Rose
Rosa rubiginosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rosaceae
Subfamily:	Rosoideae
Genus:	Rosa L.
Species
See List of Rosa species
Synonyms
Hulthemia Dumort. ×Hulthemosa Juz. (Hulthemia × Rosa)

A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows and reds. Most species are native to Asia, with smaller numbers native to Europe, North America, and northwest Africa. Species, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and fragrance. Rose plants range in size from compact, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach 7 meters in height. Different species hybridize easily, and this has been used in the development of the wide range of garden roses.^[1]

The name rose comes from French, itself from Latin rosa, which was perhaps borrowed from Oscan, from Greek ρόδον rhodon (Aeolic βρόδον wrodon), related to Old Persian wrd-, Avestan varəda, Sogdian ward, Parthian wâr, Armenian vard.^[2][3]

Botany[link]

Cross-section through a developing rose hip

Exterior view of rose buds

Rose leaflets

The leaves are borne alternately on the stem. In most species they are 5 to 15 centimetres (2.0 to 5.9 in) long, pinnate, with (3–) 5–9 (–13) leaflets and basal stipules; the leaflets usually have a serrated margin, and often a few small prickles on the underside of the stem. Most roses are deciduous but a few (particularly from South east Asia) are evergreen or nearly so.

The hybrid garden rose "Amber Flush"

The flowers of most species have five petals, with the exception of Rosa sericea, which usually has only four. Each petal is divided into two distinct lobes and is usually white or pink, though in a few species yellow or red. Beneath the petals are five sepals (or in the case of some Rosa sericea, four). These may be long enough to be visible when viewed from above and appear as green points alternating with the rounded petals. There are multiple superior ovaries that develop into achenes.^[4] Roses are insect-pollinated in nature.

The aggregate fruit of the rose is a berry-like structure called a rose hip. Many of the domestic cultivars do not produce hips, as the flowers are so tightly petalled that they do not provide access for pollination. The hips of most species are red, but a few (e.g. Rosa pimpinellifolia) have dark purple to black hips. Each hip comprises an outer fleshy layer, the hypanthium, which contains 5–160 "seeds" (technically dry single-seeded fruits called achenes) embedded in a matrix of fine, but stiff, hairs. Rose hips of some species, especially the Dog Rose (Rosa canina) and Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa), are very rich in vitamin C, among the richest sources of any plant. The hips are eaten by fruit-eating birds such as thrushes and waxwings, which then disperse the seeds in their droppings. Some birds, particularly finches, also eat the seeds.

Rose thorns are actually prickles - outgrowths of the epidermis.

While the sharp objects along a rose stem are commonly called "thorns", they are technically prickles — outgrowths of the epidermis (the outer layer of tissue of the stem). (True thorns, as produced by e.g. Citrus or Pyracantha, are modified stems, which always originate at a node and which have nodes and internodes along the length of the thorn itself.) Rose prickles are typically sickle-shaped hooks, which aid the rose in hanging onto other vegetation when growing over it. Some species such as Rosa rugosa and Rosa pimpinellifolia have densely packed straight spines, probably an adaptation to reduce browsing by animals, but also possibly an adaptation to trap wind-blown sand and so reduce erosion and protect their roots (both of these species grow naturally on coastal sand dunes). Despite the presence of prickles, roses are frequently browsed by deer. A few species of roses have only vestigial prickles that have no points.

Species[link]

The genus Rosa is subdivided into four subgenera:

• Hulthemia (formerly Simplicifoliae, meaning "with single leaves") containing one or two species from southwest Asia, R. persica and Rosa berberifolia which are the only roses without compound leaves or stipules.
• Hesperrhodos (from the Greek for "western rose") contains Rosa minutifolia and Rosa stellata, from North America.
• Platyrhodon (from the Greek for "flaky rose", referring to flaky bark) with one species from east Asia, Rosa roxburghii.
• Rosa (the type subgenus) containing all the other roses. This subgenus is subdivided into 11 sections.
  • Banksianae - white and yellow flowered roses from China.
  • Bracteatae - three species, two from China and one from India.
  • Caninae - pink and white flowered species from Asia, Europe and North Africa.
  • Carolinae - white, pink, and bright pink flowered species all from North America.
  • Chinensis - white, pink, yellow, red and mixed-color roses from China and Burma.
  • Gallicanae - pink to crimson and striped flowered roses from western Asia and Europe.
  • Gymnocarpae - one species in western North America (Rosa gymnocarpa), others in east Asia.
  • Laevigatae - a single white flowered species from China
  • Pimpinellifoliae - white, pink, bright yellow, mauve and striped roses from Asia and Europe.
  • Rosa (syn. sect. Cinnamomeae) - white, pink, lilac, mulberry and red roses from everywhere but North Africa.
  • Synstylae - white, pink, and crimson flowered roses from all areas.

Rose-picking in the Rose Valley near the town of Kazanlak, 1870s, engraving by F. Kanitz

Uses[link]

Roses are best known as ornamental plants grown for their flowers in the garden and sometimes indoors. They have been also used for commercial perfumery and commercial cut flower crops. Some are used as landscape plants, for hedging and for other utilitarian purposes such as game cover and slope stabilization. They also have minor medicinal uses.

Ornamental plants[link]

The majority of ornamental roses are hybrids that were bred for their flowers. A few, mostly species roses are grown for attractive or scented foliage (such as Rosa glauca and Rosa rubiginosa), ornamental thorns (such as Rosa sericea) or for their showy fruit (such as Rosa moyesii).

Hybrid Tea cultivar 'Mrs. Herbert Stevens'

Ornamental roses have been cultivated for millennia, with the earliest known cultivation known to date from at least 500 BC in Mediterranean countries, Persia, and China.^[5] Many thousands of rose hybrids and cultivars have been bred and selected for garden use as flowering plants. Most are double-flowered with many or all of the stamens having mutated into additional petals.

In the early 19th century the Empress Josephine of France patronized the development of rose breeding at her gardens at Malmaison. As long ago as 1840 a collection numbering over one thousand different cultivars, varieties and species was possible when a rosarium was planted by Loddiges nursery for Abney Park Cemetery, an early Victorian garden cemetery and arboretum in England.

A few species and hybrids are grown for non-floral ornamental use. Among these are those grown for prominent hips, such as the flagon shaped hips of Rosa moyesii. Sometimes even the thorns can be treated as an attraction or curiosity, such as with Rosa sericea.

