Deana Carter

Full name: Deana Kay Carter; named for Dean Martin, who recorded one of her father's songs

Birth date: Jan. 4, 1966

Birthplace: Nashville, Tenn.

Hair: blonde

Eyes: gray/blue

Height: 5 ft. 6 in.

Shoe size: 6, although she's in the habit of kicking them off when performing.

Childhood nickname: Little Bit of Sunshine

Label: Capitol

First big break: Willie Nelson heard one of her tapes and invited her to perform after an impromptu audition in his tour bus

Parents: Fred, a Nashville session musician and songwriter; Anna, a homemaker
Siblings: older brother Ronnie; younger brother Jeff plays guitar in her band
Husband: Chris DiCroce, married Nov. 11, 1995.

On growing up in a musical family: "There was always music in our house. At family reunions, you either found a harmony part or washed dishes, so I chose the harmony part." Education: graduated in 1989 from University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a degree in physical rehabilitation

Previous jobs: working with stroke and head-injury patients, waiting tables, teaching pre-school, cleaning bathrooms

Residence: Victorian-style house outside of Nashville

Favorite clothes: simple, plain, classy; admires designer Richard Tyler. "I'm not much into flashy. My family doesn't work in a rhinestone mine."

Favorite country song: "Help Me Make It Through the Night" by Sammi Smith. "It's like English literature put to music."

Awards: 1997 CMA Single of the Year for "Strawberry Wine"
Platinum album: Did I Shave My Legs for This? (1996) 3 million
Top 10 singles: "Strawberry Wine" (No. 1, 1996); "We Danced Anyway" (No. 1, 1996); "How Do I Get There" (No. 1, 1997); "Count Me In" (No. 5, 1997)

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