Not on a balance beam... in life.
For an artist who attained success so early in life, LeAnn Rimes has remained remarkably grounded, in contrast to other young celebrities who generate tabloid headlines for their erratic behavior.
LeAnn, who has been married happily for five years to Dean Sheremet, tells CMA Close Up, "I knew people were just waiting for me to self-destruct because that's what happens. And I have that competitive edge to me that I wanted to prove people wrong. Fame and fortune really do strip a lot of things away from you for a little while. It did me. There's a sense of reality that's completely stripped from you, and I've clawed my way back from that. I wanted to get that back. I think it's because I wanted it so badly that I have a good balance now. It's nice to be able to look back and know that I've accomplished so much and be thankful for it, but I know there's so much more left to accomplish."
LeAnn and Dean wrote some of the material on her new CD, Family together. "When writing with Dean, there is an immense sense of security and familiarity," she says. "We complement each other very well, each picking up where the other leaves off. We're constantly pushing the other further. It's nice to have a relationship of complete honesty."