LeAnn Rimes is the sixth studio album by American country music artist LeAnn Rimes, released on October 26, 1999, by Curb Records. The album consists almost entirely of covers of old-time country hits. Only one original song, "Big Deal", was included, which was released as the album's first single.
The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, who described its country stylings as a return to form for Rimes. Commercially, the album debuted at number one on the Top Country Albums chart and at number 8 on the Billboard 200. It has been certified Platinum by the RIAA for sales of one million copies in the United States.
Singles
"Big Deal" was the album's sole release to country radio, where it reached number six on the US Hot Country Songs chart and number three on the Canada RPM Country Tracks.
LeAnn Rimes received generally positive reviews from music critics. Several reviewers described the album as a return to form for Rimes, resembling the country sound of her major label debut Blue (1996) more so than her previous records. Rimes's vocal ability on the album was praised as improving over time, but its material was criticized for being inappropriate for Rimes's age, with Randy Lewis of the Los Angeles Times saying that she "imitates rather than truly inhabits the deepest emotions of these heartbreak-heavy songs".[3] Beth Johnson of Entertainment Weekly felt that Rimes's interpretations of country classics were missing the "gutsiness and gut-wrenching urgency of performers who felt what they sang".[2] In contrast, Shirley Jinkins of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram felt that LeAnn Rimes showcased that she had some "emotional maturity to go along with that perfect voice" at age 17.[4]
Critics were very complimentary of the album's sole original song, "Big Deal". Randy Lewis described it as "a sassy number that fits her age and temperament to a T" while Beth Johnson called it "contagiously youthful".[3][2]Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic felt that it was the best track on the album, saying "she sounds loose, confident and exciting [...] and even more importantly, she never sounds like one of her idols - she sounds like herself".[1]
Commercial performance
LeAnn Rimes debuted at #8 on Billboard 200 with 115,000 copies sold in its first week.[5]
David Angell, Grace Bahng, Denise Baker, David Davidson, Conni Ellisor, Carl Gorodetzky, Gerald Greer, Jim Grosjean, Anthony LaMarchina, Lee Larrison, Bob Mason, Carole Neuer-Rabinowitz, Clara M. Olson, Kathryn Plummer, Pamela Sixfin, Elisabeth Small, Julie Tanner, Alan Umstead, Cathy Umstead, Gary Vanosdale, Mary Kathryn Vanosdale, Kristin Wilkinson and Karen Winklemann – string players
Production
Wilbur C. Rimes – producer
LeAnn Rimes – co-producer
Greg Hunt – chief engineer, mixing
Austin Deptula – assistant engineer, digital editing, mastering
Gary Leach – assistant engineer
Terry Christian – string recording
Bob Horn – second string engineer
Glenn Sweitzer and Fresh Design – art direction, design
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