Straight Talk With Leann Rimes

Originally posted on CMAcloseup.com

By Kinsey Haynes

When Sirius/XM “The Highway” personality Storme Warren walked onto the CMA Close Up Stage in Fan Fair X, he came bearing jokes and stories from his experiences in the Country Music industry.

After he had spent about 10 minutes of talking about Country greats including Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Conway Twitty and Tammy Wynette, LeAnn Rimes yelled from backstage, “Hey, we are ready!”

The audience erupted with applause and standing ovations as she entered, flashing a huge grin.

Warren then began his interview with the Country star, who enjoyed her first hit record, “Blue,” at age 13. “We have watched you grow up on the television. We have watched you grow up musically, in the tabloids, in the press,” Warren said.

Asked how she attained success so young and maintained her career up to this point, Rimes attributed it to being “stubborn as shit.”

“I’m a fighter and I love what I do. It’s all I know and it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do,” said Rimes. “I have this drive and have since I was young.”

Having missed out on her childhood, Rimes now lives vicariously through her two stepchildren. She enjoys planning their birthday parties and running their social calendar as well as being “super mom.”

After sharing several stories, she played the title track off her most recent album Spitfire, which she noted came out a year ago yesterday. She also discussed the reality show that she and her husband, Eddie Cibrian, will  launch July 17 on VH1, called “LeAnn and Eddie.”

“It’s a satirical look into our life. It’s fun. We don’t hold back on a lot of things and you hear our side of everything,” Rimes said. “We wanted to be at home with our kids so we did it like we were working a 9-to-5 job.

Rimes then surprised the crowd by performing her first hit single, “Blue.” As the estimated 300 onlookers sang with her, she broke into an appreciative smile.

The ultimate message Rimes wanted to convey is that she is just a normal person like everyone else.

“People in my position are normal. We go through the same stuff,” Rimes said.

She ended the interview playing the song “Gasoline and Matches.”

“I was a little girl with a big voice,” she said. “My dad always told me that one day I would have to be someone with more than that. My voice is communication.”