OurBiography

Trisha Yearwood is an award-winning country music artist known for such hits as ‘She’s in Love with a Boy’ and ‘I’m Still Alive.’

Synopsis

In 1991, Trisha Yearwood released her self-titled debut album, which sold 2 million copies, and Yearwood became the first female country singer to sell a million copies of her first album. Later that year she was named the Top New Female Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music. She has followed this effort with several award-winning releases, earning Grammys and other accolades along the way. Yearwood is also a successful cookbook author and TV personality. She has hosted Trisha's Southern Kitchen since 2012. 

Early Life

Country singer Trisha Yearwood was born on September 19, 1964, in Monticello, Georgia, to Gwen, a teacher, and Jack, a banker. Trisha was raised in a small farming community, where she excelled in school and developed a love for country music. Originally influenced by the classic country sound of Hank Williams and Patsy Cline, Yearwood soon developed an affinity for Southern rock bands like the Allman Brothers and the Eagles.

In 1982, after graduating from Piedmont Academy, Yearwood attended a two-year junior college, followed by a semester at the University of Georgia. Unhappy with campus life, she transferred to Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. While working toward a degree in business administration, Yearwood interned as a receptionist for MTM Records. Upon her graduation in 1987, she was hired as a full-time employee. That same year, she married musician Chris Latham.

Benefiting from the company's resources, Yearwood recorded a handful of demo tapes and worked as a backup singer for some up-and-coming artists. Most notably, Yearwood sang backup on Garth Brooks' No Fences (1990) album. Brooks introduced her to his producer, Allen Reynolds, who in turn introduced her to producer Garth Fundis. Soon after, Yearwood landed a deal with MCA Records.

Commercial Success

In 1991, Yearwood released her self-titled debut album. The record was certified double platinum for two million copies, and Yearwood became the first female country singer to sell a million copies of her first album. While Yearwood hit No. 2 on the country charts, the song "She's in Love with the Boy," debuted at No. 1 on the singles charts. Later that year, she was named the Top New Female Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music. She and Latham divorced soon after.

Yearwood secured success again with the 1992 release of Hearts in Armor, which featured the hit singles "Wrong Side of Memphis," "Woman Walk the Line," as well as a duet with Don Henley titled "Walkaway Joe." Her next record, The Song Remembers When (1993), was accompanied by a cable television concert and yielded a chart-topping title song. That same year, Yearwood was the subject of Lisa Gubernick's biography, Get Hot or Go Home: Trisha Yearwood, the Making of a Nashville Star.

Three years after her divorce, Yearwood married Robert Reynolds, the bass player for The Mavericks. Her 1994 Christmas compilation, The Sweetest Gift, and her 1995 album, Thinkin' About You, sold well. Her next LP, Everybody Knows (1996), received a tepid response from audiences and music critics alike. In 1997, Yearwood released Songbook: A Collection of Hits and was also honored with two Grammy Awards: one for her duet with Garth Brooks called "In Another's Eyes," and one for the single "How Do I Live."

Acting Debut

After Yearwood was named the Academy of Country Music's Top Female Vocalist in both 1997 and 1998, the star decided to branch out. She began an acting career in earnest, landing a multi-season recurring role on CBS's military legal drama JAG.

In 1999, Yearwood and Reynolds divorced. The following year, she recorded Real Live Woman (2000), which featured the popular tracks "I'm Still Alive," "Try Me Again," and the Bruce Springsteen cover "Sad Eyes." Yearwood followed this personal album with 2001's love-themed Inside Out. This record featured the hit "I Would've Loved You Anyway." She released Jasper County in 2005, and that same year, married friend and mentor Garth Brooks.

Later Career

After a move to Oklahoma with her new husband, Yearwood issued Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love (2007) on Big Machine records. Two anthologies soon followed: 2007's Greatest Hits and 2008's Love Songs. In 2014, Yearwood returned to country music with the album Prizefighter. This was her first studio recording in seen years and featured her duet with Kelly Clarkson on the record's title track.

In addition to making great country music, Yearwood is enjoying a second career as a culinary star. She collaborated with her mother Gwen and sister Beth to publish the 2008 cookbook Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen. In 2010, she put out her second cookbook, Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood, again with help from her mom and sister. She debuted her cooking show, Trisha's Southern Kitchen, on the Food Network in 2012. Her latest cookbook, Trisha's Table: My Feel-Good Favorites for a Balanced Life, was published in 2015.

 Yearwood currently lives in Owasso, Oklahoma, with musician Garth Brooks.