by Shania Twain
I started with a story; I ended with a book. This was a team effort and I would like to thank the dedicated group of individuals who contributed to its creation. To my manager, Jason Owen, for thinking outside the box, and Stacy Smith for her wisdom and nurturing. A sincere thanks to the publisher of Atria Books, Judith Curr, who, before even reading a word, believed. Thanks to Atria’s director of publicity, Paul Olsewski, and a big thank-you to Bob Barnett for taking me seriously when I said I’d written a book. It’s likely he may have thought, You mean, a song? But no, I meant a book, and he got it! Thank you, Philip Bashe and Patty Romanowski Bashe, who contributed their time and talent throughout the shaping and editing process. A special thank-you to Jeanne Lee, Sarah Cantin, Jessica Chin, and Chris Lloreda at Atria. I can’t thank Sarah Durand enough for being my gentle guide and lifeline through the cover-to-cover experience. I thank you for your patience, sensitivity, and respect for authenticity. Authoring a book is new territory for me, and without the foundation of support from those who contributed, my life story would have remained printed on hundreds of loose pages, stacked at the bottom of a drawer, under jeans that no longer fit but which I can’t bring myself to throw away.
A portion of my proceeds from this book will be donated to Shania Kids Can, a foundation dedicated to helping underprivileged children. Thank you to everyone who makes this charity possible and thanks especially to the children whose lives this foundation reaches.
“Mommy, you’re so sweet, your face is like a candy.”
Mommy replies, “Well, son, your face is as beautiful as a flower.”
The five-year-old boy then says without skipping a beat, “And Mommy, you picked me.”
I cannot take credit for choosing my incredible son, as Heaven picked him for me. Thank you, Heaven!
Index
A
A&R departments, 235
ABBA, 19
AC/DC, 245
acid, 94
Adams, Bryan, 245
Addams Family, The, 27
“Africa,” 152
AIDS, 107
Alba, Jessica, 387
alcohol, 77–79, 94, 122
American Idol, 211–12
Andalusians, 285
Anderson, John, 206
Andress, Ursula, 263
Andrews, Matthew, 290
Andrews, Michael, 290
Andrews, Patty Lou, 283, 288, 290
Andrews, Rob, 288
Angel (horse), 60–61, 62, 294
Angelo’s, 142
Anguilla, 258
Anscombe, Roderick, 357
“Any Man of Mine,” 265, 266, 268, 270–71, 272, 273
“apples,” 171
Argentina, 325
Aube, J. P., 151
Australia, 310–11, 313–14, 338
Auto-Tune, 299–300
Ayers, Brian, 189–90, 191, 193
B
“Baa Baa Black Sheep,” 16
Baby Alive dolls, 58
Bailey, Bob, 250, 267
Bailey, Mary, 171, 186–88, 189, 204, 243, 249–50, 263, 266–67, 288, 331, 367–68
“band houses,” 158–59
bannock, 57
barbecue, 220–21
Barcus, Brent, 302, 317
bars, 76, 77, 243
gay, 164
basketball, 104
Beach Boys, 18, 19
Beaches, 205
Bear Island Reserve, 6, 118
Beatles, 151, 222–23, 273
Becerra, Ramon, 295–97, 298
Bee Gees, 19
Bell, John Kim, 171, 172, 176–77, 178, 182
Benatar, Pat, 151, 152
Berlin, 340
Berny (tree-planting crewmate), 140–41, 144–45
Berry, Chuck, 222
Billboard, 237, 240, 269, 271, 273, 337, 338
birth control, 107–8
black flies, 134, 137, 138
Blair, J. D., 302, 316–17
