- Born Margaret LeAnn Rimes in 1982, in Jackson Mississippi. She moved to Garland TX at the age of 6.
- She was performing in talent shows by the age of 5. She appeared on the TV show Star Search, and was a one-week champion. Based on this, she decided to go into country music, and appeared in a Country Music Revue show in Arlington TX, gaining the attention of talent scouts.
- By 9, she was an experienced singer. She sang the Star Spangled Banner at Dallas Cowboys football games as a child. Her father recorded her and 3 independent albums were released between 1991 and 1994. The third album, called All That, was recorded when she was 11 years old, and it included the song Blue, a cover of a song written in 1958.
- In 1996, she signed with a record company, and she re-recorded Blue for her debut studio album, also called Blue. The single was released, and was an immediate hit. The album sold 123,000 copies in its first week – at the time, the highest first week sales figure in history. It debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and it reached #1 on the Country Albums chart. At 14 years old, Rimes became the youngest winner ever of a Grammy award, winning 2 awards that year.
- She followed up with more success. Her compilation album Unchained Melody: The Early Years was released in 1997. It contained remakes of country and pop songs that she originally recorded when she was 11. It sold over 2 million copies in the U.S. Also that year, she appeared in concert on the Disney Channel. Her next studio album, You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs, also was released in 1997. It sold over 4 million records, and the single How Do I Live became a major pop hit, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This song set a record for remaining on the Hot 100 chart for 69 weeks. And, to top off 1997, she published her first novel, Holiday In Your Heart. Quite the year for a kid who turned 15 in August that year!
- More successful studio albums were released in 1998 and 1999. In 2000, she contributed the song I Need You to the TV movie Jesus, and 4 songs to the soundtrack to the movie Coyote Ugly, in which she also had a cameo appearance.
- She has made 11 studio albums (in addition to the 3 independent albums early in her career), 5 compilation albums, has contributed to 10 soundtrack albums, and has released 38 singles. While her more recent songs have not had the mega-sales of her early work, she charted well in the Country charts in the mid-00s, and her recent song from late 2016, Long Live Love, from her latest album Remnants, hit #1 on the Dance Club Songs chart – a indication that she has expanded well beyond just old-time country music.
- Rimes has been in the industry for 25 years – and she is only 34 years old! She has written 4 books (2 novels, 2 children’s books), has acted in 8 films/TV roles, plus played herself in 9 other TV projects. She was heavily influenced by the music of Patsy Cline, and her soprano voice and style shows similarities. Who do you prefer? Rimes the country singer, or Rimes the pop star? Here’s her hit How Do I Live – 15 year old pop star! Amazing voice for a child.