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HOT DISH: Shania Comes Home To North America

CMT.com
May 28, 2007
By: Hazel Smith

Say what you want to, but the woman who named herself Shania Twain is smarter than the average Canadian or American woman. She took an aim at stardom and, boy, did she ever hit the big time -- far bigger and better than I think even she imagined.

When Shania hit Nashville, she and her boyfriend Paul set out to find success in the music industry. Luckily, she met Buddy and Billie Cannon who prevented Shania from facing starvation. (FYI: Buddy won two ACM awards this year for song of the year and single of the year for co-writing George Strait's hit, "Give It Away," with Bill Anderson and Jamey Johnson. Buddy is also famous for producing monster records for Kenny Chesney. Billie is, of course, Buddy's wife and the mother of his three daughters.)

Like most celebrities, the biggest superstars are "protected" -- not only from the fans but also from each other -- at events like the ACM Awards. Such was the case for Shania at the recent ACM show in Las Vegas, but Buddy and Billie spied her someplace. Like always, Shania screamed and welcomed her dear, old, true friends, Buddy and Billie.

When I first saw Shania on the television screen at the ACM's, I recognized a happy, contented look that she's worn on her face since she met and married world renowned record producer and songwriter Robert "Mutt" Lange. Buddy and Billie saw that same look while visiting with their friend face to face. Both Buddy and Billie said as much to me.

Like any good mom, Shania was glowing when she told friends about her 5-year-old son, Eja. "He is such a little man," bragged his mom. "So into Mutt -- and Mutt is so into him." With Eja attending school when the awards show took place, he remained in the new family digs built high on the mountains and in the middle of a 24,000-acre sheep farm in New Zealand. Like his parents, Eja is a vegetarian. When a friend at school started talking about eating chicken, Eja said, "You eat chicken? Yuck!" Sounds like international language to me.

Yes, Shania is recording a new album. She has started the project at their home studio in New Zealand. She and Lange also built a recording studio at their home in Switzerland. And that is the way of the rich and famous. A few of us can be so lucky and blessed.

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