby" (#11 in the UK, Top 20 in Germany) and just before Christmas the romantic, acoustic ballad "When You Kiss Me", at least a minor hit in both territories. The title track "Up!" also saw a single release in a limited edition of European countries, such as Germany, in early 2004. In January 2008, ''Up!'' had sold 5.5 million copies in the U.S. and was certified by the RIAA as 11x platinum (the organization counts double albums as two units).

In 2003, Twain participated in the Dolly Parton tribute album ''Just Because I'm a Woman'', covering Parton's classic "Coat of Many Colors", with backing vocals by Alison Krauss. The cover peaked at No.57 on the Hot Country Songs charts as an album cut. During the Super Bowl XXXVII halftime show Twain performed two songs, "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" and "Up!"

2004–2005: ''Greatest Hits''

In 2004, she released the ''Greatest Hits'' album, with three new tracks. As of 2008, it has sold over four million copies in the U.S. The first single, the multi-format duet "Party for Two", made the country top ten with Billy Currington, while the pop version with Sugar Ray lead singer Mark McGrath made top ten in the United Kingdom and Germany. The follow-up singles, "Don't!" and "I Ain't No Quitter" did not fare as well. The former made Top 20 on Adult Contemporary, while the latter did not gain enough airplay to crack the Country Top 40.

In August 2005, she released the single "Shoes" from the ''Desperate Housewives'' soundtrack.

2006-2010: New album delays and other projects

At the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas on May 16, 2007, Twain said she was currently writing songs for a new album, and was doing a "lot of soul searching" and "indulging in the writing."

Twain joined Canadian singer Anne Murray on the song "You Needed Me" on Murray's ''Anne Murray Duets: Friends and Legends'' album released November 13, 2007 in Canada, and on January 15, 2008 in the U.S. On November 12, 2008 Twain made her first television appearance since her split from ex-husband Robert "Mutt" Lange, where she appeared as a surprise presenter at the 42nd CMA Awards.

In early January 2009, Internet forums were reporting that Twain was planning to make an announcement regarding her new album on January 26, 2009 but on the 22nd a spokesperson from Mercury Nashville told ''Country Weekly'' that no new album would be coming "anytime soon".

In June 2009, Twain released a letter to her fans explaining the delays in the release of her next album. In August 2009, at a conference in Timmins, Ontario, a spokesman for Twain's label said a new record from the singer is still "nowhere in sight". On August 17, 2009, EW announced that Twain would be a guest judge on ''American Idol'' in Chicago, for the show's August 30 and 31 episodes. On January 1, 2010, Twain carried the Olympic Torch through her hometown as part of the 2010 Winter Olympics torch relay.

2010-present: ''Why Not? with Shania Twain'' and return to music

In April 2010, Twain announced plans for her own TV show, entitled ''Why Not? with Shania Twain''. The show debuted on May 8, 2011 on OWN. Twain returned to ''American Idol'' as a guest mentor for a week where the top 6 contestants showcased her songs. After the conclusion of the ninth season Twain was very close to becoming a judge but ultimately it was Jennifer Lopez who got the job.

More recently, in September 2010, it was confirmed that Twain was to release her first biography, ''From This Moment On'', on May 3, 2011, and the cover work for the book was released on March 2, 2011.

On March 27, 2011, Twain was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Following her appearance, she revealed that she is writing music and that new music will be heard soon.

In May 2011, Twain confirmed in an interview with Perez Hilton that she will release her first new single in six years, "Today Is Your Day", after the finale of ''Why Not? with Shania Twain''. Twain previewed the song in the first episode of the series. Twain worked with music producers David Foster and Nathan Chapman on the new song. In the next few months, Twain plans to return to the studio to finish her fifth studio album. "Today Is Your Day" was officially released to iTunes and country radio on June 12, 2011.

On June 8, 2011, at a press conference at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Twain announced that she will headline Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for two years. Her show, titled ''Still the One'', will begin on December 1, 2012.

In July 2011, fellow Canadian superstar Michael Bublé confirmed in a live video chat with fans that he recorded a duet of 'White Christmas' with Twain for his 2011 Christmas album.

