Born Rebecca Carlene Smith on Sept. 26, this prodigal child of country music royalty (granddaughter of Maybelle Carter, daughter of June Carter and Carl Smith, stepdaughter of Johnny Cash) has been making a name for herself since her 1978 debut album Carlene Carter. Launched by Emmylou Harris's hit recording of her song "Easy From Now On," the young mother of two left Nashville at 22 to make a record in England with rocker Graham Parker's band, The Rumour.
Her second album, "Two Sides To Every Woman" in 1979, featured guest musicians like Paul Schafer, Clarence Clemons, and John McFee of The Doobie Brothers (Carter co-wrote their hit "One Step Closer.") She also began collaborating with her soon-to-be husband, British singer/writer/producer Nick Lowe on her first charting country single, "Do It in a Heartbeat." Lowe produced Carter's next two albums-1980's Musical Shapes and Blue Nun
Carter and Robert Ellis Orrall enjoyed chart success with their duet "I Couldn't Say No," and she followed it with her techno-tinged C'est C Bon album in 1983. After five albums, Carter took a break from recording, and spent a year on the London stage in the musical "Pump Boys and Dinettes." She then filled in for her ailing Aunt Anita when The Carter Family came to Wembley with Johnny Cash. She toured with them for the next two years. She started off the new decade with a hit duet on the country charts, "Time's Up," which opened the door for Carter's "I Fell In Love" in the fall of 1990, produced by bassist Howie Epstein. I Fell In Love, the album, was named one of the year's 10 best in any genre by TIME, People, and Stereo Review magazines. Award nominations followed for the Academy of Country Music's Top New Female Vocalist; and Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the 1991 Grammy® Awards. Hit singles continued with "Come on Back" and "The Sweetest Thing." In 1993, Carter released Little Love Letters, produced by Epstein, followed by "Every Little Thing" and "Unbreakable Heart."
By 1995, her musical evolution brought Carter to Little Acts of Treason, on which she finally got her dad, Carl Smith, out of retirement for a duet of his No. 1 hit "Loose Talk."
Carter's first "best of" collection, Hindsight 20/20 was issued in 1996. She continued to perform occasionally on successful European tours and made guest appearances in 2003 on a Chieftains album and a Waylon Jennings tribute.
Her performance of "Jackson" with Brooks & Dunn at the Johnny Cash Memorial tribute concert in the fall of 2003 inspired producers to approach Carter about starring in "Wildwood Flowers: The June Carter Story," a musical focusing on her mom's early years with Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters. Living in L.A. at the time, Carter eventually accepted the role and returned to Nashville. Along with cousin Lorrie Davis Bennett as her own mom, Anita, Carter found comfort and healing in playing June in July 2005.
Carter honored her late sister Rosey on the title track of her CD Stronger. She also reprises "I'm So Cool." In 2006, Carter recorded a pre-release version of Stronger with her brother, John Carter Cash, who also produced their mom's last two Grammy-winning albums.
The Carter Family musical circle remains unbroken by Carter.
Latest CD
Stronger