LeAnn Rimes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids LeAnn Rimes
Rimes in May 2014
Born	Margaret LeAnn Rimes (1982-08-28) August 28, 1982 (age 42) Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter actress author
Years active	1990–present
Spouse(s)	Dean Sheremet ​ ​ (m. 2002; div. 2010)​ Eddie Cibrian ​ (m. 2011)​

Margaret LeAnn Rimes Cibrian (born August 28, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She became famous as a country music artist when she was 13 years old. Since then, she has also sung pop, contemporary Christian, and other types of music. Rimes has had more than 40 hit songs on music charts around the world since 1996. She has sold over 48 million records worldwide.

LeAnn was born in Mississippi and grew up in Texas. She showed a special singing talent from a very young age. Her parents helped her perform in musical theater and local music contests. Before she was a teenager, Rimes recorded two albums with her father as her producer. This helped her become known locally and caught the attention of Curb Records in Nashville. In 1996, at age 13, she signed with Curb. She released the song "Blue", which became a top-10 hit on the Billboard country songs chart.

Her 1996 album Blue sold millions of copies. It made her a major country music star. In 1997, Rimes also became popular in pop music with "How Do I Live". This song became one of the best-selling singles of the 1990s. The song was on her next album, You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs (1997), which also sold millions. She followed this with other successful albums like Sittin' on Top of the World (1998) and LeAnn Rimes (1999).

In the early 2000s, Rimes released pop songs for movie soundtracks. These included "I Need You" and "Can't Fight the Moonlight". The latter became a huge hit worldwide. Many of these soundtrack songs were put together on the album I Need You (2001). Later, Rimes released the pop album Twisted Angel (2002) and a Christmas album What a Wonderful World (2004).

She returned to country music with This Woman (2005). This album had three country hits. Other albums she released include Whatever We Wanna (2006), Family (2007), Lady & Gentlemen (2011), and Spitfire (2013). After leaving Curb Records, Rimes released the Christmas album Today Is Christmas (2015) and the pop album Remnants (2016). Remnants had two songs that reached number one on the Billboard dance club charts. More recently, she released Chant: The Human & the Holy (2020) and God's Work (2022).

Rimes has also acted in several TV movies. She started acting in Holiday in Your Heart (1997). She appeared in Northern Lights (2009), Good Intentions (2010), Reel Love (2011), and It's Christmas, Eve (2018). In 2024, she became a coach on The Voice Australia and The Voice UK.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Rimes was born in Jackson, Mississippi. She is the only child of Wilbur Rimes and Belinda Butler. Her family moved to Garland, Texas, when she was six. She started taking singing and dance classes. By age five, she was performing in local talent shows.

LeAnn began her career in musical theater. She performed in a Dallas, Texas production of A Christmas Carol. She almost got the main role in the Broadway show Annie. After appearing on the TV show Star Search, where she was a champion for one week, Rimes decided to focus on country music. She often performed on Johnnie High's Country Music Revue in Arlington, Texas. This helped her get noticed by talent scouts.

By age nine, Rimes was an experienced singer. She toured with her father across the country. She also often sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" without music at Dallas Cowboys football games. When she was 11, her father started recording her music under his own label, Nor Va Jak. Her first album, Everybody's Sweetheart, was released in 1991.

Rimes was then discovered by Bill Mack, a Dallas disc jockey. Mack was very impressed by her singing. For the next three years, he tried to help Rimes become a mainstream artist. His main plan was for her to sing his song, "Blue". In July 1994, Rimes recorded "Blue" on her second album, All That. Mack then helped Rimes get a recording contract with Curb Records. She signed with the Nashville label in 1996.

Music Career Highlights

1996: Becoming a Country Star with Blue

After signing with Curb Records, Rimes recorded a new version of "Blue". This song became a top-10 hit on the Billboard country chart. Critics compared Rimes to Patsy Cline, a famous singer from the past. This comparison made people even more interested in LeAnn.

Rimes's first album with Curb, Blue, was released in 1996. It sold many copies in its first week. The album reached number one on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart. It also debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart. By March 1999, Blue had sold millions of copies in the U.S. It also sold well in Canada. By 2009, it had sold over eight million copies worldwide.