On February 7, 2012, Lionel Richie's single "Endless Love" featuring Shania Twain was released to digital retailers. The single is the first single from Lionel's "Tuskegee" album released on March 27, 2012. "Endless Love" has been released to radio on the adult contemporary charts. A music video, directed by Paul Boyd, was released to country music channels CMT and GAC in March 2012.

Endorsements and other ventures

Twain's commercial ventures outside the music industry included a series of cosmetic ads in 1999 based on "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" for Revlon. She also starred in ads for Candie's shoes and Gitano jeans, who also sponsored her 1998–1999 Come On Over Tour.

In January 2005, Twain joined Scentstories by Febreze to create a limited edition scent disc with the proceeds going to America's Second Harvest.

Late in 2005, Twain partnered COTY to produce her namesake fragrance "Shania" by Stetson. A second fragrance was released in September 2007, called "Shania Starlight".

Personal life

Twain married music producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange on December 28, 1993, and they have a son, Eja (pronounced "Asia") D'Angelo, who was born on August 12, 2001. On May 15, 2008, a spokesperson for Mercury Nashville announced that Twain and Lange were separating after Lange allegedly had an affair with Twain's best friend, Marie-Anne Thiébaud. Their divorce was finalized on June 9, 2010. On December 20, 2010, Twain's manager confirmed that Twain was engaged to Swiss Frédéric Thiébaud (the ex-husband of her former best friend), an executive at Nestlé. They married on January 1, 2011 in Rincón, Puerto Rico.

Twain is a long-time vegetarian and in 2001, was voted PETA's very first Sexiest Vegetarian Alive.

Awards and honours

In addition to her various awards for her singles and albums, Twain has received a number of personal honours:

She was named the 1999 Entertainer of the Year by both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association; Twain was the first non-US citizen to win the CMA award.

Twain was ranked No.7 in Country Music Television's ''40 Greatest Women of Country Music'' in 2002. In 2003, Twain was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. The city of Timmins (located in Ontario, Canada) renamed a street for her, gave her the key to the city, and built the Shania Twain Centre in her honour. On November 18, 2005, Twain was invested as an Officer in the Order of Canada. Twain was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the Juno Awards on March 27, 2011. On June 2, 2011, Twain received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her star is the 2,442nd Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Category of Recording.

Discography

;Albums

1993: ''Shania Twain''

1995: ''The Woman in Me''

1997: ''Come On Over''

2002: ''Up!''

;Compilations

2001: ''The Complete Limelight Sessions''

2004: ''Greatest Hits''

See also

Music of Canada

List of best-selling music artists

References

Further reading

External links

Shania Twain official website

Category:1965 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian contraltos Category:Canadian country singer-songwriters Category:Canadian expatriates in New Zealand Category:Canadian expatriates in Switzerland Category:Canadian pop singers Category:Canadian vegetarians Category:Canadian people of English descent Category:Canadian people of First Nations descent Category:Canadian people of Irish descent Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Juno Award winners Category:Mercury Records artists Category:Musicians from Ontario Category:Officers of the Order of Canada Category:People from Timmins Category:People from Windsor, Ontario Category:World Music Awards winners Category:Canadian people of French descent Category:Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees

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name	Vern Gosdin
background	solo_singer
birth date	August 05, 1934
origin	Woodland, Alabama, USA
death date	April 28, 2009
Death place	Nashville, Tennessee, USA
instrument	Vocals, guitar
genre	Country, Gospel
occupation	Singer, songwriter
years active	1967–2009
label	ElektraOvationAMIA&MCompleatColumbia RecordsVGM
associated acts	Emmylou HarrisGeorge Jones
website	Official website }}

Vern Gosdin (August 5, 1934 – April 28, 2009) was an American country music singer. He idolized The Louvin Brothers and The Blue Sky Boys as a young man and sang in a gospel quartet called The Gosdin Brothers. An inheritor of the soulful honky tonk style of Lefty Frizzell and Merle Haggard, Gosdin was nicknamed "The Voice" by his peers. He had 19 top-ten solo hits on the Country music charts from the late 1970s through the early 1990s. Three of these hits went to number one: "I Can Tell By the Way You Dance (You're Gonna Love Me Tonight)", "Set 'Em Up Joe" and "I'm Still Crazy".