Cut flowers[link]

Bouquet of pink roses

Roses are a popular crop for both domestic and commercial cut flowers. Generally they are harvested and cut when in bud, and held in refrigerated conditions until ready for display at their point of sale.

In temperate climates, cut roses are often grown in glasshouses, and in warmer countries they may also be grown under cover in order to ensure that the flowers are not damaged by weather and that pests and disease control can be carried out effectively. Significant quantities are grown in some tropical countries, and these are shipped by air to markets across the world.^[6]

Perfume[link]

Rose perfumes are made from attar of roses or rose oil, which is a mixture of volatile essential oils obtained by steam distilling the crushed petals of roses. An associated product is rose water which is used for cooking, cosmetics, medicine and in religious practices. The production technique originated in Persia then spread through Arabia and India, and more recently into eastern Europe. In Bulgaria, Iran and Germany, damask roses (Rosa damascena 'Trigintipetala') are used. In other parts of the world Rosa centifolia is commonly used. The oil is transparent pale yellow or yellow-grey in colour. 'Rose Absolute' is solvent-extracted with hexane and produces a darker oil, dark yellow to orange in colour. The weight of oil extracted is about one three-thousandth to one six-thousandth of the weight of the flowers; for example, about two thousand flowers are required to produce one gram of oil.

Geraniol (C₁₀H₁₈O)

The main constituents of attar of roses are the fragrant alcohols geraniol and l-citronellol; and rose camphor, an odourless paraffin. β-Damascenone is also a significant contributor to the scent.

Food and drink[link]

Rose hips are occasionally made into jam, jelly, and marmalade, or are brewed for tea, primarily for their high vitamin C content. They are also pressed and filtered to make rose hip syrup. Rose hips are also used to produce Rose hip seed oil, which is used in skin products and some makeup products.^{[citation needed]}

Rosa canina hips

Rose petals or flower buds are sometimes used to flavour ordinary tea. Sometimes they may be used as the sole plant material in herbal teas.

In France there is much use of rose syrup, most commonly made from an extract of rose petals. In the United States, this French rose syrup is used to make rose scones and marshmallows.^{[citation needed]}

Rose flowers are used as food, also usually as flavouring or to add their scent to food. ^[7] Other minor uses include candied rose petals. ^[8]

Rose Creams (rose flavoured fondant enrobed in chocolate, often topped with a crystallised rose petal) are a traditional English confectionery widely available from numerous producers in the UK.^[9][10]

Rose water, made as a byproduct of rose oil production, is widely used in Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine.

Medicine[link]

The rose hip, usually from R. canina is used as a minor source of Vitamin C. The fruits of many species have significant levels of vitamins and have been used as a food supplement. Many roses have been used in herbal and folk medicines. Rosa chinensis has long been used in Chinese traditional medicine. This and other species have been used for stomach problems, and are being investigated for controlling cancer growth.^[11]

Culture[link]

Art[link]

Roses are a favored subject in art and therefore used in various artistic disciplines. They appear in portraits, illustrations, on stamps, as ornaments or as architectural elements. The Luxembourg born Belgian artist and botanist Pierre-Joseph Redouté is known for his detailed watercolours of flowers, particularly roses.

Renoir's painting of cabbage roses, Roses in a vase

Henri Fantin-Latour was also a prolific painter of still life, particularly flowers including roses. The Rose 'Fantin-Latour' was named after the artist.

Other impressionists including Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir have paintings of roses among their works.

Symbolism[link]

The long cultural history of the rose has led to it being used often as a symbol.

Pests and diseases[link]

Wild roses are host plants for a number of pests and diseases. Many of these are also shared with other plants, including especially other genera of the Rosaceae.

Cultivated roses are often subject to severe damage from insect, arachnid and fungal pests and diseases. In many cases they cannot be usefully grown without regular treatment to control these problems.

See also[link]

	Botany portal
	Gardening portal

• Rose
  • Rose species
  • Garden roses
    • List of rose cultivars named after people
    • Rose garden
      • Rose trial grounds
    • Rose show
  • Rose cultivars
• rose (color)
• rose (name)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rosa

Wikispecies has information related to: Rosa

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Roses

• World Federation of Rose Societies
•  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Rose". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

v t e National Symbols of Saint Lucia National Flag · Coat of Arms · National Anthem · National Flower · National Bird · Bamboo and Calabash Tree (National Trees)

Bette Midler
Midler backstage at the Grammy Awards, February 1990
Background information
Also known as	The Divine Miss M
Born	(1945-12-01) December 1, 1945 (age 66)
Origin	Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. Territory
Genres	Vocal, pop, adult contemporary, comedy
Occupations	Singer, actress, comedian, author, producer
Instruments	Vocals-mezzo soprano, ukulele
Years active	1965–present
Labels	Atlantic (1972–1997) Warner Bros. (1998–2001) Columbia (2002–present)
Associated acts	Barry Manilow
Website	bettemidler.com

Bette Midler (born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys. During her more than forty-year career, Midler has been nominated for two Academy Awards, and won three Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards, and a special Tony Award. She has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.^[1] Her voice type is categorized as deep mezzo soprano.^[2]

Early life and family[link]

Midler was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her parents moved from Paterson, New Jersey to Honolulu before she was born, and hers was one of the few Jewish families in a mostly Asian neighborhood.^[3] Her mother, Ruth (née Schindel), was a seamstress and housewife, and her father, Fred Midler, worked at a Navy base in Hawaii as a painter.^[4] She was named after actress Bette Davis, though Davis pronounced her first name in two syllables, and Midler uses one, /ˈbɛt/.^[5] She was raised in Aiea and attended Radford High School, in Honolulu.^[6] She was voted "Most Talkative" in the 1961 school Hoss Election, and in her Senior Year (Class of 1963), "Most Dramatic".^[7] Midler majored in drama at the University of Hawaii, but left after three semesters.^[8] She earned money in the 1966 film Hawaii as an extra,^[5] playing an uncredited seasick passenger named Miss David Buff.

