There Is No Arizona

Background:

“The whirlwind of my recent successes was just a case of timing after years of hard work.” Jamie O'Neal

Award winning musician and songwriter Jamie O'Neal performed with her family before touring with Kylie Minogue. She later sang backup for artists like Mindy McCready, Jason Sellers and Clay Davidson, before eventually launching a successful solo career in 2000 with her star-making album “Shiver.” Spawning such hits as the chart toppers “There Is No Arizona” and “When I Think About Angels,” the album brought the talented singer a Billboard Award, an Academy of Country Music Award, a Gavin Award, and three Grammy nominations. Her sophomore effort, “Brave,” followed five years later in 2005. As a songwriter, O'Neal has written for country singers LeAnn Rimes, Chely Wright, Tammy Cochran and Martina McBride.

As for her personal life, O'Neal has been married to singer, songwriter and recording engineer Rodney Good since 2000. They have a daughter named Aliyah.

Sidney Native

Childhood and Family:

Jamie Murphy, who later took the stage name Jamie O'Neal in order to differentiate herself from her family, was born on June 3, 1968, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Her parents, Jimmy and Julie Murphy, were professional musicians and her younger sister, Samantha, is a singer. As a child, Jamie often moved as a result of her parents' occupation. After her parents divorced, she lived with her father in Los Angeles, where she attended Beverly Hills High School. Unhappy with school, she left her studies to pursue her singing career.

On August 26, 2000, Jamie tied the knot with singer-songwriter Rodney Good. Her husband proposed to her while they were working on Jamie's first album. After finishing the project, they married in Florida. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Aliyah Kailin Good, on June 11, 2003.

Brave

Career:

Born to musicians, Jamie O'Neal began performing with her family when she was eight years old. Arriving in America at age 2, she and her family played at fairs and conventions and served as an opening act for celebrated country stars like Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and Crystal Gayle. The Murphy family relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, when O'Neal was a teenager and recorded three LP's to sell at their shows. The act broke up after her parents divorced.

Jamie continued to sing with her father, who moved to Los Angeles, when her mother returned to Australia. After leaving high school, she flew to Australia to visit her mother and worked as Australian pop star Kylie Minogue's backup singer. With Minogue, O'Neal spent two years touring the globe. During this time, she was encouraged to explore her song writing talent.

O'Neal made a demo tape, which her mother sent to an acquaintance in Nashville. The tape paved the way to a publishing contract and in 1996 she headed to Nashville to fulfill her dream of becoming a country music star. O'Neal soon emerged as a vocalist, singing backup for numerous stars, and a noted songwriter. Her songs have been recorded by many country artists, including CeCe Wynan, Chely Wright, LeAnn Rimes, Tammy Cochran, and Martina McBride.

1998 marked O'Neal’s banner year when she was signed to Mercury Records. She then worked on her debut album, “Shiver,” which was released in 2000. The singer made her entry into the Billboard Hot 100 with her first two songs, “There Is No Arizona” and “When I Think About Angels,” both of which also topped the U.S. Country charts. Subsequent charted singles included “Shiver” (2001), “Frantic” (2001) and “I'm Not Gonna Do Anything Without You” (2002). For her effort on the gold album, O'Neal won a Billboard for Top New Country Artist, an Academy of Country Music for Top New Female Vocalist, and a Gavin for Top Country Artist. She also took home Grammy nominations for Country Song of the Year (“There Is No Arizona” and “When I Think About Angels”) and Best Female Country Vocal Performance (“There Is No Arizona”).

During the course of her album's success, O'Neal performed “All By Myself” for the “Bridget Jones's Diary” soundtrack, appeared at the Grand Ole Opry, and on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “The Late Show with David Letterman.” She also opened for Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith, and toured with Martina McBride and Reba McEntire. The rising star took a short break from the road to have a baby, but remained busy writing songs, including the Martina McBride hit “How Far.”

O'Neal released her second album, “Brave,” in 2005. The album spawned such hit singles as “Trying to Find Atlantis,” “Somebody's Hero” and “I Love My Life.” In 2007, she released the single “God Don't Make Mistakes.”

Awards:

• Billboard: Top New Country Artist, 2001

• Academy of Country Music: Top New Female Vocalist, 2001

• Gavin: Top Country Artist, 2001