Claudia Church

Claudia Church's story is a clichéd country music fairy tale. She grew up in fairly humble surroundings in North Carolina, with dreams of becoming a country music star. Her good looks landed her work as a model (including a stint in Paris), and she performed on local radio programs, including the legendary Louisiana Hayride. In 1988, she moved to Nashville to realize her dreams of becoming a star. Once there, Church found work, and gained valuable singing experience recording songwriter's demos.

She also garnered roles in various music videos, including those by Ricky Van Shelton, Steve Wariner, and most significantly, Rodney Crowell. Church met Crowell on the set of his "Lovin' All Night" video in 1992, and the pair married in 1998. Crowell went on to produce Church's debut album, Claudia Church, released by Reprise in 1999. The album features her debut single, "What's the Matter With You Baby." Stylistically, Church is squarely in the country-pop vein that has followed in the wake of Reba McEntire's success.