Shania Twain

Songwriter, musician

Eilleen Regina Edwards, who would later change her name to Shania Twain was born on 28 August, 1965 in Windsor Ontario. She was raised in Timmins Ontario.

Twain started her music career early when at the age of three she started singing. At the age of eight Twain started to play guitar, and by the age of 10 started to write her own songs. Twain’s mother encouraged her music career, and would take her to perform at local venues and community events.
At the age of eighteen Twain, moved to Toronto to pursue a career in music. In 1987, tragedy befell the Twain family when parents Sharon and Jerry were killed in an automobile accident. Twain moved back home to care for her two younger brothers. At this time Twain found work at the Deerhurst Resort, singing in a Las Vegas style show.

In 1991, Twain was invited to Nashville, by music attorney Dick Frank. Twain signed with Mercury Records. It was at this time that Twain took on the first name of Shania, and Ojibwa name meaning “I’m on my way.”

Twain’s debut release Shania Twain (1993) was received with moderate success, and contained only one song co-written by Twain. The album did catch the attention of rock producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange (AC/DC, Def Leppard, Bryan Adams and many more).  Lange soon developed a friendship with Twain. Six months after meeting the two married on 28 December, 1993 at the Deerhurst Resort.

Twain’s second album The Woman in Me (1995), was co-produced with Lange and received with greater acclaim than her first. This album crossed genres and was an infusion of county, pop and rock. While her first single “Whoes Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?” reached No. 11 on the county charts, it was her second rock infused single “Any Man of Mine” which reached No. 1 on the county charts and was also a top 40 hit.
After marrying, Twain and Lange moved to Switzerland, where in 2001 Twain gave birth to her son Eja D’Angelo Lange.  In 2008, Twain and Lange separated, and were divorced two years later.   It was around this time that Twain also developed dysphonia, which made it difficult for her to sing. On 1  January 2011, Twain and Frederic Thiébaud announced their marriage, which took place in Puerto Rico.

In 2012, after recovering from dysphonia Twain started her two year run at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The production Shania: Still the One, was very successful and a live recording of the show was released in 2015.
In March of 2015, Twain announced her farewell tour.  This is not the end for Twain as she will continue to create and record music.

Shania’s Awards

Throughout her career Twain has won many awards.
This is not a complete list of her awards.  A full list of Twain’s awards can be found here .

– 1995 –  ABC Radio Networks Country Music Award:  Female Video Artist of the Year – The Woman in Me
– 26  Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMAS)
– 12 Juno Awards
– 5 Grammy Awards
– 4 Canadian Radio Music Awards

Sources:

“Shania Twain Biography“. The Biography.com website A&E Television Networks. Accessed: Dec. 9 2015.

https://web.archive.org/web/20140907095855/http://www.shaniatwain.com/bio/shanias-awards/

https://canadianmusichalloffame.ca/inductee/shania-twain/

King, Nygaard Betty, James Hale, Andrew McIntosh, and Jeff Bateman. “Shania Twain. The Canadian Encyclopedia Pub. 1 May 2015, Accessed: Dec 9 2015.