On this day (January 6) in 1998, the 40th annual Grammy Award nominations were announced. Among the long list of nominees were Trisha Yearwood and LeAnn Rimes. They were both up for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Female for “How Do I Live.” This marked the first time in Grammy history that two artists were competing for the same award with the same song.
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Rimes was one of the biggest new stars in country music in the late 1990s. Her 1996 debut single, “Blue,” reached No. 10 on the country chart and No. 26 on the Hot 100. “One Way Ticket (Because I Can)” became her first No. 1 single later that year. As a result, when Dianne Warren penned a ballad for the upcoming Jerry Bruckheimer film Con Air, Rimes seemed like the perfect person to sing it.
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According to Songfacts, Warren pitched the song to Rimes, who took it to Texas and recorded it, backed by an orchestra. She also shot a video for the track. At the time, though, it hadn’t been officially chosen for inclusion in the film. Bruckheimer loved the song, but wanted a few changes made. However, Wilbur Rimes, LeAnn’s dad/producer, refused to make those changes. As a result, Bruckheimer suggested they get Yearwood to cut the song.
Warren agreed but refused to take the song away from Rimes. As a result, she included her rendition on her 1997 album You Light Up My Life. Yearwood’s rendition was included in the film’s soundtrack.
LeAnn Rimes and Trisha Yearwood Compete with “How Do I Live”
LeAnn Rimes and Trisha Yearwood didn’t just compete with “How Do I Live” at the Grammy Awards. Their renditions of the song also competed on the charts. Both versions of the song dropped on May 23, 1997.
Rimes reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 and No. 43 on the Hot Country Songs chart. Yearwood’s rendition of the song did better on the country chart, where it peaked at No. 2. It also reached No. 23 on the Hot 100, giving Yearwood her first top 40 crossover hit.
Yearwood’s version of “How Do I Live” also won the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Female. She and Garth Brooks also shared the win for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for “In Another’s Eyes.”
Featured Image by CBS via Getty Images
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