Shawn Haney of AllMusic called the album "delightful." He said it could "help inspire other young teens." Two more songs from the album became top 40 country hits: "One Way Ticket (Because I Can)" reached number one, and "The Light in Your Eyes" reached number five.

The success of Blue led to many awards for Rimes. She won her first Grammy Award in 1997 for Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance. She was the youngest person to win these awards. That year, the Country Music Association also gave Rimes the Horizon Award. She was the youngest person ever to win a Country Music Association award. The Academy of Country Music also honored her as Top New Female Vocalist in 1996.

1997–1999: Pop Success and More Albums

In February 1997, Curb released Unchained Melody: The Early Years. This album was a re-release of her earlier independent album All That. It featured Rimes's cover of "Unchained Melody", which became a number 3 country hit. Unchained Melody topped the Billboard 200 chart.

Three months later, Rimes performed in a live TV special for Disney Channel in Concert. Curb released Rimes's next album, You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs, that September. This album was different from her earlier country music. It had more adult contemporary-style songs. The album's first song, "How Do I Live", became a huge pop hit. It reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. "How Do I Live" stayed on the chart for 69 weeks, setting a new record. Billboard magazine called it the most successful song of the 1990s. The song was also popular in the United Kingdom.

The title song from You Light Up My Life was the album's second single. It reached number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album You Light Up My Life topped the Billboard 200. It sold millions of copies by the next year.

Rimes made her acting debut in the ABC TV movie Holiday in Your Heart in December 1997. The movie was based on Rimes's book. The film was partly about her own life. Rimes played a country singer whose grandmother gets sick. She sang several of her hit songs in the movie. In 1998, she played a runaway teenager in an episode of NBC's Days of Our Lives.

Rimes in 1999

Rimes's next album with Curb was Sittin' on Top of the World (1998). The album received mixed reviews. James Hunter of Rolling Stone said Rimes "holds her own in the more popular style of Mariah Carey and Celine Dion." Sittin' on Top of the World debuted at number two on the Top Country Albums chart. It also reached number three on the Billboard 200. The album had the number four country hit "Commitment". It also included "Looking Through Your Eyes" from the Quest for Camelot movie soundtrack. This song was a Top 20 pop hit. Another song, "Nothin' New Under the Moon", was a number 10 country hit. The album sold over one million copies.

In October 1999, Curb released Rimes's self-titled sixth album. This album was a collection of country cover songs, mostly by Patsy Cline. The album received mostly good reviews. Stephen Thomas Erlewine called it one of her "better" albums. Beth Johnson of Entertainment Weekly praised Rimes's voice. The album debuted at number one on the Top Country Albums chart. It stayed there for two weeks. It also reached number eight on the Billboard 200. The album sold over one million copies in the U.S. It included a new song, "Big Deal", which reached number six on the country charts. Also in 1999, Rimes sang with Elton John on "Written in the Stars" for the musical Aida.

2000–2004: Movie Songs and New Sounds

In 2000, Rimes sang "I Need You" for the soundtrack of the 1999 TV movie Jesus. The song was released as a single in both pop and country versions. It reached number eight on the Billboard country songs chart and number 11 on the Hot 100.

Rimes appeared in the 2000 film Coyote Ugly. She sang four songs for its soundtrack. Rimes was the singing voice for Piper Perabo's character in the movie. In August, "Can't Fight the Moonlight" was released from the film's soundtrack. This song was a major pop hit around the world. It reached number 11 on the Hot 100 in the U.S. and was number one in the United Kingdom. In Australia, it was the best-selling song of 2001. "Can't Fight the Moonlight" won Rimes a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for "Favorite Song from a Movie".

Rimes performing in September 2004

In November 2000, Rimes had disagreements with her record company, Curb. In January 2001, Curb released the album I Need You. This album had four songs from movie soundtracks and six new songs. Rimes publicly said she did not approve of the album. She said it was made from old recordings and released without her knowledge. Despite her comments, Curb promoted the album. I Need You had more pop songs than her earlier albums. Stephen Erlewine described it as her "first full-fledged pop album." Chris Neal from Country Weekly praised the album and Rimes's singing. In November 2001, Rimes signed a new agreement with Curb. I Need You was re-released with more songs in March 2002. The album sold over one million copies.

