Janie Fricke

"All I ever wanted to do was sing." Janie Fricke has gone from Indiana farm girl to internationally acclaimed recording artist throughout her career. She was born in South Whitley, Indiana, and raised on a 400-acre farm where her father taught her how to play guitar. From county fairs to corporate trade shows, live concerts, in recording studios, or before millions on television, Fricke's individual sound and performance personality has captivated audiences around the world.

Fricke began her career singing in a "little church up the road" where her mother played piano. She sang at local coffeehouses, high school events, as well as her way through college where she obtained her degree from Indiana University in elementary education. Fricke then chose a musical career, working in Memphis, Dallas and Los Angeles. There, as one of the marketing industry's most successful jingle singers, her voice became known to millions as the voice for such advertising giants as United Airlines, Coca-Cola, 7-Up, and Red Lobster. Her voice led her to singing sessions for Country artists such as Loretta Lynn, Eddie Rabbitt, Crystal Gayle, Ronnie Milsap, Barbara Mandrell, Mel Tillis, Johnny Duncan and others. She has also been given the privilege to sing on albums for Charlie Rich and Elvis Presley, after their deaths. It was a line in Johnny Duncan's single Stranger that ultimately gained the most attention for Fricke. When it hit the top of the charts in 1977, fans wanted to know who sang the line, "Shut out the light and lead me..." The music industry took notice as her voice was heard on duets with Merle Haggard, Moe Bandy and others, leading her to her first major recording contract.

Fricke soon began to dominate the country charts with smash hits such as Don't Worry ' Bout Me Baby, He's a Heartache and You're Heart's Not In It. It was only a matter of time before she started winning awards. Included among them are: Country Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year, Music City News Female Vocalist of the Year, "Billboard" Top Country Female Vocalist, "Cash Bed' Top Country Female Vocalist, Academy of Country Music Female Vocalist of the Year, British-based Country Music Round Up Most Popular International Female Solo Act, and she was chosen to the Country Music Hall of Fame Walkway of Stars. Twice she has been nominated for the coveted (Grammy Award, once for her It ain't Easy Being Easy In her recording career, Janie has released 23 albums and 36 hit singles.

When she relaxes she spends time with her Husband Jeff and her animals. She attends church near her home. Remembering from childhood the importance of her confirmation. Thankful for her blessings, Janie feels these values have helped her become the woman she is today. From an Indiana farm girl to an internationally acclaimed recording artist, she has never lost the pure heart and love of music that launched her career.


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ALLMUSICGUIDE.COM
Janie Fricke was one of the most popular female country singers of the '80s, racking up an enviable string of hits and proving herself a versatile vocalist with a particular flair for ballads. Fricke was born in South Whitney, IN, in 1952 and learned piano and guitar as a child; her first vocal influences were folkies like Joan Baez and Judy Collins, but she fell in love with country music as well. During college, she sang commercial jingles for a Memphis radio station and moved to Nashville in 1975, where she quickly became an in-demand session vocalist. She got her first major exposure in 1976, when producer Billy Sherrill teamed her with Johnny Duncan for a set of duets that included "Joe and the Cowboy," "Stranger," and "Thinkin' of a Rendezvous," the latter of which went to number one on the country charts. Sherrill signed Fricke as a solo act, and produced her 1977 debut single, "What're You Doing Tonight," which just missed the Top 20. Collaborations with Charlie Rich (the number one hit "On My Knees") and Duncan again (the Top Five "Come a Little Bit Closer") kept Fricke going strong through 1978, but her solo singles over the next couple of years had a hard time taking off. Sherrill advised her to establish an identity by focusing on one style, and Fricke began to record a generous selection of ballads.

As a result, Fricke had a breakout year in 1981, when she landed two Top Five hits with "Down to My Last Broken Heart" and "I'll Need Someone to Hold Me (When I Cry)." That only set the stage for her smashing success over 1982-1984, when she scored an amazing six number one hits -- "Don't Worry 'Bout Me Baby," "It Ain't Easy Bein' Easy," "Tell Me a Lie," "He's a Heartache (Looking for a Place to Happen)," "Let's Stop Talkin' About It," and "Your Heart's Not in It." Plus, the three singles she released during that time period that didn't top the charts all made the Top Ten. By this time, she'd broadened her style to include more up-tempo tracks as well. Fricke landed five more Top Ten hits from 1985-1986, including another number one in "Always Have, Always Will" and a number two in "She's Single Again." However, her commercial momentum slowed abruptly afterward, and following 1989's Labor of Love album, she and CBS Records parted ways. She recorded two albums for the small Branson label in 1992 and 1993, and issued the gospel record Hymns of Faith on Intersound in 1996. In 2000, she mounted a comeback tour behind the album Bouncin' Back, and two years later issued the concert set Live at Billy Bob's Texas, which featured many of her old hits.
~ Steve Huey, Rovi