Career

Early years

As the sixth child in a family of nine, Vern Gosdin began singing in a church in Woodland, Ala., where his mother played piano. Vern and two brothers sang gospel on radio station WVOK. Vern later moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he ran the D&G Tap.

1960s - West Coast Country music movement

In 1961, he moved to California, where he joined the West Coast Country music movement, first as a member of the Golden State Boys, which became The Hillmen, and included Chris Hillman. Vern then formed The Gosdin Brothers with brother Rex. The duo hit the charts in the late '60s with "Hangin' On" on the Bakersfield International label, then with "Till The End" on Capitol Records. During the same time period the Gosdin Brothers were featured on Hillman's former Byrds mate Gene Clark's first solo album, the 1967 well-regarded "Echoes: Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers" singing backing vocals on all of the tracks behind the lead vocals of Clark and Lead Guitars of Clarence White, Glen Campbell, and Bill Rinehart (later of the Merry-Go-Round).

1970s - Retirement and comeback

He retired from performing during the 1970s and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he operated a glass company. In 1976, he signed with Elektra Records and his first hit was a remake of "Hangin' On", which featured Emmylou Harris on harmony vocals and peaked at #16. His next single, "Yesterday's Gone", which also featured Harris, became his first Top 10 hit in 1977. Several more hits followed between 1977 and 1979 with the biggest of these hits being a remake of "Till the End" and a cover of The Association's "Never My Love" which also featured harmony vocals from Janie Frickie.

1981-1983: ''Today My World Slipped Away''

In 1981, Vern signed with Ovation Records and scored a Top 10 hit with "Dream of Me". After Ovation Records closed their doors later in 1981, Vern signed with AMI Records where he scored a Top 10 hit in 1982 with "Today My World Slipped Away". (This song later became a number-three hit for George Strait).

He signed with Compleat Records in the early '80s, and in 1984 released "There Is A Season," picked by the Los Angeles Times as best country album of the year.

1983-1985: ''If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong (Do It Right)'' and ''There Is a Season''

He made the top 10 consistently in the early '80s, really hitting his stride when he teamed with Max D. Barnes as a songwriting collaborator. The pair specialized in songs of cheating and barroom romance, often delivering an over-the-top emotionalism that got Gosdin compared to the ultimate legend of honky tonk vocals -- George Jones. In 1983, Gosdin had two top 5 hits — "If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong (Do It Right)" and "Way Down Deep." The following year, he had his first No. 1 single with "I Can Tell by the Way You Dance (You're Gonna Love Me Tonight)", which had previously been recorded by Gary Morris.

1987-1989: ''Chiseled in Stone''

After Compleat Records went bankrupt, Gosdin signed with Columbia in 1987. He had success right off the bat with "Do You Believe Me Now." He hit No. 1 once again with a tribute to Ernest Tubb called "Set 'Em Up Joe." Gosdin's "Chiseled in Stone," co-written with Barnes, won the Country Music Association's Song of the Year award in 1989.

1989-1990: ''Alone''

His 1989 album ''Alone'' was a concept album in a traditional country style. It chronicled the dissolution of Gosdin's marriage and included his final number-one hit: "I'm Still Crazy". From 1989-1991, he released a number of songs and three more made the ''Billboard'' top 10: "Right in the Wrong Direction," "That Just About Does It" and "Is It Raining at Your House." "Raining" has been covered by Brad Paisley.

Later years

Vern continued writing and singing up until April 28, 2009 despite his battle and recovery from his first stroke in 1998. In December 2008, Vern Gosdin announced that www.theVoiceofCountryMusic.com would be releasing "40 Years of the Voice" with the help of a marketing team Tangent Alliance, LLC. This would become his final music project showcasing 40 years of his remarkable career. It released a total of 101 pure country songs hand selected by Vern himself, 11 new songs recorded in 2008, 14 songs from his 1968 album "Sounds of Goodbye" with brother Rex Gosdin, and 77 of his favorite country and gospel classics.

Death

Gosdin, who suffered a stroke in early April 2009, died at a Nashville hospital the evening of April 28, 2009 at the age of 74.