Midler married Martin von Haselberg on December 16, 1984, about six weeks after their first meeting. Their daughter, Sophie Frederica Alohilani Von Haselberg, was born on November 14, 1986.^[9]

Career[link]

Theater work[link]

In the summer of 1965, Midler relocated to New York City, using the money from her work in the film Hawaii. She landed her first professional onstage role in Tom Eyen's Off-Off-Broadway plays in 1965, Miss Nefertiti Regrets and Cinderella Revisited, a children's play by day and an adult show by night.^[10] From 1966 to 1969, she played the role of Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway.^[5] After Fiddler, she joined the original cast of Salvation in 1969.^[11]

In the summer of 1970, Midler began singing in the Continental Baths, a gay bathhouse in the city.^[5] During this time, she became close to her piano accompanist, Barry Manilow, who produced her first album in 1972, The Divine Miss M.^[10] It was during her time at the Continental Baths that she built up a core following. In the late 1990s, during the release of her album Bathhouse Betty, Midler commented on her time performing there, "Despite the way things turned out [with the AIDS crisis], I'm still proud of those days. I feel like I was at the forefront of the gay liberation movement, and I hope I did my part to help it move forward. So, I kind of wear the label of 'Bathhouse Betty' with pride".^[12]

In 1971, Midler starred in the first professional production of The Who's rock opera Tommy, with director Richard Pearlman and the Seattle Opera.^[13] It was during the run of Tommy that Midler first appeared on The Tonight Show.

[edit] 1972–1980: The Divine Miss M and success

Midler released her debut album, The Divine Miss M, on Atlantic Records, in December 1972. It reached Billboard's Top 10 and became a million-selling Platinum-certified album,^[14] earning Midler the 1973 Grammy Award for Best New Artist.^[15] It featured three hit singles, with "Do You Want To Dance?", "Friends", and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", which became Midler's first No. 1 Adult Contemporary hit. "Bugle Boy" became a very successful rock cover of the classic swing tune originally introduced and popularized in 1941 by the famous Andrews Sisters, of whom Midler has repeatedly referenced as her idols and inspiration, as far back as her first appearances on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. Midler told Carson in an interview that she always wanted to move like the sisters, and Patty Andrews once remembered, "When I first heard the introduction on the radio, I thought it was our old record. When Bette opened at the Amphitheater in Los Angeles, Maxene and I went backstage to see her. Her first words were, 'What else did you record?'"^[16] During another one of Midler's concerts, Maxene went on stage and presented her with an honorary bugle. Bette recorded other Andrews Sisters hits, including "In the Mood" and "Lullaby of Broadway."^[16]

Her self-titled follow-up album was released at the end of 1973. It reached Billboard's Top 10 and eventually sold close to a million copies in the United States alone.^[17] Midler returned to recording with the 1976 and 1977 albums, Songs for the New Depression and Broken Blossom.

Midler at the premiere of The Rose, 1979

In 1974, she received a Special Tony Award for her contribution to Broadway,^[18] with Clams on the Half Shell Revue playing at the Minskoff Theater. From 1975–1978, she also provided the voice of Woody the Spoon on the PBS educational series Vegetable Soup. In 1977, Midler's first television special, Ol' Red Hair is Back, premiered, featuring guest stars Dustin Hoffman and Emmett Kelly. It went on to win the Emmy Award^[19] for Outstanding Special — Comedy-Variety or Music.^[20]

In 1979, Midler made her first motion picture, starring in the 1960s-era rock and roll tragedy The Rose, as a drug-addicted rock star modeled after Janis Joplin.^[5] That year, she also released her fifth studio album, Thighs and Whispers. Midler's first foray into disco was a commercial and critical failure and went on to be her all-time lowest charting album, peaking at No. 65 on the Billboard album chart.^[21] Soon afterward, she began a world concert tour, with one of her shows in Pasadena being filmed and released as the concert film Divine Madness (1980).

In 1979, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Rose, a role for which she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress (Comedy or Musical).^[5] The film's acclaimed soundtrack album sold over two million copies in the United States alone, earning a Double Platinum certification.^[14] The single version of the song held the No. 1 position on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart for five consecutive weeks and reached No. 3 on Billboard's Hot 100. It earned Midler her first Gold single^[14] and won the Grammy award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female.^[15]

[edit] 1981–89: Wind Beneath My Wings and Beaches

In 1981, Midler worked on the troubled comedy project Jinxed!. However, during production, there was friction with co-star Ken Wahl and the film's director, Don Siegel.^{[citation needed]} Released in 1982, the film was a major flop.^{[citation needed]} Midler did not appear in any other films until 1986. During those four years, she concentrated on her music career and in 1983, released the album No Frills, produced by Chuck Plotkin, who was best known for his work with Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. The album included three single releases: the ballad "All I Need To Know", a cover of Detroit native Marshall Crenshaw's "You're My Favorite Waste of Time" – which Midler fell in love with after flipping his 45 of "Someday Someway"^{[citation needed]} – and Midler's take on the Rolling Stones cover "Beast of Burden". The rock and New Wave album became Midler's third lowest charting album in the U.S.

Midler performed on USA for Africa's 1985 fund-raising single "We Are the World", and participated at the Live Aid event at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.^[22] Also in 1985, she signed a multi-picture deal with Touchstone Pictures. She was subsequently cast by director Paul Mazursky in Down and Out in Beverly Hills, beginning a successful comedic acting career.^[5] She followed that role with Ruthless People (1986), Outrageous Fortune (1987), and Big Business (1988).^[5] Later in 1988, Midler lent her voice to the animated character Georgette, a snobbish poodle, in Disney's Oliver & Company, and had a hit with the tearjerker Beaches, co-starring Barbara Hershey.^[5] The accompanying soundtrack remains Midler's all-time biggest selling disc, reaching No. 2 on Billboard's album chart and with U.S. sales of four million copies. It featured her biggest hit, "Wind Beneath My Wings", which went to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100, achieved Platinum status,^[14] and won Midler her third Grammy Award – for Record of the Year – at the 1990 telecast.^[15]

1990–2000: Chart comeback[link]

Midler in Los Angeles, 1990

In 1990, Midler's single "From A Distance" topped the charts and achieved platinum status. The next year, Midler co-starred with Woody Allen in Scenes from a Mall, again for Mazursky. She earned another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for 1991's For the Boys, directed by Mark Rydell, who also directed The Rose. For the latter, she was awarded another Golden Globe for Best Actress (Comedy or Musical).^[20] She turned down the lead role in 1992's Sister Act, which instead went to Whoopi Goldberg.^[23] In 1993, she starred with Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy in the movie, Hocus Pocus, as Winifred "Winnie" Sanderson, the head witch of the Sanderson Sisters.^[5][24]

Midler's other films include Stella (1990), The First Wives Club (1996), and The Stepford Wives (2004).^[5] Her television work includes an Emmy-nominated version of the stage musical Gypsy and a guest appearance as herself in Fran Drescher's The Nanny. In 1997, Midler, along with her co-stars from The First Wives Club, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton, was a recipient of the Women in Film Crystal Award, which honors "outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry".^[25]

Midler won an Emmy Award in 1992 for her performance on the next-to-last episode of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in May 1992, during which she sang an emotion-laden "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)" to Johnny Carson. That night, Midler began singing "Here's That Rainy Day", Carson's favorite song; Carson joined in a few lyrics later.^[26] She appeared on Seinfeld in the episode "The Understudy", which was the season finale of that show's sixth season in 1995.