On October 1, 2002, Rimes released her seventh album, Twisted Angel. This album was very different from her previous ones. It had a mix of dance-pop and adult contemporary music. The first song from the album was "Life Goes On". It was successful internationally but did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. It was very popular in Australia. The second song, "Tic Toc", became her first top-10 hit on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. Rimes received some criticism for making a pop album. She explained, "I've gotten grilled a lot about that album. You know, people just didn't want me to experiment." She added, "It was a great learning experience. So, nope, no regrets whatsoever." Twisted Angel sold over 500,000 copies.

In July 2003, Rimes released her first children's book, Jag. In November, she released her Greatest Hits album in North America. Its international version, The Best of LeAnn Rimes, came out in February 2004. Both albums included a song with Irish singer Ronan Keating called "Last Thing on My Mind". This song was most successful in the United Kingdom. In October 2004, Rimes released her first Christmas album, What a Wonderful World.

2005–2013: Return to Country and Film Roles

In January 2005, Rimes's ninth album, This Woman, was released. This album marked a return to her country music roots. "It's mainly a Country album, but it's my kind of Country music," she told the Voice of America. The album reached the top five on both the Billboard Country Albums chart and the Billboard 200. It produced three hit songs: "Nothin' 'Bout Love Makes Sense", "Probably Wouldn't Be This Way", and "Something's Gotta Give". All three reached the top five on the Billboard country songs chart.

In 2005, Rimes became the host of the USA Network talent show Nashville Star. In summer 2006, Rimes released the album Whatever We Wanna. This album was only released overseas. In the United Kingdom, it reached number 15. In 2006, Rimes sang the theme song for the Holly Hobbie & Friends animated series. She also appeared in the series' Christmas episode.

Rimes performing in the East Room of the White House for President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, 2006

In October 2007, Rimes released her eleventh album, Family. Rimes helped write every song on this album. Allmusic said it "illustrates her range as a singer along with some true strength as a writer." The album's first song, "Nothin' Better to Do", reached the top 20 on the Billboard country songs chart. The second song, "Good Friend and a Glass of Wine", reached the top 40. In late 2007, Rimes appeared with Joss Stone on an episode of Crossroads on CMT. In 2008, Rimes joined Kenny Chesney on his Poets and Pirates Tour. In February 2009, "What I Cannot Change" from Family became the first country song to top the Billboard dance charts.

In 2009, Rimes played Meg Galloway in the TV movie Northern Lights. It aired on the Lifetime network. The film was based on Nora Roberts's book. Eddie Cibrian played her character's love interest. The movie became the network's most-watched TV movie, with four and a half million viewers. On April 14, 2009, Rimes published the book What I Cannot Change with Darrell Brown. In 2010, Rimes had a supporting role in the movie Good Intentions. She also contributed to the film's soundtrack.

In 2011, Rimes released her twelfth album, Lady & Gentlemen. Rimes co-produced it with country singer Vince Gill. The album had covers of country songs originally sung by male artists. Rimes re-recorded them from a female perspective. Mikael Wood of Entertainment Weekly said the album was "predictably solid." The album's cover of John Anderson's "Swingin'" was nominated for a Grammy award. Lady & Gentlemen also had two new songs: "Crazy Women" and "Give". Both were released as singles and were minor hits on the Billboard country chart. That same year, Rimes starred in the TV movie Reel Love with actor Burt Reynolds. She also had a guest role on the TV show Drop Dead Diva.

Rimes's last album with Curb, Spitfire, was released in 2013. On this album, she co-produced and co-wrote nine of its 13 songs. Spitfire focused on her relationship with Eddie Cibrian and the media attention around it. "I used to get mad at the tabloids, but I should be thanking them because they helped me write this whole record," she said. The album sold over 10,000 copies in its first week. It debuted at number 36 on the Billboard 200 and number nine on the country albums chart. Sales were considered "disappointing" by some news outlets. Songs from the album did not become big hits. That year, she made a guest appearance on the FX TV show Anger Management.