Discography

Albums

{|class="wikitable" ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Album ! colspan="2"| Chart Positions ! rowspan="2"| RIAA ! rowspan="2"| Label |- ! width="50"| US Country ! width="50"| CAN Country |- | 1968 | ''Sounds of Goodbye'' (The Gosdin Brothers) | align="center"| 39 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | Capitol |- | 1969 | ''The Hillmen'' (The Hillmen) | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | Together |- | 1977 | ''Till the End'' | align="center"| 10 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | rowspan="4"| Elektra |- | 1978 | ''Never My Love'' | align="center"| 24 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — |- | rowspan="2"| 1979 | ''You've Got Somebody'' | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — |- | ''The Best of Vern Gosdin'' | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — |- | 1982 | ''Today My World Slipped Away'' | align="center"| 30 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | A&M |- | 1983 | ''If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong (Do It Right)'' | align="center"| 17 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | rowspan="5"| Compleat |- | rowspan="2"| 1984 | ''There Is a Season'' | align="center"| 17 | align="center"| 4 | align="center"| — |- | ''If Jesus Comes Tomorrow (What Then)'' | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — |- | 1985 | ''Time Stood Still'' | align="center"| 31 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — |- | 1986 | ''Greatest Hits'' | align="center"| 48 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — |- | 1988 | ''Chiseled in Stone'' | align="center"| 7 | align="center"| — | align="center"| Gold | rowspan="5"| Columbia |- | 1989 | ''Alone'' | align="center"| 11 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — |- | 1990 | ''10 Years of Greatest Hits'' | align="center"| 21 | align="center"| — | align="center"| Gold |- | 1991 | ''Out of My Heart'' | align="center"| 41 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — |- | 1993 | ''Nickles, Dimes and Love'' | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — |- | 2004 | ''Back in the Swing of Things'' | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | rowspan="1"| VGM Records |- | 2005 | ''Very Best of the Voice'' | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | rowspan="1"| Music Mill Entertainment |- | 2008 | ''40 Years of The Voice'' (box set) | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | rowspan="1"| CDBY |}

Singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions		Album
		! width="50"	CAN Country
1967	"Hangin' On" (The Gosdin Brothers)			Single only
1976	"Hangin' On" (with Emmylou Harris)
	"Yesterday's Gone" (with Emmylou Harris)
"Mother Country Music"
	"It Started All Over Again"
"Never My Love"
"Break My Mind"
	"You've Got Somebody, I've Got Somebody"
"All I Want and Need Forever"
"Sarah's Eyes"
	"Too Long Gone"
"Dream of Me"
	"Don't Ever Leave Me Again"
"Your Bedroom Eyes"
"Today My World Slipped Away"
	"If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong (Do It Right)"			''If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong (Do It Right)''
"Friday Night Feelin'"			Single only
"Way Down Deep"
"I Wonder Where We'd Be Tonight"
	"I Can Tell By the Way You Dance (You're Gonna Love Me Tonight)"
"What Would Your Memories Do"
"Slow Burning Memory"
	"Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music)"
"I Know the Way to Love You by Heart"
	"It's Only Love Again"
"Was It Just the Wine"
"Time Stood Still"
1987
	"Set 'Em Up Joe"
"Chiseled in Stone"
	"Who You Gonna Blame It On This Time"
"I'm Still Crazy"
"That Just About Does It"
	"Right in the Wrong Direction"
"Tanqueray"
"This Ain't My First Rodeo"
"Is It Raining at Your House"
	"I Knew My Day Would Come"
"The Garden"
"A Month of Sundays"
1993	"Back When"			''Nickels, Dimes and Love''

Music videos

! Year	! Video	! Director
1989	"That Just About Does It"
	"The Garden"	Marius Penczner
"A Month of Sundays"	Michael Merriman

References

Hines, Geoffrey (1998). "Vern Gosdin". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 206–7.

