Yearwood, Trisha

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TRISHA YEARWOOD

Born: Monticello, Georgia, 19 September 1964

Genre: Country, Pop

Best-selling album since 1990: Inside Out (2001)

Hit songs since 1990: "She's in Love with the Boy," "Walkaway Joe," "Xxx's and Ooo's (An American Girl)"

Boasting a pure, effortless voice that adapts well to any type of material, Trisha Yearwood was one of the leading female performers in 1990s country. Like fellow country star Reba McEntire, Yearwood chooses songs that portray a diverse cast of female characters, from the rebellious daughter of "She's in Love with the Boy" and "Walkaway Joe" to the sad ex-lover of "Like We Never Had a Broken Heart." Regardless of style, Yearwood unfailingly projects honesty, sincerity, and directness. Her unabated presence on the 1990s country charts was due to the quality and consistency of her albums, comprised of songs by top Nashville songwriters such as Matraca Berg. While lacking the soul-baring grit of country legends such as Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn, Yearwood makes up for it with her flawless intonation, wide vocal range, and versatility. As the 1990s progressed Yearwood's records gradually became more pop-oriented without losing their charm and personality.

The daughter of a successful banker, Yearwood grew up on a large farm in Georgia. As a child she admired the music of rock pioneer Elvis Presley, as well as 1970s pop vocalist Linda Ronstadt. Attending Nashville's Belmont University in the mid-1980s, Yearwood studied music administration and performed an internship with the small MTM record label. Settling in Nashville full time in 1987, she worked as a background and demo singer, making friends with emerging country artists such as Garth Brooks, who encouraged her to pursue a professional career. Making good on his promise to help Yearwood in any way he could, Brooks used her as a background vocalist on his self-titled debut album in 1989.

Early 1990s Success

In 1990 producer Garth Fundis spotted Yearwood singing at a local bar and helped her sign with country music giant MCA. Yearwood hit commercial pay dirt with her first single, the exuberant "She's in Love with the Boy." One of the most infectious country hits of the early 1990s, the song established Yearwood's confident recording persona, mindful of country tradition yet unafraid to experiment with the bright accessibility of pop. A light-hearted tale of two young lovers facing parental opposition, "She's in Love with the Boy" bounces along on a sturdy rhythmic bed, its danceable groove punctuated by the catchy lyrics: "Her daddy says, he ain't worth a lick / When it comes to brains he got the short end of the stick." The song is a centerpiece of Yearwood's self-titled debut album, which ranges from wistful ballads such as "Like We Never Had a Broken Heart" to the up-tempo rocker, "That's What I Like about You."

Proving her dramatic range, Yearwood shifted focus on her next big hit, "Walkaway Joe" (1992). Again, the song features a young female protagonist who spurns parental advice to run off with her lover. This time, however, the parents are right: "Just a little while into Abilene / He pulls into a station and he robs it clean / She's waiting in the car / Underneath the Texaco star." In contrast to the cheery "She's in Love," "Walkaway Joe" bears an unadorned sadness that suggests the influence of folk music. Proving her skills as a sensitive, intelligent interpreter, Yearwood conveys a wide-eyed openness that mirrors her character's naïveté. The girlish innocence inherent in her performance makes it easy to sympathize with the young woman's plight. In addition to "Walkaway Joe," Yearwood's second album, Hearts in Armor, features the tough, bluesy "Wrong Side of Memphis," as well as the guitar-driven "You Say You Will." While Yearwood often holds her voice in check on ballads, with the uptempo "You Say You Will" she reveals substantial power, belting the lyrics using the top part of her range. Singing the final, "but you never do," she plays with the words, bending them in a manner that recalls down-home country and blues vocalizing of the 1950s.

Pop Directions

As country music became slicker in the mid 1990s, aligning with the smooth, clean sound of pop, Yearwood updated her approach, singing with a directness that bore few traces of country twang. Regardless of approach, Yearwood's albums displayed consistently fine songs, such as "Xxx's and Ooo's (An American Girl)," a highlight of Thinkin' about You (1995). An example of the new female independence that characterized country music in the 1990s, "Xxx's and Ooo's" is a catchy, tuneful account of a girl on the verge of womanhood, unconcerned with traditional pressures of femininity: "She's gonna make it in her daddy's world." On the Matraca Berg–penned "Everybody Knows," from the 1996 album of the same name, Yearwood reveals a playful sense of humor, singing, "I don't want a shrink / Don't even want a drink / Give me some chocolate and a magazine."

By 2000 Yearwood was continuing to record strong, personable songs such as "Real Live Woman," from her 2000 album of the same title. Despite her success and fame, Yearwood possesses the sensitivity to make lines such as "I work nine to five, and I can't relate to millionaire" believable. In 2001 she released Inside Out, a typically confident, diverse effort. "I Would've Loved You Anyway," driven by a strong, rock-styled electric guitar, finds Yearwood singing with undiminished assurance, while "When We Were Still in Love" ranks as one of her most impassioned performances. Singing against a sparse background of piano and strings, Yearwood captures a sense of loss and regret, imbuing the final line, "love is gone," with quiet sadness.

With her flexible, precise voice and talent for intelligent song selection, Yearwood remained a consistently strong presence in country music during the 1990s and early 2000s, staying afloat by adapting to country's increasing reliance on the breeziness of pop music. A skilled actress, Yearwood creates vivid portrayals of a host of female characters, bringing to her songs a dramatic sense of truthfulness.