Trisha Yearwood
Patricia Lynn Yearwood (born September 19, 1964)[1] is an American country singer. She rose to fame with her 1991 debut single "She's in Love with the Boy", which became a number one hit on the Billboard country singles chart. Its corresponding self-titled debut album would sell over two million copies. Yearwood continued with a series of major country hits during the early to mid-1990s, including "Walkaway Joe" (1992), "The Song Remembers When" (1993), "XXX's and OOO's (An American Girl)" (1994), and "Believe Me Baby (I Lied)" (1996).
Trisha Yearwood
- Singer
- actress
- television personality
- author
1985–present
- Vocals
- MCA Nashville
- Big Machine
- RCA Nashville
- Gwendolyn
Yearwood's 1997 single "How Do I Live" reached number two on the U.S. country singles chart and was internationally successful. It appeared on her first compilation (Songbook) A Collection of Hits (1997). The album certified quadruple-platinum in the United States and featured the hits "In Another's Eyes" and "Perfect Love". Yearwood had a string of commercial successes over the next several years including the hit singles "There Goes My Baby" and "I Would've Loved You Anyway". She released her tenth studio record Jasper County in 2005, which debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and the top ten of the Billboard 200. It would become her fastest-selling album in the United States. Yearwood signed with Big Machine Records in 2007 and released the critically acclaimed Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love the same year.
Yearwood spent several years on hiatus from her own musical career to focus on other projects. She published three successful cookbooks, which appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. In 2012, she began a culinary television series on the Food Network called Trisha's Southern Kitchen, which later won a Daytime Emmy Award. Yearwood has sold over 15 million records worldwide.[2] Her work has earned her several awards and nominations, including three Grammy Awards, three awards from the Academy of Country Music, and three awards from the Country Music Association. Yearwood has also been a cast member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1999. Since 2005 she has been married to country singer Garth Brooks, with whom she has collaborated on a number of occasions.
Early life[edit]
Yearwood was born in Monticello, Georgia, the daughter of schoolteacher Gwendolyn Yearwood and local banker Jack Howard Yearwood.[3] Trisha Yearwood's ancestors came to North America from England during the colonial era.[4] From an early age, she was passionate about music and participated in various music events held by her school and community. This included talent shows, church events, and musicals. After graduating high school, Yearwood studied for two years at Young Harris College, receiving an associate degree in business. She then attended the University of Georgia for one semester before dropping out.[5] Yearwood then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1985, enrolling in Belmont College and pursued a music business degree.[3]
Yearwood gained an internship with MTM Records and was eventually hired as a full-time employee. With the help of the record label's resources, she recorded a series of demo tapes and also sang background vocals for new artists.[6] One of the artists she recorded with was Garth Brooks. Developing a friendship, Brooks promised to help Yearwood sign a recording contract if his career succeeded. Brooks brought her to his producer, Allen Reynolds, who then brought her to the attention of producer Garth Fundis. Fundis and Yearwood began collaborating and eventually crafted a demo recording tape. In 1990, she sang background vocals on Brooks' second album, No Fences, and performed live at a label showcase. MCA Records producer Tony Brown heard her performance and was impressed. Brown helped her sign a recording contract with the label.[7] After signing with the label, she served as the opening act on Brooks' 1991 nationwide tour.[8]
Music career[edit]
1991: Breakthrough[edit]
Yearwood's self-titled debut album was released in 1991. Its lead single "She's in Love with the Boy" peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, bringing her major success.[7] Three other singles from the album reached the top ten on the country chart — "Like We Never Had a Broken Heart", "The Woman Before Me", and "That's What I Like About You". Her debut album eventually sold one million copies and was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of two million copies. Yearwood also became the first female country artist to sell a million copies of her debut album.[9] AllMusic reviewed the album and called the effort "a very classy debut that stands the test of time," giving it four and a half out of five stars.[10] Additionally, Entertainment Weekly, said that Yearwood's voice "demonstrates technical and emotional authority at every turn."[11] Yearwood's success garnered her a series of major music awards. In 1991, she was named Top New Female Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music and was voted Favorite New Country Artist by the American Music Awards in 1992.[6]