External links

Vern Gosdin Official Website

CMT.com: Vern Gosdin

Articles on Vern Gosdin

Vern Gosdin remembrance in the Tripwire

Category:1934 births Category:2009 deaths Category:American country singers Category:American male singers Category:Deaths from stroke Category:Disease-related deaths in Tennessee Category:People from Randolph County, Alabama Category:Elektra Records artists Category:Columbia Records artists Category:A&M Records artists

de:Vern Gosdin nl:Vern Gosdin

Name	Lee Ann Womack
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Lee Ann Womack
Birth date	August 19, 1966
Origin	Jacksonville, Texas, US
Instrument	Vocals, Guitar
Genre	Country, Country Pop
Occupation	singer-songwriter
Years active	1992–present
Label	Decca Nashville MCA Nashville Mercury Nashville
Associated acts	Cross Canadian Ragweed, Willie Nelson, Jason Sellers, George Strait
Website	Official Website }}

Lee Ann Womack (born August 19, 1966 in Jacksonville, Texas, United States) is an American country music singer and songwriter, who is best known for her old fashioned-styled country music songs that often discuss subjects such as cheating and lost love. Her 2000 single, "I Hope You Dance" was a major crossover music hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Country Chart and the Top 15 of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her signature song.

Although Lee Ann Womack emerged as a contemporary country artist in 1997 with the release of her first album, her material closely resembled that of Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette, mixing Womack's music with an old fashioned style, as well as contemporary elements, making her different from her counterparts. Her 2000 release ''I Hope You Dance'', however, was an entirely different sound, using pop music elements instead of traditional country, helping to establish Womack as a pop crossover artist. It was not until the release of ''There's More Where That Came From'' in 2005 that Womack returned to recording traditional country music.

Presently, Womack has released a total of six studio albums and two compilations. Four of her studio albums have received a Gold certification or higher by the RIAA. Additionally, she has received five Academy of Country Music Awards, five Country Music Association Awards, and a Grammy Award. She has sold over 6 million albums worldwide.*

Early life

Womack was born and raised in Jacksonville, Texas, United States. At an early age, she was interested in country music. Her father, a disc jockey, often took his daughter to work with him to help choose records to play on the air. Womack was the second of two daughters. Her mother was a schoolteacher and her father was also a high school principal. As a child, Womack studied the piano and later graduated from Jacksonville High School in 1984. After graduating, Womack attended South Plains Junior College in Levelland, Texas. The college was one of the first in the nation to offer country music degrees, and soon she became a member of the college band, ''Country Caravan.'' A year later, she left the college and after an agreement with her parents, Womack enrolled at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she studied the commercial ways of the music business. In Nashville, she interned at the A&R department of MCA Records. She studied at the college until 1990, leaving the school a year before graduation.

Womack spent a few years raising her children before reentering the music business in the mid 90s. In 1995 she began performing her music in songwriting demos and at showcase concerts. At one of these showcase concerts, she was spotted by Tree Publishings, who signed her after listening to one of original demo recordings. Womack wrote songs with some popular Nashville songwriters, including Bill Anderson and Ricky Skaggs, who recorded her composition, "I Don't Remember Forgetting" for one of his albums. After divorcing her first husband around that time, Womack decided to pursue a career as a country music artist. She auditioned for MCA chairman, Bruce Hinton, who praised her talents. Shortly afterward, she accepted a contract from MCA's sister record company, Decca Nashville in 1996.

Music career

Country music stardom: 1997 — 1999

Womack released her self-titled debut album in May 1997, produced by Mark Wright. The album consisted of self-penned material as well as songs written by other artists, including Mark Chesnutt, Ricky Skaggs, and Sharon White. With the original release of the album, there was worry that the album wouldn't sell because some people wouldn't be able to differentiate between her and LeAnn Rimes, who was also a successful artist at that time. However, Womack decided to keep her given name. The first single, "Never Again, Again" made the country charts and playlists by March 1997, which led to the release of the album's second single, "The Fool" shortly afterward. More successful than her first single, "The Fool" reached the Top 5 on the Billboard Country chart that year. That year she won major awards from the country music community; Top New Female Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music Awards, Top Artist of the Year from ''Billboard Magazine'', and was nominated for the Horizon award by the Country Music Association. Decca Nashville decided to close its doors in 1998, moving Womack to MCA Nashville Records that year.

In 1998, Womack released her second studio album, ''Some Things I Know'', which was also produced by Mark Wright. The album's first two singles, "A Little Past Little Rock" and "I'll Think of a Reason Later" both went to #2 on the Billboard Country Chart. Two additional singles, "(Now You See Me) Now You Don't" and "Don't Tell Me" were released in 1999, and the album was certified Gold by the RIAA soon after.

