Grammy nominated and platinum-selling country star Jamie O'Neal is back with her first new album in five years with music that is ETERNAL.
Produced by O'Neal and her engineer/musician husband Rodney Good, ETERNAL is an 11-song collection that infuses great country classics with fresh energy -- featuring O'Neal's own unique take on iconic tunes such as "Leavin' on your Mind" (Patsy Cline), "The Sweetest Thing" (Juice Newton) "Help Me Make It Through The Night" (Kris Kristofferson), "I've Done Enough Dying Today" (The Gatlin Brothers), and the George Jones and Tammy Wynette classic duet, "Golden Ring," which features O'Neal with Andy Griggs.
The bonus track on the new disc being released by Shanachie Entertainment, is titled "Wide Awake," the only original song included on the album. O'Neal co-wrote the tune with her dad, Jimmy Murphy, and says it's an "ode to all women who have to sleep beside a snoring moose every night."
"ETERNAL is a little different for me," says O'Neal. "I grew up listening and looking up to all these incredible artists who helped pave the way for singers like me. These songs helped shaped me into who I became as a performer. I was already singing some of these songs in my show and just loved the way I could wail on them. Those traditional, big emotional ballads are hard to come by these days, which is why it was such an honor and a challenge to record such great music."
"Just like going to the Grand Ole Opry is a special experience and takes us back to our roots of Country music, I hope my new album will take people back to that era and also introduce new fans who may never have heard these songs," adds O'Neal.
O’Neal became a household name in 2000 with her back to back No. 1 singles, “There Is No Arizona" and "When I Think About Angels." With multiple hits that followed like "Shiver," "Tryin' To Find Atlantis" and "Somebody's Hero," O'Neal's path to stardom was on fire, earning numerous career accolades, including four Grammy nominations, winning ACM and Billboard Awards, and appeared on numerous national television shows such as Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with David Letterman and many others.
A seasoned entertainer, O'Neal pretty much grew up with a mic in her hands. She has been performing on stage with her family since she was 8 years old, opening for many of her idols such as Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Barbara Mandrell and The Oak Ridge Boys just to name a few.
"I always knew from the moment I first stepped on stage that country music was in my blood and that I would make my way to Nashville, come hell or high water," says O'Neal.
While she has penned most of the songs for her own albums, O'Neal has also penned hits for such notable artists as Reba, Martina McBride, Leann Rimes, Cece Winans and others. And, when the music supervisors needed a vocal range powerful enough to cover Celine Dion's version of "All By Myself" for the movie Bridget Jones' Diary, they chose O'Neal to perform the song.
In recent years, O'Neal has ventured into new territory with the launch of her new independent record label, Momentum Label Group, of which she serves as the label head and produces music for some of the label's roster, including flagship artist, Rachele Lynae.
“There’s so much undiscovered talent out there, and the major labels in town are getting smaller and smaller,” notes O’Neal. “There are so many more advantages to what a small independent label can do for the artist these days, like allowing them to have more creative input and to retain ownership of their recordings."
While she humbly says she is learning as she goes, O’Neal has been leaning on her own career and businesswoman expertise to guide her along in this new chapter.
“Things have changed so much since I moved back to Nashville in ’96 and got my record deal,” confides O'Neal. “It’s so easy to discover new music and new artists on the web and that’s exciting because you can build a real fan base and connect with your fans so much easier now. It's no longer exclusively based on whether radio plays you or not.”
Whether she's writing hit songs, running a record label, producing or performing on stage for thousands of fans, O'Neal feels grateful for the journey she's been on, as well as what's ahead.
"All of these opportunities have come to light because of the "musical path God put me on," believes O'Neal. "I am so fortunate to be able to do what I love, which is making music and sharing it with anyone who will listen."
JAMIE TALKS ABOUT THE SONGS OF ETERNAL
Born To Run (#3 hit for Emmylou Harris in 1982) - “I have always loved Emmylou’s style and the feel and strength of the message of going for your dreams, feeling free, striving to be someone and get somewhere. That speaks to me about how I felt when I first got to Nashville."Don’t Come Home A’Drinkin’ (With Lovin On Your Mind) - (#1 hit for Loretta Lynn in 1966) - “What can I say, it’s Loretta Lynn at her sassiest and it’s a sentiment that I share ha-ha!”
Golden Ring (w/ Andy Griggs) (#1 hit for George Jones & Tammy Wynette in 1976) - "My close friend Rafe Van Hoy wrote this. and I’ve always loved Andy Griggs voice. It’s classic George and Tammy and was a no-brainer to include it on this album."
I've Done Enough Dying Today (Top 10 hit for Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Bros. in 1978) - “Larry Gatlin’s voice and songwriting blow me away. I got to open for him at 11 years old and this song impacted me back then and to this day, still does.”
Just One Time (#2 hit for Connie Smith in 1982) - “I love the ‘feel good' nature of this song all the while desperately pining for just one more time with that lost love! Connie Smith’s version is my fave."
Leavin’ On Your Mind (Top 10 hit for Patsy Cline in 1963) - “I HAD to include a Patsy Cline song and I never got tired of hearing or singing this tune. To me Patsy Cline will always represent heartache and raw pain mixed with passion and sadness. Her smoky, velvety voice commands attention and rips your heart out with emotion. To me she’s in a class of her own.”
Help Me Make It Through The Night (#1 hit by Sammi Smith in 1970; #4 hit by Willie Nelson in 1979) - "Kris Kristofferson has always been a presence who moves me to tears. His honest and raw way of writing and singing is one of a kind. This song has been recorded many times by great vocalists and I hope my version stands up ‘cause I sure love to sing it!”
The Sweetest Thing (#1 hit for Juice Newton in 1981) - "I have been wanting to re-make this song of Juice Newton since I first heard it and fell in love with it as a teenager. It made me dream of when I was going to feel a love like she sings of in the song." Rock Me (In the Cradle of Love) (Top 30 hit for Deborah Allen in 1992) - “This song is so bluesy and soulful and that's my kind of country, I just love singing songs that have soul."
One Day I Walk (1971 album cut by singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn) - “This song is so special to me. It’s a Bruce Cockburn song and it deeply moves me…I love the lonesome, wistful and sometimes bluegrassy feel of this melody. I first heard k.d. lang sing it, and then Bruce Cockburn. To me it’s religious in a way, and represents the path we are all on to get to Heaven. Some suffer much more than others but we all have ups and downs and go through pain and hard times knowing one day we’ll make it to the ultimate ‘home’. The song really hits home for me."
Wide Awake (New original song co-written by Jamie and her father, James Murphy) - “I wrote this funny song with my Dad. It’s an ode to everyone out there who sleeps next to a snoring moose every night :-)"
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