Twain, Shania

▪ 2000

      Canadian country-music singer Shania Twain played by her own rules—she wrote songs with an unmistakable pop-rock influence, her lyrics were sometimes considered too forthright for country music's conservative fans, and she sometimes shocked audiences with her revealing wardrobe. Nonetheless, by 1999 she was fast becoming the most prominent female artist on the country-music scene. Twain had sold more than a million concert tickets and a record number of albums, but her artistry had yet to gain an appreciative nod from the Country Music Association (CMA), which had failed to bestow on her a single CMA award.

      Born Eilleen Regina Edwards on Aug. 28, 1965, in Windsor, Ont., Twain took the surname of her stepfather, Jerry Twain, at a young age. After the family moved north to Timmins, Ont., Twain developed an exceptional singing voice as a child and by age eight was performing in clubs to help supplement her parents' irregular income. During high school she sang with a Top-40 cover band called the Longshot. At age 21 she moved to Toronto, where she worked during the day while singing at clubs at night. Less than a year later, however, her parents were killed in a traffic accident, and she returned home to raise her sister and two brothers.

      Twain continued to sing in clubs, and in 1991 she attracted the attention of producer Norro Wilson, who took her to Nashville, Tenn., to record her first album. She changed her name to Shania, a nod to her stepfather's Ojibwa heritage. Her first album, Shania Twain, sold only 100,000 copies, but her talent caught the eye of another producer, Robert John (“Mutt”) Lange, who had a highly successful career producing albums for Def Leppard, Bryan Adams, and Michael Bolton. Twain and Lange, who immediately began writing songs together, also became romantically involved and married in 1993. Two years later Twain released her second album, The Woman in Me, and it was a smash hit, selling more than 13 million copies. It won numerous awards, including a Grammy.

      In 1997 Twain released her third album, Come On Over, and it rocketed up the charts. By 1999 Come On Over had sold more than 10 million copies, which made Twain the best-selling female country musician ever and the first female recording artist in any genre to have two consecutive albums top the 10 million mark in copies sold. In 1998 she embarked on her first tour of North America, and she sold more than a million tickets. Along the way she was invited to perform on television alongside such well-known talents as Celine Dion and Aretha Franklin on VH1's Divas Live and to record a single for the sound track of the 1999 film Notting Hill.

      After her rise to fame, Twain was forced to defend herself against attacks in the media. She was accused of having embellished stories of an impoverished childhood and of making misleading claims regarding her ties to her stepfather's Native American heritage. None of this, however, could tarnish her reputation as one of the hottest acts in show business.

Anthony G. Craine

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▪ Canadian musician

original name  Eilleen Regina Edwards 

born Aug. 28, 1965, Windsor, Ont., Can.

      Canadian musician who, with her mix of country melodies and pop vocals, became one of the most popular crossover artists in the mid-1990s.

      Twain took the surname of her stepfather, Jerry Twain, at a young age. After the family moved north to Timmins, Ont., she developed an exceptional singing voice and by age eight was performing in clubs to help supplement her parents' irregular income. During high school she sang with a Top 40 cover band called Longshot. At age 21 she moved to Toronto, where she worked during the day while singing at clubs at night. Less than a year later, however, her parents were killed in a traffic accident, and she returned home to raise her sister and two brothers.

      Twain continued to sing in clubs, and in 1991 she attracted the attention of producer Norro Wilson, who took her to Nashville, Tenn., to record her first album. She changed her name to Shania, meaning “I'm on my way,” a nod to her stepfather's Ojibwa heritage. Her first album, Shania Twain, sold only 100,000 copies, but her talent caught the eye of another producer, Robert John (“Mutt”) Lange, who had a highly successful career producing albums for Def Leppard, Bryan Adams, and Michael Bolton. Twain and Lange, who immediately began writing songs together, also became romantically involved and married in 1993. Two years later Twain released her second album, The Woman in Me. It was a critical and commercial success, selling more than 18 million copies and winning a Grammy Award for country album of the year.

      In 1997 Twain released her third album, Come On Over, which produced chart-topping hits on both the country and pop charts and solidified Twain as a crossover artist. By 1999 Come On Over had sold more than 10 million copies, which made Twain the best-selling female country musician and the first female recording artist in any genre to have two consecutive albums top the 10 million mark in copies sold. In 1998 she embarked on her first tour of North America, selling more than a million tickets.

      Twain released the highly anticipated Up! in 2002. The double album contained both country and pop versions of the songs. Her Greatest Hits collection, featuring a duet with country artist Billy Currington, appeared in 2004.

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