In the early 90's an aspiring female singer/ songwriter from Canada was trying to make it in Nashville. She met a very successful rock music producer and they were married on December 28, 1993. Although they never tried to fit into the Nashville music scene they set about writing songs and recording them for release to country music radio. That never, ever works, by the way-- Nashville is as political as WashDC. The music was released and much debate followed about whether it was country music or rock music tailored for country radio or pop fluff with a great bass line or, well whatever it was it changed the face of the country music business forever. Why? Because it sold. Man, did it sell.
Here's what these two talented people put together:
1995 album release-- 12 MILLION sold to date
1997 album release-- 20 MILLION sold " "
2002 album release-- 11 MILLION sold " "
2004 Greatest Hits from the 3 albums released-- 4 MILLION sold
Care to find a contemporary recording artist in any genre of music, male or female, solo or group, that has sold 47 million units on just 4 releases? Good luck. There are very few.
And yesterday the word came out from this very private couple that they have separated. This probably won't make much news in New York or Los Angeles but it's big news out here in America. Shania Twain and Mutt Lange are splittin' the dishes after 14 years of marriage.
5/20 UPDATE: Rumormongers have been assuming that young Shania just got tired of ol' Mutt. But, the latest story out of Switzerland is that Mutt was a dawg who got tired of Shania's spirituality. A spirituality that calls for no sexuual activity. Well, that's what the Nashvillians are saying, anyway.
