SHANIA TWAIN
In a rags-to-riches story that sounds like a country western tune come to life, this sultry singer has reached the top
(Picture right)In her mid-20s Twain dropped her given name, Eileen, in favor of Shania, which is Ojibwa for "I'm on my way."
If Cinderella were staged at the Grand Ole Opry, Shania Twain would be a natural in the title role. The life of the Canadian singer, who vaulted to stardom in 1995 with her multi-platinum second album, The Woman In Me, is a rags-to-riches tale complete with personal tragedy, escape from crushing poverty and a happily-ever-after, or at least a happily-so-far. Prince Charming turns up in the person of husband and producer Robert "Mutt" Lange. All that's missing is a few evil family members. Twain has described her life as "a dream come true."
Once upon a time -- 1965 in Ontario, to be exact -- Twain (the second-oldest of five children) was born to a British-Canadian mother, Sharon. Although tight-knit, the clan (including her Ojibway Indian step-father, Jerry) had little money and lived a hard-luck life near the Temagami Reserve in Timmins. "We were really poor," she told MacLean's. "Although I never considered it that bad. We would go for days with just bread and milk and sugar -- heat it up in a pot. I'd judge other kids' wealth by their lunches. If a kid had baked goods, that was like, 'Oh, they must be rich.'"
(Picture left)Pat Boone may pretend to be a heavy-metal-head, but Twain's got the real thing in her husband, producer Mutt Lange, who has worked with Def Leppard and AC/DC.
After helping out with the chores and child care, 8-year-old Twain would retreat to her room and sing, harmonizing to tunes on the radio. Recognizing her talent, her parents encouraged the budding singer to perform at local honky tonks after last call to help bring in extra cash for the family.
The Twains struggled along for years, and in 1987 tragedy struck: both parents were killed in a car accident. Twain's older sister had already moved away from home, so Twain, at 22, was thrust into the role of family provider for her three teenaged siblings. She took a job at a local resort where she spent the next three years singing six nights a week. The family was so impoverished that they had to wash their clothes in a nearby river. "It was like being thrown into the deep end of a pool and just having to swim," she later told PEOPLE. When her youngest brother was finally able to make it on his own, Twain headed for Nashville. In 1993 she released her debut album, Shania Twain, which came and went with nary a ripple.
Enter Prince Charming . . .
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(Picture left)Pat Boone may pretend to be a heavy-metal-head, but Twain's got the real thing in her husband, producer Mutt Lange, who has worked with Def Leppard and AC/DC.