Her 1997 HBO special Diva Las Vegas earned her a third Emmy Award, for Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program.^[20]

In 1995 and 1999, she reached the top of the US Dance Charts with remixes of her hits "To Deserve You"^[27] on Atlantic and "I'm Beautiful"^[28] on Warner Brothers Records. "To Deserve You" reached No. 2 and "I'm Beautiful" reached No. 1.

2000–01[link]

Midler has guest-starred in various sitcoms over the years, including The Simpsons in the episode "Krusty Gets Kancelled" (she is first seen traversing a highway picking up trash when she is approached by Bart and Lisa with a request for Midler to appear on a show to revive Krusty's dying career). In 2000, Midler starred in her own sitcom, Bette. Airing on CBS, initial ratings were high but soon declined and the show did not last a full season, being cancelled in early 2001. During the show's short lifespan, Bette's daughter (played by Lindsay Lohan in the pilot, then by Marina Malota starting with the third episode) and her husband were recast (Robert Hays succeeded Kevin Dunn in the final episode aired). The show was also reportedly rocked by backstage turmoil. Also in 2001, Bette or Bust, a book chronicling Midler's "Divine Miss Millennium Tour", was released.

Music[link]

Midler has won three Grammy Awards.,^[29] Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "The Rose" and Record of the Year for "Wind Beneath My Wings". Two of her recordings, "Wind Beneath My Wings" and "From a Distance" won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. "From a Distance" became her longest running No. 1 – six consecutive weeks – on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. When the American Film Institute announced "The 100 Years of the Greatest Songs" on June 22, 2004, two of Midler's recordings were selected by the board: "Wind Beneath My Wings" (No. 44) and "The Rose" (No. 83). However, after years of erratic record sales, Midler was dropped from the Warner Brothers label in 2001, after nearly three decades with Warner Music Group.

After a reported long-standing feud with Barry Manilow, the two joined forces after many years in 2003 to record Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook. Of the project, Manilow said he'd had a dream that he was recording with Midler again, so he called her up with the idea and she agreed that it was due time to work together again. Manilow duetted with Midler on the song "(I'd Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China", after a little dialogue between the two artists at the start of the track. Now signed to Columbia Records, the album was an instant success, being certified gold in only a few weeks. One of the Clooney Songbook selections, "This Ole House", became Midler's first Christian radio single shipped by Rick Hendrix and his positive music movement. The album was nominated for a Grammy the following year.^[30]

In 2003–04, Midler toured the U.S. in her new show, Kiss My Brass, to sell-out audiences. In early 2005, an Australian tour, Kiss My Brass Down Under, was equally successful. Midler joined forces again with Manilow for another tribute album, Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook. Released in October 2005, the album sold 55,000 copies the first week of release, returned Midler to the Top 10,^[31] and was nominated for a Grammy Award.^[32]

Grammy Awards[link]

• The year given is the year of the ceremony.
• In 1981 the album In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record won the Grammy for Best Recording for Children, Midler was one of the various artists featured. This Grammy was awarded to the producers, David Levine and Lucy Simon.
• "Wind Beneath My Wings" also won the Grammy for Song of the Year. This Grammy was awarded to the songwriters, Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar.
• In 1990 Midler's version of "From a Distance" won the Grammy for Song of the Year. This Grammy was awarded to the songwriter, Julie Gold.

Ongoing work[link]

In 2006, Midler released a new Christmas album, Cool Yule, featuring the title song (written by Steve Allen) and a duet of "Winter Wonderland"/"Let It Snow" with Johnny Mathis. Midler starred in the 2007 film Then She Found Me, directed by Helen Hunt and starring Hunt, Matthew Broderick, and Colin Firth, and appeared on the American Idol season 6 finale, singing "Wind Beneath My Wings" live at the Kodak Theatre.

On December 6, 2007, Midler's album Cool Yule received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.^[33]

Midler had a Vegas show entitled Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The show comprised The Staggering Harlettes, 20 female dancers called The Caesar Salad Girls and a 13-piece band. The show debuted on February 20, 2008, and played its final performance on January 31, 2010, after a two-year run.^[34] The show was nominated for an Emmy for outstanding variety,music or comedy special in 2011.^[35]

A new "best of" album, Jackpot: The Best Bette, was released in 2008 and reached No. 66 on the U.S. charts, and No. 6 in the UK, where it was certified Platinum for sales of over 300,000 copies.^[36]

In June 2009, Midler appeared on the Bravo TV show My Life on the D-List with Kathy Griffin. In December 2009, Midler appeared in the Royal Variety Performance, an annual British charity event attended by Queen Elizabeth II. She performed "In My Life" and "Wind Beneath My Wings" as the closing act.^[37]

In 2010, Midler voiced the character Kitty Galore in the animated film Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. The film was a modest success, grossing $112 million worldwide.^[38] In November 2010, Midler released Memories of You, another compilation of lesser known tracks from her catalog. She promoted the album to her UK fans on Daybreak and The Graham Norton Show, on the latter of which she also performed "Dreamland" from For the Boys.^{[citation needed]}

Midler is one of the producers of the Broadway production of the musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert which opened in February 2011.^[39]

Midler will be co-starring alongside Billy Crystal in the movie Parental Guidance due to be released in 2012. Midler also auctioned her outfits and achievements from her 40-year career in November 2011 in order to raise money for the New York Restoration Project.