With success, Yearwood began engaging in more opportunities. Parting ways with her previous management firm, she began working under the supervision of Ken Kragen, who oversaw Kenny Rogers and Travis Tritt.[5] She also became the spokesperson for the WildHeart fragrance by Revlon. In a 2010 interview with Good Housekeeping, Yearwood explained that while filming the fragrance's commercial, she was asked to embrace with a male model. She declined to do so and would not continue production until her manager arrived to support her decision. The commercial was eventually filmed and shown on major television networks.[12]
1992–1996: Career diversification[edit]
In 1992, Yearwood released her second studio album, Hearts in Armor.[7] With her second album, Yearwood chose songs that came from emotional conflicts following the divorce from first husband, Chris Latham. The album was a departure from her previous material, containing ballads and collaborations with Don Henley, Emmylou Harris, and Raul Malo. Music critics praised the album. Allmusic called the album "stunning" and "one of the best heartbreak records country music delivered in the '80s and '90s."[13] About.com gave it five stars and called Hearts in Armor "possibly Trisha's best album ever."[14] The album's first two singles reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1992 — "Wrong Side of Memphis" and "Walkaway Joe", the latter featuring Henley on backing vocals.[7] The remaining singles ("You Say You Will" and "Down on My Knees") peaked within the top twenty of the country songs chart. Hearts in Armor would later certify platinum in sales from the RIAA.[7]
Other career ventures[edit]
Cooking[edit]
In April 2008, Yearwood released her first cookbook co-written with her mother Gwen and sister Beth Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen. The cookbook included other recipes passed down from her family and liner notes describing each recipe. In total, 120 recipes were included. The book contained recipes for such foods as fried chicken, ribs, meatloaf, and cheesecake. Garth Brooks wrote the book's foreword, stating how he was always fond of her cooking style.[70] Georgia Cooking reached number 1 on the New York Times Best Seller list.[71] Yearwood then stated plans to publish a second cookbook.[72]
On April 6, 2010, she collaborated again with her mother and sister to release Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood. The book contained recipes passed down through her mother, aunts, cousins and longtime friends. Yearwood stated that she dedicated many of the cookbook's recipes to relatives, such as Brooks, who also provided the foreword.[73] Home Cooking would also reach number 1 on the New York Times Best Seller list.[71] Yearwood's cookbook was the cover article for the April 2010 issue of Redbook Magazine, where she explained that many of the recipes featured in the cookbook were "some of the best memories of her childhood".[74] Later that year, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine included Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood on their list of "The Five Worst Cookbooks of 2010", noting its recipes are "loaded with fat and cholesterol", specifically citing one called "Garth's Breakfast Bowl" which "includes eight large eggs, a pound each of bacon and sausage, cheese tortellini, cheddar cheese, tater tots, and B.O.B (Bowl Of Butter)."[75] In 2015, Yearwood released her third cooking writing endeavor called Trisha's Table. Garth Brooks wrote the book's foreword and it was another writing collaboration with her sister.[76]
Philanthropy[edit]
Yearwood has participated in various philanthropic events. She recorded a version of "My Favorite Things" for the Sears "Heroes at Home" program in 2008. The song was available for download via the Sears website. The project supported the families of service men and women during the Christmas holiday season.[92] Yearwood has been an active member of the charity home building group Habitat for Humanity. Yearwood first joined with husband Garth Brooks in 2006. They assisted in the Hurricane Katrina disaster relief by building flood walls in New Orleans and protective structures in Mississippi. Between May 2 to 10, 2009, Yearwood participated in "National Women Build Week" near her home in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The project saw two hundred crews of women learn to build houses in Atlanta, Georgia and Oklahoma. For the project, Yearwood learned to construct and build simple and affordable houses for Habitat for Humanity construction sites nationwide. On Mother's Day, Yearwood, her sister, mother and niece joined the project as well.[93] Many of these Habitat for Humanity projects have been collaborations with former president Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn Carter.[94]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Yearwood and her husband Garth Brooks performed an informal concert broadcast on Facebook Live. The website crashed multiple times as an estimated 5.2 million streamed the broadcast. As a result of this, Brooks and Yearwood performed a concert in the same format the following week, broadcast live on CBS, along with a donation of $1 million to relief efforts.[95] The CBS special scored an estimated 5.6 million viewers.[96]
Reminding Georgans that their vote matters, Yearwood encouraged voters in the state to participate in the December 6, 2020 runoff election between GOP nominee Herschel Walker and Senator Raphael Warnock, directing voters to non-partisan voter advocate organization VoteRiders for information and assistance with voter ID requirements.[97]