Beth Nielsen Chapman

Beth Nielsen was born in Harlington, Texas, on 14 Septemeber 1958. She began writing songs at age 11. While singing in clubs in Mobile, Alabama, she met The Beach Boys' Bruce Johnston, who encouraged her to move to Nashville to pursue her career. She released her first album, "Hearing it First", in 1980, just after her marriage to Ernest Chapman. Their son, Ernest Chapman Jr., was born the following year. Beth wrote songs for several artists, including Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Tanya Tucker. She wrote top-10 hits for artists including Trisha Yearwood, "Highway 101" and Don Williams. In 1990, Beth released her second album, "Beth Nielsen Chapman", and followed it in 1993 with "You Hold the Key". In 1993, her husband was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma. Ernest's untimely death the following year inspired her to release her fourth album, "Sand and Water", in 1997, which received much publicity. Her co-written song, "This Kiss" (performed by Faith Hill), garnered her a Grammy nomination in 1998. In 2000, Beth experienced her own battle with breast cancer. Triumphant, she released "Deeper Still" in 2002. Her songs can be heard in many film soundtracks, including The Prince of Egypt (1998), Message in a Bottle (1999) and Calendar Girls (1999), as well as episodes of TV's Dawson's Creek (1998), Touched by an Angel (1994), Providence (1999) and Felicity (1998). Her latest album, "Hymns", was released in 2004.