2014–Present: Recent Work and The Masked Singer

Rimes at the 2014 Big Apple Awards

In 2014, Rimes starred in the reality TV series LeAnn & Eddie with Eddie Cibrian. The show aired on VH1. The goal of the show was to "help clear the air" about their relationship. "This show gave us an opportunity to take back our lives," Rimes said. After one season, the show was canceled.

In July 2014, Rimes announced she would release three Christmas mini-albums over the next three years. In October 2014, the first one, One Christmas: Chapter 1, was released. It included the song "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas". The mini-album reached number 20 on the Top Country Albums chart. To promote it, Rimes went on the "One Christmas Tour". Rimes later decided to release a full Christmas album in 2015 instead of more mini-albums. That year, she released Today Is Christmas. It included a duet of "Celebrate Me Home" with Gavin DeGraw. The album reached number two on the Holiday albums chart.

In 2016, Rimes signed with RCA UK. She released a cover of Brandi Carlile's "The Story". This song was on her fifteenth album, Remnants. It was first released in the United Kingdom in 2016 and then in the U.S. in February 2017. The album reached number 15 on the UK Albums Chart. It also had two songs, "Long Live Love" and "Love Is Love Is Love", that topped the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. In 2017, Rimes had a small role in the movie Logan Lucky, where she sang "America the Beautiful".

Rimes performing in July 2024

In June 2018, Rimes released Re-Imagined. This mini-album has five songs from her past that she re-recorded. The new version of "Borrowed" features Stevie Nicks. Later in 2018, Rimes appeared in the Hallmark TV movie It's Christmas, Eve. She recorded the movie's soundtrack, which came out in October 2018. It included Christmas songs and new songs. In 2019, Rimes released her first live album, Rimes: Live at Gruene Hall.

In 2020, Rimes competed as "Sun" on the fourth season of The Masked Singer. Her identity was revealed in the finale on December 16, 2020, where she was declared the winner. She later returned as a guest panelist in the fifth season finale. In November 2020, Rimes released her sixteenth album, Chant: The Human & the Holy. Its 12 songs were based on chants and daily mantras. She also started a health and wellness podcast called Wholly Human. Rimes produced and composed the album with Darrell Brown. "As I started meditating I started chanting and singing," Rimes explained.

In 2022, Rimes released the album God's Work. Rimes celebrated her 25th year in music with a special CMT Crossroads episode. It featured Carly Pearce, Brandy Clark, Ashley McBryde, and Mickey Guyton. In April 2023, Rimes worked with Tenille Arts on the song "Jealous of Myself".

Artistry and Musical Style

Voice and Singing Ability

Rimes's voice is often described as a soprano. Critics have called her vocals "powerhouse." From her earliest recordings, people noticed her talent. Entertainment Weekly's Don McLeese said, "Though 'Young Country' doesn't get much younger than Rimes, she already shows more poise and maturity than many artists twice her age." The Washington Post wrote in 2005 that "Rimes's voice is far and away her strongest selling point. Rich and worldly, it belied her young age."

Even when she was young, Rimes chose songs that seemed beyond her years. For example, in her first album, she recorded "My Baby," which had mature lyrics. Her version of "How Do I Live" was not chosen for the movie Con Air because it was considered too mature for her age.

Rimes has said that various music artists influenced her career, including Patsy Cline (left) and Judy Garland (right).

As Rimes grew older, critics continued to praise her voice. Chrissie Dickinson of The Chicago Tribune noted that Rimes had "superlative control over that big voice." Stephen Thomas Erlewine said in 2011 that "she's become a stronger, more nuanced singer over the years." Jessica Goodman of Glamour found that her 2016 song "Remnants" "showcases the powerhouse vocals that made Rimes famous all those years ago."

Musical Influences

Rimes has said that many different artists influenced her. These include Alanis Morissette, Reba McEntire, Wynonna Judd, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, and Whitney Houston. Early in her career, Rimes told The New York Times that she looked up to Reba McEntire. "If I had to model my career after anyone it would have to be Reba," she said.

Rimes was most influenced by Patsy Cline. Listeners and critics noticed similarities between their voices. Rimes later said that Cline's voice greatly influenced her own unique sound. "[Patsy Cline] was such a huge part of how I created my sound," she told popculture. In 2013, Rimes performed a tribute to Cline at the American Country Awards. She sang a medley of Cline's songs.