Midler has an estimated net worth of $175 million.^[40]

In June 2012, she is slated to receive the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York in recognition of her having "captivated the world" with her "stylish presentation and unmistakable voice".^[41]

Charity work[link]

In 1995, Midler founded the New York Restoration Project (NYRP), a non-profit organization with the goal of revitalizing neglected neighborhood parks in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods of New York City.^[5] These include Highbridge Park, Fort Washington Park, and Fort Tryon Park in upper Manhattan and Roberto Clemente State Park and Bridge Park in the Bronx.^[42]

In 1999, the city planned to auction 114 community gardens for commercial development. Midler led a coalition of greening organizations to save them. NYRP took ownership of 60 of the most neglected plots. Today, Midler and her organization work with local volunteers and community groups to ensure that these gardens are kept safe, clean and vibrant. In 2003, Midler opened Swindler Cove Park, a new 5-acre (20,000 m²) public park on the Harlem River shore featuring specially designed educational facilities and the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse, the first community rowing facility to be built on the Harlem River in more than 100 years. The organization offers free in-school and after-school environmental education programming to students from high-poverty Title I schools.^[42]

Discography[link]

• 1972: The Divine Miss M
• 1973: Bette Midler
• 1976: Songs for the New Depression
• 1977: Live at Last
• 1977: Broken Blossom
• 1979: Thighs and Whispers
• 1983: No Frills
• 1990: Some People's Lives
• 1995: Bette of Roses
• 1998: Bathhouse Betty
• 2000: Bette
• 2003: Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook
• 2005: Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook
• 2006: Cool Yule

Tours[link]

Filmography[link]

Film[link]

Television[link]

See also[link]

• List of number-one hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• A View From A Broad 1981
• The Saga of Baby Divine (Crown Publishers, 1984), ISBN 978-0-517-55040-3
• Bette: An Intimate Biography of Bette Midler by George Mair (Birch Lane Press, 1995), ISBN 1-55972-272-X

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bette Midler

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Bette Midler

• Official Website
• Bette Midler: Bootleg Betty
• Bette Midler: Fan-Forum
• Bette on the Boards
• Bette Midler at the Internet Movie Database
• Bette Midler at the Internet Broadway Database
• Bette Midler at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Bette Midler at TVGuide.com
• Bette Midler bio, photos, stories and blogs in the Las Vegas Sun
• Bette Midler on Muppet Wiki
• Bette Midler at Emmys.com

LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes in October 2009
Background information
Birth name	Margaret LeAnn Rimes
Also known as	LeAnn Rimes LeAnn Rimes Sheremet LeAnn Rimes Cibrian
Born	(1982-08-28) August 28, 1982 (age 29) Jackson, Mississippi
Origin	Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Genres	Country, pop
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, actress, author
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Curb
Associated acts	Eddie Cibrian, Ronan Keating, Brian McFadden, Marc Broussard, Elton John, Bon Jovi, Hal Ketchum, Reba McEntire
Website	www.leannrimesworld.com

Margaret LeAnn Rimes Cibrian (born August 28, 1982), best known as LeAnn Rimes, is an American country/pop singer. She is known for her rich vocals and her rise to fame as an eight-year-old champion on the original Ed McMahon version of Star Search, followed by the release of the Bill Mack song "Blue" when she was 13 to become the youngest country music star since Tanya Tucker in 1972.^[1]

Rimes made her breakthrough into country music in 1996 with her debut album, Blue, which reached #1 on the Top Country Albums chart and was certified multiplatinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album's eponymous leadoff single, "Blue," was originally intended to be recorded by Patsy Cline in the early 1960s. It became a Top 10 hit and Rimes gained national acclaim for her similarity to Cline's vocal style. When she released her sophomore studio effort in 1997, You Light up My Life: Inspirational Songs, she moved towards country pop material, which set the trend for a string of albums released into the next decade.^[1][2]

Rimes has won many awards, including two Grammys, three ACMs, a CMA, 12 Billboard Music Awards, and one American Music award.^[3] She has also released ten studio albums and three compilation albums and two greatest hits albums, one released in the US and the other released internationally, through her record label of 13 years, Asylum-Curb, and placed over 40 singles on American and international charts since 1996. She has sold over 37 million records worldwide, with 20.3 million album sales in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan.^[4] Billboard ranked her 17th artist of the 1990-00 decade.^[5] Rimes has also written four books, two novels and two children's books.

Early life[link]

Margaret LeAnn Rimes was born in Star, Mississippi. She is the only child of Belinda Butler Rimes and Wilbur Rimes. The family relocated to Garland, Texas when she was six years old. She was singing by the age of two, was enrolled in vocal and dance training, and by the age of five was performing at local talent shows.^[6][7] Rimes initially began her career in musical theatre, performing in a Dallas, Texas production of A Christmas Carol, and almost landed the lead part in the Broadway production of Annie. However, after appearing on the network television competition show — and clearly charming host Ed McMahon in addition to the more important fact of being a one-week champion on — Star Search, Rimes decided to pursue a career in country music. Following her national television appearance, Rimes made a number of appearances on Johnnie High's Country Music Revue in Arlington, Texas, which garnered the attention of national talent scouts.^[7]

By the age of nine, Rimes was already an experienced singer. She toured nationally with her father and also regularly performed a cappella renditions of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the opening ceremonies of the Dallas Cowboys football games. In order to bring his daughter more national attention, Wilbur Rimes began recording his daughter under the independent label Nor Va Jak when she turned eleven. She released three albums under the label between 1992 and 1996.^[7]

Rimes was discovered by Dallas disc jockey and record promoter Bill Mack. Mack was impressed by Rimes' vocal ability, and over the following three years, he made various attempts to bring Rimes to a mainstream level. The center of Mack's plan to bring her success was his self-penned composition, "Blue," which he had originally sung and released in 1958 as his own single for Starday Records.^[8][9] His song did not become popular, and Mack claimed he intended "Blue" to be re-recorded and made a hit record by Patsy Cline, but she had been killed in a plane crash before ever recording the composition.^[10] By 1995, Mack was able to gain Rimes a contract with Curb Records, after record executives heard Rimes sing "Blue."

Music career[link]

[edit] 1996: Blue

After signing with Curb, Rimes re-recorded a new version of "Blue" that was to be released on her debut studio album on the label. In 1996, the new version of "Blue" was released as a single, peaking at Number 10 on the Billboard Country Chart.^[11] While Curb was releasing "Blue," a claim was also sent out that Mack had been waiting over 30 years to find the perfect artist to record "Blue." However, the story was later found to be an exaggeration, as it was discovered that "Blue" had already been recorded by at least three different artists. Mack himself in 1958 and Kenny Roberts in the 1960s both released the song on Starday Records. In 1993, Australian country artist Kathryn Pitt released her own version as a single from her album "Look Out" in her native country. The story, though, was continually spread throughout the national press, adding to the idea that Rimes was the successor to Patsy Cline's legacy.^[6] Rimes's album Blue was also released in 1996, and sold 123,000 copies in its first week, which was the highest figure in SoundScan history up to that point. The album peaked at Number 1 on the Top Country Albums and debuted at Number 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, eventually selling a total of four million copies in the United States and 8 million copies worldwide.^[2][6][12] Allmusic considered the album to be "delightful" and that it could "help inspire other young teens."^[13] Rimes followed up the single with several charting country singles from her 1996 album, starting with "One Way Ticket (Because I Can)", which reached Number 1 on the Billboard Country Chart in 1996. She also released a duet single with Eddy Arnold from the album, a remake of his 1955 hit "The Cattle Call".^[1][11] The album's other hits included the Top 5 "The Light in Your Eyes" and the minor hit "Hurt Me."