That year, she also won Favorite Country New Artist from the American Music Awards. Womack also contributed her vocals to the songs "If You're Ever Down in Dallas" and "The Man Who Made Mama Cry" in collaboration with her ex-husband and musician, Jason Sellers. The material was promoted through shows through October to November before the birth of Womack's second child in January 1999.

Pop crossover success & career decline: 2000 — 2004

She released her third studio album in 2000 entitled, ''I Hope You Dance'', which was met with major success. The title track (which was released as the lead single), reached #1 on the Billboard Country chart for five weeks and crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100, becoming a major crossover Pop hit, reaching #14. It also peaked at the top spot on the adult contemporary chart and even reached the UK Singles Charts, peaking at #40. Both of Womack's daughters appeared in the song's video that year. Towards the end of 2000, "I Hope You Dance" won the Country Music Association's "Song of the Year" and "Single of the Year" awards. With the Pop success of "I Hope You Dance," Womack drew the attention of the magazines ''People'' and ''Time'', both of which praised the single, calling it "one of her best." The song later won awards in 2001 from the Grammy and Academy of Country music awards. The album of the same name has sold 3 million copies in the United States to date. The album's follow-up single, a cover of Rodney Crowell's "Ashes by Now" peaked at #4 on the Billboard Country Chart. The third single, "Why They Call it Falling" was also successful, reaching the country Top 15.

On December 11, 2000, Womack performed "I Hope You Dance" at the annual Nobel Peace Prize concert. This song was also featured in the 2008 Tyler Perry film entitled "The Family that Preys."

In 2002 Womack's fourth studio album, ''Something Worth Leaving Behind'' was released. The album made a stronger attempt at a pop-flavored style, however it did not react well, leading to poor record sales and only one major hit. Following its release, Womack's career stalled. Later that year, she released a Christmas album, ''The Season for Romance'' and also collaborated with Willie Nelson on his single, "Mendocino County Line," which won a Grammy and Country Music award in 2002. In early 2003, she got a small recurring role on the popular CBS drama, ''The District.''

In 2004, Womack performed "I Hope You Dance" at the Republican National Convention, in which George W. Bush was nominated for his second term as President of the United States. The other performers that night included Sara Evans and Larry Gatlin. She also collaborated with Texas Music band, Cross Canadian Ragweed on their hit, "Sick and Tired" in 2004. Also that year, she also released her first ''Greatest Hits'' album, which included two new songs; "The Wrong Girl" (the only song from the album released as a single) and "Time for Me to Go."

''There's More Where That Came From'' & hiatus: 2005 — 2007

In 2005, she released her fifth studio album aimed at traditional country music entitled, ''There's More Where That Came From.'' Many people in the music industry called the album, "a return to tradition," featuring songs about drinking and cheating with a distinctive older country twang, mixing strings and steel guitar. The album won the Country Music Association's "Album of the Year" award in 2005. Womack took inspiration from the records of the 60s and 70s, and according to Allmusic, the album sounded like albums by Loretta Lynn, Barbara Mandrell, and Dolly Parton from the 70s. They also called it one of her best records. The lead single, "I May Hate Myself in the Morning" was a Top 10 hit in 2005, and also won "Single of the Year" by the CMA awards later that year. Two additional singles were released from the album in 2005 that became minor hits, "He Oughta Know That by Now" and "Twenty Years and Two Husbands Ago." The album was released on vinyl LP as well as CD.

Womack can be heard on the track "If I Could Only Fly" from Joe Nichols' album ''Real Things''. Womack has also appeared on specials on the CMT network, including their, "100 Greatest Duets", which featured Womack singing the duet with Kenny Rogers, "Every Time Two Fools Collide". The song had been originally recorded by Rogers and Dottie West in 1978 and was a No. 1 Country hit that year. Womack took the place of West during that show, being West had died in a serious car accident in September 1991. Womack's other honors includes being listed at #17 on CMT's 2002 special of their countdown of the ''40 Greatest Women of Country Music''.

In 2006, Womack announced plans of a sixth studio album off of Mercury Nashville Records. The lead single, "Finding My Way Back Home" was released in the late summer of that year and debuted at #46 on the Billboard Country Chart. The single later peaked at #37 and was re-scheduled into 2007, because Womack found more songs that she wanted to record, however it was never released and Womack left Mercury.

