Womack's tale sounds like any struggling businesswoman except that, instead of an office high rise, her adventures lead to a Nashville recording studio. This rising country star is a Texas gal, raised in a small town called Jacksonville. Her father served as the primary musical influence in her life. He was a disc jockey and often let Womack pick the tunes for the day. The sounds of Reba and Dolly coming from the radio struck a chord in the young Southerner. Soon, she was throwing herself wholeheartedly into the music business. She even ditched her senior class trip to research possible opportunities in Nashville.

She didn't join her first band until college. When she became a member of South Plains Junior College's Country Caravan, she got invaluable experience playing in front of crowds. Counting both traditional and contemporary country artists among her influences, Womack explored her own interests while touring.

During her stint at South Plains, Womack figured out she needed further education in the business realm. Leaving junior college and her first band behind, she enrolled in Belmont University in 1990. It turns out she couldn't have made a better choice. Belmont is located right in the heart of Music City. Womack soon had an internship to go with her new major. She also got married and started a family.

As a part of MCA's A&R Department, Womack had the chance to meet many of her idols. It wasn't long before she started testing the song-writing waters herself. She found out she was pretty good. Her songs were recorded by big names like Bill Anderson and Ricky Skaggs. Working for a big record label also gave her the opportunity to sing on demos. Soon, she too was showcasing for Nashville executives.

Ironically, it was a producer at Tree Publishing, the company for whom she wrote songs, who saw her perform. Her original lyrics and sweet voice impressed Don Cook. In 1996, Womack was signed to Decca Records. By 1997, she was ready to release her first album.

Self-titled, the debut album featured the voices of such notables as Mark Chestnutt, Ricky Skaggs, Sharon White, and Tony Brown. That, in itself, was unheard of for a first-timer. Audiences responded immediately, sending the tracks to the top of the country charts. Womack became golden by early 1998. Her most popular tunes ranged from bluesy rock to ballads to old-fashioned honky-tonk. Hailed as easy on the ears, she was touted as a singer who could save Country soul.

The year got even better for Womack who scored an American Music Award for Favorite New Country Artist. She followed that with an Academy of Country Music Top Female Vocalist nod and a TNN/Music City News vote for Female Star of Tomorrow. During her meteoric rise, Womack has remained modest. She plans to return to Belmont University to finish her degree.

Womack's fans were thrilled with the release of her second album, Some Thing I Know. This time she drafted the talents of Vince Gill and Joe Diffie. The respect of her peers is important to Womack. She recalls with an obvious glee reading an interview with George Strait where he mentioned her name. Another milestone was singing with her childhood idol, Dolly Parton.

Her second album earned her a CMA nomination for Female Vocalist of the Year for 1998. Though Womack still feels like the proverbial duckling among silver-voiced swans, she has reached platinum sales for her first record. Some Things I Know has had healthy sales on its own, going Gold, mostly due to the emotional content. Relationship themes including cheating, breaking up, and rejection pepper the tracks. With a strong dose of humor, Womack sings from her heart. She returned to those traditional country themes in the 2000 release, I Hope You Dance.

So far, her voice has struck a powerful chord with listeners and artists alike. Through it all, she has remained firmly grounded. With two feet deeply planted in the soil of Music City, Lee Ann Womack is bound to grow.