With the album's success, Rimes received many major industry awards. In 1997, she won the Country Music Association's "Horizon Award," becoming the youngest person to ever be nominated and win a Country Music Association award. The following year she was awarded Grammy Awards, one for Best New Artist and another for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Blue". She is the youngest person to win a Grammy, at 14 years old. She was also the first Country music artist to win the Best New Artist.^[6]

1997–2001: Pop crossover and worldwide success[link]

LeAnn Rimes performing a free concert for the airmen at Ramstein Air Base, Germany on September 23, 2004.

In 1997, Rimes released a compilation of previously recorded material under the Nor Va Jak label, Unchained Melody: The Early Years. The album mainly consisted of cover versions, ranging from Country to pop covers, including songs originally recorded by The Beatles, Whitney Houston, Bill Monroe, and Dolly Parton.^[14] Rimes' version of the title track became a major country hit in early 1997 and helped increase sales for the album.^[11] In September 1997, Rimes released her follow-up studio album to Blue titled You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs. The album covered classic inspirational songs, such as "Clinging to Saving a Hand" and "Amazing Grace". It also featured pop music remakes of songs such as Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life" and Bette Midler's "The Rose". The album was a departure from Rimes' previous releases as it contained more Adult Contemporary-styled music than Country.^[15] The album sold over four million copies in the United States, certifying 4× Multi-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.^[16] The album contained the single "How Do I Live", which became a major pop hit on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching Number 2.^[11] "How Do I Live" set a new record for becoming the longest-running single in Billboard Hot 100 history, spending 69 weeks on the chart.^[12] The song was originally recorded for the film Con Air, along with a version also recorded by Trisha Yearwood. Yearwood's manager at the time had told the press that Rimes' version sounded "too pop". Therefore Rimes' version received little country airplay (only reaching Number 43) and was rejected for the film. Yearwood's rendition was released to country radio shortly afterwards, peaking at Number 2 on the Billboard Country Chart in 1997, becoming the country hit instead of Rimes' version.^[11][17] On October 13, 1997 she published her first novel entitled Holiday in Your Heart along with Tim Carter.^[18]

Rimes released her third album for Curb in May 1998, Sittin' on Top of the World. The album leaned more progressively towards Adult Contemporary and mid-tempo pop music. It included pop material written by Carole Bayer Sager and David Foster.^[2] It also included a remake of Prince's "Purple Rain" and was produced by her father. The album was given mixed reviews. Allmusic gave the album two out of five stars.^[19] Rolling Stone said Rimes vocal style "holds her own in the more popular style of Mariah Carey and Celine Dion, wherein a spectacular voice upstages a song, grins and goes on about her business."^[20] Upon its release, Sittin' on Top of the World debuted at Number 2 on the Top Country Albums chart, and Number 3 on the Billboard 200,^[21] and sold over a million copies in the United States, certifying "Platinum" in sales by the RIAA.^[16] The album spawned the Number 4 Country hit "Commitment", the Top 20 Pop hit "Looking Through Your Eyes", and the Number 10 country hit "Nothin' New Under the Moon".^[11]

Rimes released her fourth studio album for Curb, LeAnn Rimes, in October 1999, a collection of country standards.^[22] The album covered songs mainly by Patsy Cline – which included "Crazy", "I Fall to Pieces", and "She's Got You" – that were primarily taken from her 12 Greatest Hits album. The album also covered Marty Robbins's "Don't Worry" and Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee". The album included one new song, "Big Deal". The song gained many positive reviews. Allmusic called the song, "a return to her roots" and "a salute to one of her idols, Patsy Cline." The album in general received much praise. Allmusic called the album one of her "better" efforts, since they had disliked her previous releases.^[23] Entertainment Weekly gave the album a positive review and said that Rimes's voice, "dares listeners to take note of what is missing in her interpretations -- the gutsiness and gut-wrenching urgency of performers who felt what they sang."^[24] The album was a major success like her previous releases, debuting at Number 1 on the Top Country Albums chart, topping the country albums chart for two weeks. In addition, it also peaked at Number 8 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.^[25][26] The album also sold over one million copies in the United States, and was certified "Platinum" in sales by the RIAA.^[16] The album's new song, "Big Deal", was the lead single off the album, and became a Top 10 country hit that year, peaking at Number 6.^[11] Also in 1999, Rimes recorded a duet with Elton John for the stage musical Aida, titled "Written in the Stars".^[7] The song became a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The album would spawn a second single, a cover of Cline's "Crazy" that was released outside of the United States.

In 2000, Rimes would make her full crossover into pop music. On March 8, 2000, Rimes contributed to the soundtrack from the 1999 TV movie Jesus,^[11] called Jesus: Music From & Inspired by the Epic Mini Series.^[27] The song, "I Need You", would be released as a single from the soundtrack on July 18, 2000.^[28] "I Need You" was characterized by Allmusic as having similarities to that of Adult Contemporary and Pop music.^[29] The song became a Top 10 country hit and also a major pop hit, reaching Number 11 on the Hot 100. Rimes would make her first theatrical acting debut in the 2000 film Coyote Ugly. She would also contribute four songs for the film's soundtrack on August 1, 2000.^[30] Two singles were released from the Coyote Ugly soundtrack. "Can't Fight the Moonlight" was released as a single for the soundtrack on August 22, 2000 with the second single from the soundtrack, "But I Do Love You", as the B-side track.^[31] By February 2002 "Can't fight the Moonlight" became a crossover Pop hit, reaching Number 11 in United States and becoming the highest selling single of 2001 in Australia. "Can't Fight the Moonlight" won Rimes a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for "Favorite Song from a Movie."^[26]

In January 2001, Curb Records released another compilation of previously recorded material, I Need You. The album topped the Top Country Albums chart for one week, and also peaked at Number 10 on the Billboard 200.^[26] I Need You did not garner praise from many critics and was mainly given negative reviews. Rolling Stone gave the album two and a half out of five stars and called the album, "synthetic-feeling."^[32] Despite very little praise from critics, the album was sold well, certifying "Gold" in sales by the RIAA.^[16] Rimes would later go on to publicly disown the album, which she stated was compiled together from studio outtakes her father had produced and that it was released without her knowledge or input.^[33] At the time, during the litigation with her label, Rimes was asking "that Curb give Rimes the rights to all past recordings and videos, give up all publishing interests in her compositions and destroy all currently available recordings."^[34]

In mid-October 2001, Curb released a compilation of patriotic and inspirational songs, titled God Bless America, in order to benefit the disaster recovery for the September 11 attacks. It included the title track, which she released as a single, as well as inspirational songs such as "The Lord's Prayer" and "The Sands of Time".^[35]

[edit] 2002–04: I Need You, Twisted Angel, Greatest Hits

LeAnn Rimes performing a free concert for the airmen at Ramstein Air Base, Germany on September 23, 2004.

