The Farr Side: LeAnn Rimes has a career for the ages

Do you remember the first time you heard “Blue” by LeAnn Rimes? It was shocking to hear so much depth and talent in her vocals. It was like hearing a reincarnation of Patsy Cline. And, to know Rimes was only 14 made it all the more incredible.

Rimes earned the Grammy for Best New Artist that year, making her the youngest person to win a Grammy.

What if I told you that song is 25 years old? Where did the time go?

Rimes’ career is one for the ages. Here was a girl promoted by her father, Wilbur Rimes. The young singer had a special gift and her father knew it. That came with both good and bad things for her.

Can you imagine having been thrust into the spotlight and compared to the likes of the legendary Patsy Cline? Then, having a record deal wrapped around that kind of expectation? It doesn’t sound bad for those of us listening to the music, but for Rimes, it messed with her creativity. She wasn’t given the opportunity to have creative input. It put some intriguing wedges between her and her father.

Through the years, we have seen Rimes grow before our eyes and try to experiment outside of traditional country genre. It has proven successful, for the most part, but it hasn’t come easy.

Let’s talk about some of her track record so far. She has 56 charting singles, and has released 17 studio albums, 10 compilation albums and a movie soundtrack.

Her list of hit singles is impressive. “Blue” got her rolling, selling 10 million copies and also featured the hits “Hurt Me,” “One Way Ticket (Because I Can)” and “Light In Your Eyes.”

The success of “Blue” prompted an earlier release to resurface. Her version of “Unchained Melody” became a massive success.

I still laugh when I think of her next hit, “How Do I Live.” Some industry execs thought Rimes was too young to sing a love theme to a motion picture, so they opted for Trisha Yearwood to record the song for the movie “Con Air.”

Fortunately for Rimes, she got to release the song on her own. “How Do I Live” became one of the biggest hit songs in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. To this day, the song is ranked at No. 6 in popularity.

I became a fan of her music when she was able to color outside the lines. Her vocal ability put her in a class all her own and led the way to pop stardom. I liked it when she stepped in that direction for the “Coyote Ugly” soundtrack. It was her best time, musically speaking. “Can’t Fight The Moonlight,” “I Need You,” ”But I Do Love You” and “Please Remember” were game-changers.

Rimes also hit it big with “Life Goes On,” “Big Deal,” “Nothin’ ‘Bout Love Makes Sense,” “Probably Wouldn’t Be this Way,” “We Can,” “Crazy,” “Commitment,” “On The Side Of Angels” and the duets of “Written In The Stars” (Elton John), “Last Thing On My Mind” (Ronan Keating) and “’Til We Ain’t Strangers Anymore” (Bon Jovi).

In 2020, Rimes shocked “The Masked Singer” by winning it. She did so with outstanding performances, including her cover of the Billie Eilish smash “When The Party Is Over.”

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the start of her recording career, Rimes is on the road for “The Story…So Far Tour.” This guy will be seeing her this summer!

David T. Farr is a Journal correspondent. Email him at farrboy@hotmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Entertainment