Shania Twain
Country songstress Shania Twain was born Eilleen Regina Edwards on August 28, 1965 in Timmins, Ontario. Shania’s parents separated when she was two years old. It was then that she took on the last name of her mother’s second husband, Jerry Twain, who was a member of the Ojibwa First Nation. Growing up in the Twain household, there was not always enough food to go around, and Shania often endured the hunger pangs and shame of going to school on an empty stomach. Shania’s mother, Sharon, wanted a better life for Shania, and encouraged her to cultivate her singing and songwriting abilities – sometimes waking Shania up late at night to perform at local country bars.
At just 13 years old, Shania performed on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) television’s Tommy Hunter Show. Although her mother steered her in the direction of country music, Shania loved pop music, listening to Prince and Michael Jackson in her teens. In high school, Shania sang lead in the local pop/rock band Longshot.
In 1987, a tragedy occurred that would affect the course of Shania’s personal and professional life. Her parents were involved in a fatal car accident, leaving Shania to care for her two younger brothers and sister by herself. At the age of 22, Shania’s career had only just begun, and she supported her siblings by playing local gigs wherever she could.
In 1991, entertainment lawyer Dick Frank invited Shania to record a demo tape in Nashville, Tennessee. That same year, she was signed on to Mercury Nashville Records, fulfilling her original goal of becoming a country music singer. She also changed her name from Eileen to Shania – an Ojibwa word meaning “I'm on my way.” In 1993, Shania released her self-titled debut album, mostly composed of songs written by Nashville songwriters.
Although Shania’s debut album was not a commercial success, it did attract the attention of producer Robert “Mutt” Lange, who already had an impressive track record of working with pop/rock artists such as Bryan Adams, AC/DC, and Def Leppard. Mutt and Shania met at Nashville's Fan Fair in June 1993, having already talked over the phone in advance to arrange a collaboration for Shania’s second album. Their relationship quickly evolved and the couple was married in December of 1993.
Shania released her sophomore album, The Woman in Me in 1995. The album’s pop/country sounds combined with the videos depicting Shania’s sexy image resulted in an unprecedented crossover of music genres. Shania was awarded with a Grammy for Best Country Album, as well as Academy of Country Music awards for Album of the Year and Best New Female Vocalist. The Woman in Me went on to sell over 12 million copies and started Shania on the road to changing the landscape of country music.
Shania continued to build on the success of her unique talent and image when she released Come on Over in 1997. Selling 39 million copies worldwide, the album went on to become the biggest-selling album of all time by a female artist, and the Number six best-selling album of all time. The critics in Nashville who had accused Shania of being a flash-in-the-pan artist or not singing “true country” now had to contend with the fact that her album had also become the biggest-selling country album of all time.
In 2001, Shania and Mutt welcomed the birth of son, Eja, whom they have raised away from the spotlight in Switzerland. That same year, Shania went back to the studio to record material for her next album, Up! (2002), which sold over 17 million copies worldwide.
Shania’s charitable endeavors focus on the plight of hungry children across North America, including the Second Harvest Kids Bag and Kids Café. In 2005, Shania received the prestigious Order of Canada, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007. In May 2008 it was reported that the 14 year marriage between the Canadian beauty and her hussband Mutt had broken down amid rumours of his affair with their secretary, 37-year-old Marie-Anne Thiébaud.
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