LeAnn Rimes talks classic ‘Blue’ hits, acting and gratitude before this week’s concert at the Fox
Update: The LeAnn Rimes concert has been rescheduled for May 31. All previously purchased tickets will be honored for the new date, and no action is necessary, an email from the Fox read on Tuesday. Those wanting a refund can contact the Fox by May 28.
Just before her 14th birthday, a young Texan named LeAnn Rimes released an album that would go on to reach No. 1 on the country music charts and No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard Top 200.
The record, “Blue,” was certified six-times platinum and still stands as Rimes’ bestselling album.
So it’s no surprise Rimes, now 43, is revisiting the album on her latest tour, coming to the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox.
“Revisiting ‘Blue’ and reflecting on the last 30 years of music has been the sweetest gift,” Rimes said.
The album includes the singles “Blue,” “One Way Ticket (Because I Can),” “Hurt Me” and “The Light in Your Eyes.”
Rimes took time out of her busy tour, with stops most recently in North Carolina, Mississippi and Texas, to answer a few questions ahead of her 6:30 p.m. Thursday show in Spokane.
Q: How do you manage touring, continuing to make music, acting and everything else? Where does that drive come from?
Rimes: I think I’ve just always loved what I do. That’s really where it comes from.
It can definitely be a lot at times, but I’ve learned how to take better care of myself in the midst of it. I’m not running on empty the way I used to. There’s more balance now, more awareness of when I need to rest.
At the end of the day, I still feel really grateful I get to do all of this. That part hasn’t changed.
Q: How has acting in “9-1-1: Nashville” been?
It’s been such a great experience. It’s a completely different muscle for me, even though music and acting are connected in a lot of ways.
What I love about it is getting to step into someone else’s life for a while. Dixie’s a strong, complicated woman, and it’s been really fun to explore that side of myself through her.
And the cast and crew have been incredible. It really feels like a team.
Q: You recently released a new single, “Wild Things Run.” How does it tie in with the show and your character?
The song is deeply connected to Dixie’s story and the love story between don and her.
It kind of lives in that space of wanting love, but wanting freedom and two wild souls who can’t be tied down, but will forever be connected.
It’s always special to get to create a song that elevates the storyline and adds depth to an emotional arc.
Q: What is it like to still have fans in the audience singing back to the hits like “How Do I Live” and “Blue?”
It never gets old. It really doesn’t.
Those songs have been part of people’s lives for so long – weddings, breakups, growing up – and to hear them sing it back, it’s like we’re sharing the same memory in real time.
That’s probably one of my favorite parts of performing.
Q: You have performed all around the world, but have you ever performed in Spokane before? Either way, are you looking forward to anything in particular?
Oh, yes … we’ve played Spokane. (However, a 2022 concert set for Northern Quest was postponed and refunded due to a vocal cord injury). I’ve been lucky to play so many places over the years, and every city has its own kind of energy.
What I always look forward to is the crowd. You never really know what the night’s going to feel like until you’re in the room with everyone. That’s the magic of live shows.
Q: What can concertgoers expect?
This tour is really about celebrating the whole journey.
Of course we’re honoring “Blue” and those early songs, but it’s not just a throwback show. It’s bringing those songs into who I am now, along with everything that’s come since.
There’s a lot of heart in it, and hopefully, a lot of joy too.
Q: Any final words?
Just gratitude.
Thirty years is a long time to get to do anything you love, and I don’t take that lightly. I’m really thankful for the fans who have grown up with me and stuck around.
It means everything.