In February 2002 Rimes reissued the I Need You album with nine of the songs originally released on the album, an extended version of the song You Are, the song "Light the Fire Within", which she sang at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and 4 bonus remixes. Rimes would later that year release her seventh album (sixth studio album) titled Twisted Angel, which contained more adult material.^[11] After battling managerial control over her career the previous year, Twisted Angel became the first album released by Rimes that was not produced by her father.^[36] Instead, Rimes executive produced the album. A month following the album's release, Twisted Angel was certified "Gold" by the RIAA, her second Gold-certified album.^[16] The album received mainly negative reviews by most music critics and magazines. Allmusic stated that the album could possibly "alieniate her from her original fans" and "the songwriting is a little uneven."^[36] Rolling Stone gave the album two out of five stars, stating that the album sounded too "country-pop crossover."^[37] The album peaked at Number 3 on the Top Country Albums chart and Number 12 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart.^[38] Three singles were spawned from the album between 2002 and 2003, however none of the singles were Top 40 hits on the country or pop charts. The lead single, "Life Goes On", reached the Top 40 only on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, peaking at Number 19. The second single, "Suddenly", only peaked at 43 on the US Country charts, 47 on the UK charts and 53 on the Australian charts.

The following year when Rimes turned 21, she released her first children's book entitled Jag in July^[39] and she also released a Greatest Hits compilation in November.^[26] The album recapped Rimes' major hits under Curb records from "Blue" in 1996, to "Life Goes on" in 2002. The album peaked at Number 3 on the Top Country Albums chart and Number 24 on the Billboard 200 in November.^[40][41] Featured on the album was the song, "We Can", which was originally released as a single for the Legally Blonde 2 soundtrack in July 2003. The album would eventually be certified "Platinum" in 2007.

In 2004, Rimes released a sequel to Jag entitled Jag's New Friend in September^[42] and in October she also issued her first holiday-themed album titled, What a Wonderful World.^[26]

[edit] 2005–06: Return to country; This Woman

In January 2005, Rimes released her seventh studio album, This Woman, her first album of contemporary country music in many years.^[6] Although the album received mixed reviews from magazines and critics, it was Rimes' best-selling album in over five years,^[43] reaching Number 3 on the Billboard 200 and Number 2 on the Top Country Albums chart in 2005,^[44] selling more than 100,000 copies within its first week. Rimes explained to the Chicago Sun-Times that the album helped mature her as a person, "I have 10 years of experience, so it's tough to get anything past me in this business. I've become a very strong woman because of all I've gone through, good and bad."^[12] This Woman would eventually be certified "Gold" later in 2005, after selling more than 500,000 units nationwide.^[26] The album's singles were Rimes's first Top 10 hits on the Hot Country Songs chart in five years. The three singles released from the album — "Nothin' 'Bout Love Makes Sense", "Probably Wouldn't Be This Way", and "Something's Gotta Give" — all peaked within the Top 5 on the country charts between 2005 and 2006.^[11] From the album, Rimes was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Something's Gotta Give". In addition, she was also nominated for an American Music Award for "Favorite Female Country Artist." In 2006, Rimes recorded a cover version of Barbara Mandrell's "If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Want to Be Right)", for a tribute album to Mandrell's career titled, She Was a Country When Country Wasn't Cool: A Tribute to Barbara Mandrell.^[26] Rimes also would record a track for Disneyland's fiftieth anniversary celebration album titled, "Remember When."^[7]

In summer 2006, Rimes released the studio album Whatever We Wanna, which was released exclusively outside of the United States and Canada. It was originally planned on being released in North America, however due to the success of This Woman, it was never released. The album spawned three singles, "And It Feels Like", a duet with Brian McFadden titled, "Everybody's Someone" and "Strong". The album leaned more towards Pop Rock and R&B music instead of country.^[45]

Rimes would release one final single in the US from her album This Woman in August 2006 called "Some People" which would peak at 34 on the US country charts.

[edit] 2007–09: Family

Rimes took a two year break, and then released her next studio album in October 2007, Family. The album was a mix of country, pop, and rock music, and included a duet with Bon Jovi, "Til We Ain't Strangers Anymore".^[12] Family was the first album released by Rimes in which every track was co-written by Rimes herself.^[43] Rolling Stone said the songs on the album are "uneven" and rated it three and half out of five stars.^[46] Allmusic gave Family four out of five stars and said that the album, "illustrates her range as a singer along with some true strength as a writer."^[47] The album helped nominate Rimes for the Academy of Country Music's "Top Female Vocalist" award in 2008.^[12] The album's lead single, "Nothin' Better to Do" was released in mid 2007, and peaked at Number 14 on the Billboard Country Chart before the end of the year. The album has released two singles to date; "Good Friend and a Glass of Wine" and "What I Cannot Change."^[6]

In 2008, Rimes toured with Kenny Chesney where she opened every show on his 2008 Poets and Pirates Tour, along with other artists on select dates such as Brooks & Dunn, Keith Urban, Sammy Hagar, Gary Allan, Big & Rich, and Luke Bryan.^[48] In late 2008, Rimes was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "What I Cannot Change", the third single from the album.^{[citation needed]}

In 2008, she recorded For Good with Delta Goodrem for the Wicked 5th Anniversary album.^[49] LeAnn teamed up with Joss Stone for a CMT Crossroads special aired in fall 2007.^[50]

In 2009, Rimes published What I Cannot Change along with song co-writer, Darrell Brown. It was released on April 14, 2009 and contains a bonus CD with an exclusive live performance of the song and both Brown and Rimes reading excerpts from the book.^[51]