Return to music: 2008 — present

In 2008, Womack announced plans for a new single for the first time in three years, once again on MCA Nashville. "Last Call" was released on June 30, 2008. It served as the lead-off single to Womack's seventh studio album, ''Call Me Crazy'', which was released on October 21, 2008.

''Call Me Crazy'' was issued as a vinyl LP at the time of its release, as well as CD.

''Call Me Crazy'', produced by Tony Brown, has been described as a dark album with plenty of songs about drinking and losing love. It featured a duet with George Strait titled "Everything But Quits," a re-make of the George Strait classic, "The King of Broken Hearts," which first appeared on the ''Pure Country'' soundtrack. One track, "The Bees," features vocals from Keith Urban.

In October 2009, Womack released "There Is a God", as the lead-off single to her upcoming seventh studio album which she has said she is unsure of the release date. The song debuted at #60 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of November 14, 2009, eventually peaking at #32 in early 2010. Womack has revealed a few of the tracks that she has recorded for the album, including: "Talking Behind Your Back", as well as "You Do Until You Don't".

In October 2010, Womack contributed the new track "Liars Lie" to the soundtrack for the film ''Country Strong''. Womack also contributed guest vocals to Alan Jackson's cover of the song "Ring of Fire", which was released in December 2010 as a single from his compilation album, ''34 Number Ones''. His version of the song was a minor hit, charting to number 45 on the Hot Country Songs charts. Though Womack is featured on the song, she was not given credit on the charts.

Lee Ann Womack also performs the theme song for The Berenstain Bears animated television show.

Personal life

At Belmont University, Womack met and married fellow musician singer-songwriter Jason Sellers in 1990. Together they had a daughter Aubrie Lee Sellers, born 1991, before divorcing in 1996. In January 1999 daughter Anna Lise Liddell was born after Lee Ann married record producer Frank Liddell.

Discography

;Studio album

1997: ''Lee Ann Womack''

1998; ''Some Things I Know''

2000: ''I Hope You Dance''

2002: ''Something Worth Leaving Behind''

2005: ''There's More Where That Came From''

2008: ''Call Me Crazy''

;Compilation albums

2004: ''Greatest Hits''

2011: ''Icon''

;Holiday albums

2002: ''The Season for Romance''

Awards

! Year	! Association	! Category
	Academy of Country Music Awards	Top New Female Vocalist
British Country Music Awards	Best International Country Album of the Year
TNN/Music City News Country Awards	Star of Tomorrow - Female Artist
American Music Awards	Favorite Country New Artist
		Single of the Year — "I Hope You Dance"
Song of the Year — "I Hope You Dance" (awarded to songwriters Mark D. Sander and Tia Sillers)
		Top Single of the Year — "I Hope You Dance"
Top Song of the Year — "I Hope You Dance"
Top Vocal Event of the Year — "I Hope You Dance" (with Sons of the Desert)
Grammy Awards	Best Country Song — "I Hope You Dance" (awarded to songwriters Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers)
Country Music Association Awards	Female Vocalist of the Year
Billboard Music Awards	Adult Contemporary Song of the Year — "I Hope You Dance"
2002	Country Music Association Awards	Vocal Event of the Year — "Mendocino County Line" (with Willie Nelson)
	Grammy Awards	Best Country Collaboration with Vocals — "Mendocino County Line" (with Willie Nelson)
Academy of Country Music Awards	Top Vocal Event of the Year — "Mendocino County Line" (with Willie Nelson)
		Single of the Year — "I May Hate Myself in the Morning"
Album of the Year for, ''There's More Where That Came From''
Best Musical Event — "Good News, Bad News" (with George Strait)

References

External links

Lee Ann Womack's Official Website

Lee Ann Womack Unofficial Site

Category:1966 births Category:South Plains College alumni Category:American guitarists Category:American country singers Category:American female singers Category:American female guitarists Category:American country guitarists Category:Belmont University alumni Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Living people Category:MCA Records artists Category:People from Cherokee County, Texas Category:Musicians from Texas Category:Texas Republicans

de:Lee Ann Womack it:Lee Ann Womack nl:Lee Ann Womack simple:Lee Ann Womack