Blonde on Blonde, 273
blueberry pie, 5
Bolduc, Helene, 212, 305–6, 308–9, 331
Bolduc, Larry, 212, 305–6
Bolduc, Paul, 208–9, 211, 212–13, 215, 257, 267, 305, 308
ST’s breakup with, 249–50, 251
Bonanza, 27
Boomtown Rats, 245
Born to Run, 288
bowling, 26
Boyzone, 310
Brady Bunch, The, 27
Brannen, John, 238–39, 240
Bread, 19
Brentwood, Tenn., 216–17
Brian (high school friend), 117–18
Brill Building, 222
British Country Music Awards, 286
bronchitis, 149
Brooks, Garth, 236
Browne, Jackson, 314
Brownsville Station, 37
Bublé, Michael, 381
bumblebees, 398
C
Caboto, Giovanni, 2
Campbell, Glen, 217, 234
Canada, 2–3, 338
Canadian National Exhibition, 107
Canadian National Railway, 84
Canadians, 219
Cannon, Billy, 256
Cannon, Buddy, 206, 255–56
Capreol High School, 46
Carpenter, Karen, 18–19, 252
Carpenters, 18–19
Carr, Barbara, 288, 289, 290
Cars (game), 67
Cars, the, 245
Cash, Johnny, 222, 234
Cash, June Carter, 286
casting couch, 229
Cats, 203
catwalk models, 392
celebrities, 167, 278–82
Chabot, Mike, 151
chaining, 128, 129
Chapleau, 183
Charlotte (childhood friend), 27–29
Chase, Diane, 152–53
Chevy Suburban, 182
chicken-fried steak, 220
Chiong, Roddy, 302
Chopra, Deepak, 374–75
chord charts, 74–75
Churko, Cory, 302
CIBC Bank, 208
Ciccone, Tony, 149
Cichon, Andy, 302, 315, 317
Cinderella, 82–83
clairvoyance, 181
classical music, 20, 73
Cline, Patsy, 286
clubs, 74, 77
CMA Music Festival/Fan Fair, 245–46
CMT (Country Music Television), 162, 235, 237, 240
“Coat of Many Colors,” 120
cocaine, 94
Cole, Nat “King,” 232
Come On Over, 288, 289, 290–92, 299, 301, 310–11, 330
sales of, 313, 323
songwriting for, 290–91
Come On Over tour, 289–90, 299–311, 312–26, 331, 339
Australian leg of, 310–11, 313–14
band for, 301–2
bus for, 305–6, 308–9, 314
“crew lottery” on, 314
European leg of, 322
isolation of, 318–19
North American leg of, 320–22
opening act for, 317–18
practical jokes on, 315–17
rehearsals for, 302–4
road crew of, 314
set list for, 305
ST’s wardrobe for, 308
U.S. leg of, 309–10, 323
Conception Bay Club, 105–6
Coolidge, Rita, 192
corn bread, 220
Cornell, Allison, 302, 304
country music, 74–75, 151, 234–35, 236, 262, 273
prudishness in, 237–38
Country Music Association, 245
Country Music Awards, 277, 286
Crawford, Cindy, 237
Creedence Clearwater Revival, 273
“Crimson and Clover,” 18
Croce, Jim, 20
Crosby, Stills, and Nash, 20
Cross, Christopher, 104
Culture Club, 164
cutters, 128
D
Daisy (hairstylist), 393–94
&n
bsp; Dancer (horse), 295–98, 309, 322–23, 324, 326
“Dance with the One That Brought You,” 243
video for, 241
Daniel (first boyfriend), 106–8, 112–13, 114, 115, 121, 123–25
Deerhurst Resort, 188, 189–207, 208, 211, 225, 232, 258
ST’s salary at, 197
Def Leppard, 234, 245
denial, 352
Denver, John, 218, 234
Derasp, Kenny, 69, 70, 72, 73, 78, 79, 92, 256
Derek, Bo, 263–66, 295, 298, 324, 325
Derek, John, 263–66, 295
“Destructive People,” 366
Diana, Princess of Wales, 281
Dick (pseudonym), 225–26
Diet for a New America (Robbins), 221
Dion, Rick, 151
disco, 74–75
“Disco Duck,” 75
divorce, 369
Dogs, 203
domestic violence, 108
“Don’t Be Stupid (You Know I Love You),” 305
Doobie Brothers, 19
Douglas, Diandra, 324