[edit] 2010—: Lady & Gentlemen and Spitfire

Despite singing new material at several live shows earlier in the year, it was announced, on May 24, 2010 by Rimes via her Twitter account, that her new studio album would be a cover album of country songs, titled Lady & Gentlemen.^[52][53] The first single from the album was a cover of John Anderson's 1983 single, "Swingin'. Rimes first debuted the song at the 2010 CMT Music Awards. The single was released on June 8, 2010. On November 8, 2010, Rimes released her second single titled "Crazy Women" to radio. "Crazy Women," A re-recording of "Blue" and "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down" were announced, in the same post, as the three extra tracks that Rimes went back in the studio to add to the album. A third single, "Give", debuted at #60 in July 2011. Rimes announced via her Twitter account on July 17, 2011 that the new release date for her Lady & Gentlemen album would be September 27, 2011. She also stated that her next studio album is already done and will be released next year.^[54] Rimes went back into the studio in March to record fifteen more songs for her new album, Spitfire,^[55] which will be released in fall 2012.^[56] It is to be the last contractually-obligated album under Rimes' contract with Curb Records.^[57][58] On April 4, 2012, Rimes was featured on the song, "The Choice", which was released by Soles4Souls as a charity single to help the foundation put 500,000 pairs of shoes on children who live without.^[59][60]

Musicianship[link]

Vocal ability and musical stylings[link]

Since her debut in 1996, Rimes' voice and vocal style have often been compared to and identified with Patsy Cline. Cline showed distinctive emotional expression in most of her material. Rimes has also used distinctive emotional expression in many of her songs, most notably her first single, "Blue", which was sung in the style of Cline. Rimes' vocal similarities to Cline had brought wide interest to the idea that Rimes was the successor to Cline's legacy, and brought her novelty appeal. Many music critics have argued that Rimes' vocals were only a reproduction of Cline's original sound, while others have disagreed.^[7] Allmusic has called Rimes' vocals "rich and powerful."^[6] Her vocal ability has also brought Rimes to comparisons to past teenage country stars, including 50s country star Brenda Lee and 70s country star Tanya Tucker. Rimes was also known for choosing mature material that was beyond her age range. In her first album, Rimes recorded such material as Deborah Allen's "My Baby", whose lyrics provocatively say, "my baby is a full-time lover, my baby is a full-grown man."^[2] Other material such as Diane Warren's "How Do I Live" had also been considered too mature for Rimes' age and was the main reason why her version of the song was not chosen to be used in the soundtrack for the film Con Air.^[17]

Influences[link]

Rimes has given credit to artists from various music genres, mainly country and pop. She has stated that Barbra Streisand, Wynonna Judd and Reba McEntire were primary influences on her career.^[61] Rimes has said the main influence on her career was Patsy Cline. She has covered many of Cline's hit songs since the beginning of her career. Her 1999 self-titled album is primarily a tribute to Cline, as Rimes recorded five out of ten songs for the album that were hits for Cline years before.^[23] Rimes has also stated that Judy Garland was an influence as well.^[62]

Film and television[link]

After beginning to date actor Andrew Keegan in 1998, Rimes said to the press that she had some ideas about possibly getting involved in an acting career. Rimes later moved to Los Angeles, California later in the year with her mother to pursue an acting career.^[12] That year Rimes played a role in the Made for television movie, Holiday in Your Heart, which is based on a book she had helped write. For participating in the film, Rimes was awarded the "Rising Star" award from the Lone Star Film & Television Awards.^[22] She made her official film debut in 2001 for Coyote Ugly, providing the singing voice for Piper Perabo's character Violet Sanford^[63] and making a cameo appearance towards the end of the film. In addition, she also recorded four songs for the film's soundtrack, including the Top 20 Pop hit, "Can't Fight the Moonlight."^[7] In 2005 Rimes hosted the country music television competition, Nashville Star on the USA television network. However she only held the position for one season after deciding to depart from the show's cast.^[43]

In early June 2007, she was chosen at the last minute to record the leading song for the soundtrack of Evan Almighty called "Ready For A Miracle" (previously recorded by Patti LaBelle). The song can be heard in the movie, during the end credits, and in the trailers of Evan Almighty.^[64] Rimes played in the movie Good Intentions with her friend Elaine Hendricks which is filming near Atlanta, Georgia.^[65] Rimes plays Meg Galligan in the made for TV movie, Northern Lights, based on the Nora Roberts novel of the same name. The film aired on the Lifetime network on March 12, 2009.^[66]

In 2007 Rimes began hosting The Colgate Country Showdown, a nation wide televised country music talent competition, similar to that of American Idol or Nashville Star. In 2011 Rimes hosted the show for her 5th consecutive year, when the show switched sponsorship, to Texaco.^{[67][unreliable source?][unreliable source?]}

Personal life[link]

President George W. Bush and Laura Bush listen to LeAnn Rimes perform in the East Room of the White House in a performance honoring the Dance Theatre of Harlem on February 6, 2006

Lawsuits[link]

On May 21, 2000, Rimes filed a lawsuit against her father, Wilbur Rimes, and her former manager, Lyle Walker in Dallas, Texas. Rimes claimed that her father and former manager took over seven million dollars from her in the preceding five years. Rimes also alleged that both men made unreasonable fees and took advantage of Rimes' label, Asylum-Curb, in order to acquire financial gain. Rimes sought unspecified damages because her attorney was not sure of how much money had been lost in the preceding five years. According to Rimes' lawyer, her mother hired two accountants to investigate how much was taken from Rimes's fortune, and it was estimated that the men acquired around eight million dollars in royalties.^[7] In 2002, Rimes's lawsuit with her father was "settled on undisclosed terms."^[12] Rimes reconciled with her father for her wedding.^[68]

In November 2000, Rimes filed a second lawsuit against her label, Asylum-Curb. Rimes wanted permission to be released from the contract that was signed by her parents on Rimes' behalf when she originally signed with the label in 1995. She also wanted her label to turn over the rights of her music, video work, and publishing interests, and destroy all of her recordings that were currently available to the label at the time of the lawsuit.^[34] Part of Rimes's legal battles ended in December 2001, when Asylum-Curb started a new contract with Rimes.^[7]

Marriages[link]

Amid the legal battles, Rimes fell in love with backup dancer Dean Sheremet. The two had met when he was chosen to dance during Rimes's hosting of the 2001 Academy of Country Music Awards. After her first date with Sheremet, Rimes told InStyle Magazine: "This is the guy I want to marry."^[12] The couple married the next year, in 2002. In July 2009, the couple separated and in September 2009, Rimes announced their plans to divorce.^[69][70] The divorce was finalized on June 19, 2010, exactly six months after Sheremet filed divorce documents for dissolution of marriage.^[71]