Musical Styles

Rimes's music has been described as country, pop, Contemporary Christian, adult contemporary, and dance pop. She started her career in country music with "Blue" and other country hits. After songs like "How Do I Live" and "Can't Fight the Moonlight" became popular, Rimes was also known as a pop artist. Later albums like Sittin' on Top of the World showed more of an adult contemporary style. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic noted that even though she tried many styles, Rimes remained connected to country music.

Personal Life

Marriages and Relationships

In 1998, Rimes dated actor Andrew Keegan. They dated when Rimes and her father were having a legal dispute. The relationship ended in 2001.

Soon after, Rimes met dancer Dean Sheremet at an awards show in 2001. They got engaged in December. In 2002, at age 19, Rimes married Sheremet in Dallas, Texas. In 2003, they bought a home in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2007, Sheremet directed the dance for Rimes's song "Nothin' Better to Do". Over time, they spent more time apart as Rimes focused on acting in Los Angeles. In July 2009, the couple separated. In September, Rimes announced they planned to end their marriage. Their divorce was finalized on June 19, 2010.

Rimes later began a relationship with actor Eddie Cibrian, whom she worked with on the TV film Northern Lights. Reports about their relationship appeared in March 2009. In June 2010, Rimes spoke about the end of her first marriage. "I take responsibility for everything I've done," she said. "I hate that people got hurt, but I don't regret the outcome." That month, Rimes moved into Cibrian's California home. In an interview, Rimes said, "What happened is not who I am, period. But I do know how much I love him." In December 2010, it was announced that Rimes and Cibrian were engaged. Rimes and Cibrian married on April 22, 2011, in California. Cibrian's sons from his first marriage were also at the ceremony. In 2013, the couple bought a home in Hidden Hills, California. By 2018, Rimes and Cibrian's ex-wife, Brandi Glanville, became friendly. Glanville said, "We're like sister wives. It's me and LeAnn and Eddie."

Health Challenges

In 2008, Rimes spoke about her lifelong struggle with psoriasis, an autoimmune disease. She took part in a PSA to help people learn more about the disease. In August 2012, Rimes sought treatment for anxiety and stress. "This is just a time for me to emotionally check out for a second and take care of myself," she explained. In March 2014, Rimes's jaw became dislocated while performing. She said it was due to temporomandibular joint dysfunction, a jaw disorder. She has shared her struggles with this disorder on Twitter. Later that year, she told People magazine that she also experienced depression in 2010.

Helping Others

Rimes sang on the 2008 song "Just Stand Up." The money from the song went to Stand Up to Cancer. This organization helps fund cancer research. In 2009, Rimes received a special humanitarian award from the Academy of Country Music for her charity work.

Discography

Studio albums

• Everybody's Sweetheart (1991)
• All That (1994)
• Blue (1996)
• You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs (1997)
• Sittin' on Top of the World (1998)
• LeAnn Rimes (1999)
• I Need You (2001)
• Twisted Angel (2002)
• What a Wonderful World (2004)
• This Woman (2005)
• Whatever We Wanna (2006)
• Family (2007)
• Lady & Gentlemen (2011)
• Spitfire (2013)
• Today Is Christmas (2015)
• Remnants (2016)
• Chant: The Human & the Holy (2020)
• God's Work (2022)

Filmography

• Holiday in Your Heart (1997)
• Days of Our Lives (1998)
• Moesha (1999)
• Coyote Ugly (2000)
• American Dreams (2003)
• Holly Hobbie and Friends: Christmas Wishes (2006)
• Northern Lights (2009)
• Good Intentions (2010)
• Drop Dead Diva (2011)
• Anger Management (2013)
• It's Christmas, Eve (2018)
• Country Comfort (2021)

Awards and Nominations

Rimes has won several awards for her music. This includes three awards from the Academy of Country Music and two from the Grammy Awards.

Books

• Holiday in Your Heart (1997) with Tom Carter
• Jag (2003)
• Jag's New Friend (2004)
• What I Cannot Change (2009) with Darrell Brown

See Also

In Spanish: LeAnn Rimes para niños