Lee Ann Womack facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lee Ann Womack
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Womack in 2003
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| Born | August 19, 1966 Jacksonville, Texas, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1996–present |
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Lee Ann Womack (born August 19, 1966) is an American country singer and songwriter. She is most famous for her hit song "I Hope You Dance". This song was a number one hit in 2000 and was popular with both country and pop music fans. This is known as a crossover hit.
Womack was born in Jacksonville, Texas. She started her music career in 1997. At first, her music sounded like classic country singers such as Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette. Her first hit songs were "The Fool" and "You've Got to Talk to Me". In 2000, she released the album I Hope You Dance, which had a more pop-friendly sound. Later, with her 2005 album There's More Where That Came From, she returned to a more traditional country style.
Womack has won many awards, including a Grammy Award, six Country Music Association Awards, and five Academy of Country Music Awards. Her daughter, Aubrie Sellers, is also a country music artist.
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Early Life and First Steps in Music
Lee Ann Womack was born on August 19, 1966, in Jacksonville, Texas. Her father, Aubrey, was a school principal and a radio disc jockey. Her mother, Ann, was a schoolteacher. Because her dad worked at a radio station, Womack grew up loving country music. She would even help him pick out records to play on the air.
Womack learned to play the piano as a child. After high school, she went to South Plains College, which was one of the first colleges to offer degrees in country music. She then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to study the music business at Belmont College (now Belmont University). She also worked as an intern for the record label MCA Nashville.
In the mid-1990s, Womack began to focus on her music career again. She performed at concerts where music executives look for new talent. A talent scout heard her and signed her to a music publishing company. This allowed her to write songs for other artists, including Ricky Skaggs. Soon after, she signed a record deal with Decca Nashville in 1996.
Music Career
Starting Out in Country Music (1997–1999)
In 1997, Womack released her first album, called Lee Ann Womack. The album's first single, "Never Again, Again", was a success. But her next song, "The Fool", became a huge hit, reaching number two on the country music charts. The songs "You've Got to Talk to Me" and "Buckaroo" also did well. For her successful start, the Academy of Country Music named her the Top New Female Vocalist.
Her second album, Some Things I Know, came out in 1998. It had two number-two hits: "A Little Past Little Rock" and "I'll Think of a Reason Later". After this album, the Decca Nashville record label closed, and Womack moved to MCA Nashville Records.
Crossover Stardom with "I Hope You Dance" (2000–2004)
Womack's third album, I Hope You Dance, was released in 2000 and made her a superstar. The title track, "I Hope You Dance", was a number one country hit. It also became a top 20 hit on the pop charts. The song's positive message made it popular all over the world. The album sold over three million copies in the United States. It won major awards, including the Country Music Association's "Song of the Year."
In 2002, Womack released her next album, Something Worth Leaving Behind. It had a more pop-influenced sound. Womack later said she was trying to please many different types of fans with this album. That same year, she recorded the theme song for the cartoon The Berenstain Bears and released a Christmas album. She also won a Grammy Award for her duet with Willie Nelson, "Mendocino County Line."
In 2004, Womack released a Greatest Hits album. It included her most popular songs and two new ones.
Return to Traditional Country (2005–2012)
In 2005, Womack released There's More Where That Came From. This album was a return to a classic country sound. It was praised by critics and won the Country Music Association award for "Album of the Year." The lead single, "I May Hate Myself in the Morning", was a top 10 hit. It also won the CMA award for "Single of the Year."
Her next album, Call Me Crazy, was released in 2008. It was a darker, more emotional album. The song "Last Call" was a top 20 hit and earned a Grammy nomination. The album also included a duet with country legend George Strait called "Everything But Quits."
In 2012, after many successful years, Womack announced she was leaving her longtime record label, MCA Nashville.
Exploring Americana Music (2014–Present)
Womack signed with Sugar Hill Records in 2014 and released the album The Way I'm Livin'. This album blended country with Americana, a style of music that includes folk, blues, and country. The album was highly praised and received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album.
In 2017, she released The Lonely, the Lonesome & the Gone on ATO Records. This album continued her journey into Americana music. It was mostly recorded in a historic studio in Houston, Texas. The album and its song "All the Trouble" both received Grammy nominations. This showed her talent for creating music that is both traditional and new.
Personal Life
While studying at Belmont, Womack married singer-songwriter Jason Sellers in 1990. They had one daughter, Aubrie Sellers, who is now also a singer. Womack and Sellers divorced in 1996.
In 1999, Womack married record producer Frank Liddell. They have one daughter together.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Lee Ann Womack (1997)
- Some Things I Know (1998)
- I Hope You Dance (2000)
- Something Worth Leaving Behind (2002)
- The Season for Romance (2002)
- There's More Where That Came From (2005)
- Call Me Crazy (2008)
- The Way I'm Livin' (2014)
- The Lonely, the Lonesome & the Gone (2017)
Awards
Lee Ann Womack has won many awards for her music. Here are some of her major wins:
- Academy of Country Music: Top New Female Vocalist (1998), Single Record of the Year for "I Hope You Dance" (2001), Song of the Year for "I Hope You Dance" (2001)
- Country Music Association: Single of the Year for "I Hope You Dance" (2000), Female Vocalist of the Year (2001), Album of the Year for There's More Where That Came From (2005), Single of the Year for "I May Hate Myself in the Morning" (2005)
- Grammy Awards: Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for "Mendocino County Line" (with Willie Nelson) (2003)
- American Music Awards: Favorite Country New Artist (1998)
Film and Television Appearances
Womack has appeared on television and in films.
- In 2000, she was the singing voice for the character Becky Thatcher in the animated movie Tom Sawyer.
- In 2003, she guest-starred on the TV show The District.
- She has performed on many TV specials, including CMT Crossroads with R&B singer John Legend.
See also
In Spanish: Lee Ann Womack para niños