Douglas, Michael, 324
“Do You Believe in Love,” 245
dressage, classical, 296
drugs, 93, 94–95
Dubai, 52
Durning, Charles, 241
Dylan, Bob, 273, 280
Dylan (Carrie-Ann’s son), 334–35, 339
E
Eagles, 19, 69
Earth, Wind, and Fire, 19
Edwards, Clarence, 3–4, 40, 41, 43
Edwards, Eilleen Regina see Twain, Shania
Edwards, Regina (grandmother), 2
Egypt, 312
“empathetic person,” 365
Escapade Hotel, 151
E Street Band, 304
Evans, Linda, 263
Everly Brothers, 258
“Everything,” 381
“(Everything I Do) I Do It for You,” 245
F
false teeth, 3
fashion designers, 392
fashion industry, 391–92
fast food, 56, 393
Flack, Roberta, 192
Fleetwood Mac, 19
Flintstones, The, 27
Flirt, 152–60, 161
Flowers in the Attic, 116
Fobare, Sheri, 276, 277, 283, 288
Fonda, Jane, 361
Foreigner, 151, 245
forestry, 8
Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 343
Frank, Richard, 205, 206–7
“From This Moment On,” 290–91, 310, 323, 324
frostbite, 63–64, 119
G
Garrett, Ian, 89–92, 165, 190
gay bars, 164
Geneva, Lake, 313, 327, 345, 402
Germany, 338
Gilbert (Sharon’s first fiancé), 3
Gilley, Mickey, 71, 72
Gilligan’s Island, 27
“glam squads,” 395
Glasgow, 322, 340
“God Ain’t Gonna Getcha for That,” 222
“God Bless the Child,” 202, 273
Godreau, Kim, 277–78, 283, 287–88, 293–94, 305–6, 331
Goldie (goldfish), 24
Goldmann, Steven, 236–37
“Good-bye Yellow Brick Road,” 228–29
Good Morning America, 275
“Good Vibrations,” 18
goulash, 52, 57
Grammy Awards, 275, 286, 291
Great Britain, 338
“Green, Green Grass of Home,” 219
grief, 365
grocery stores, 219
“ground beef” families, 51
guitar techs, 316–17
H
Haggard, Merle, 71–72
Hall & Oates, 289
“Hallelujah,” 202
Hammer, 46, 98, 118, 294
Hannah, Daryl, 324
“Happy Together,” 18
hashish, 94
“He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,” 17
Heart, 152
Hello!, 387
Hemphill, Hardy, 302, 303–4
Henry (pseudonym), 227–30
heroin, 94
Hershey Cherry Blossom, 40
Hibbs, Harry “His Nibs,” 105
Hollies, 17
Hollinger Park, 26, 320–22
Holly, Buddy, 222
“Home Ain’t Where His Heart Is (Anymore),” 273
Honest Ed’s, 103–4
“Honey, I’m Home,” 310
horseball, 324–26
horses, 294–98, 324
Hot Country Songs, 305
hot toddies, 149
house bands, 74
Houston, Whitney, 234, 337
Hues Corporation, 37
Huey Lewis and the News, 245
Hunter, Tommy, 87–88
hunting, 139–40, 202
Huntsville, 189, 194–95, 205
Hurley, Elizabeth, 387
Hussein, Saddam, 7
Hysteria, 245
I
“I Can’t Make You Love Me,” 367
iced tea, 220
“(If You’re Not in It for Love) I’m Outta Here!,” 259, 268, 273, 336
“I’m Gonna Getcha Good!,” 340
improvisation, 73
“I’m Your Man,” 381
Indian reservations, 44–45
Internet, 268
Ireland, 340
“I Will Always Love You,” 337
J
Jacks, Terry, 18
Jackson, Michael, 234, 320, 338
Jamestown Etobicoke, 104–5, 109
jamming, 303
Jeff (Carrie-Ann’s husband), 209, 210, 211, 339
Jennings, Waylon, 69, 234
Johanna (Fred’s daughter), 346, 347, 348, 368, 376, 377–78
John, Elton, 228, 229, 291, 337
John, Jr. (Berny’s brother), 145
John (Berny’s father), 144–45
John Garland Boulevard, 108–12
Jones, George, 235
Jones, Shirley, 15
Jones, Tom, 219
Journey, 151
J. P.’s Lounge, 151
junior hockey, 121
Juno Awards, 317
“Just Like the Storybooks,” 68
K
“Ka-Ching!,” 340
