Beth Nielsen Chapman
Birthday:
14 September 1958, Harlington, Texas, USA
Birth Name:
Beth Nielsen
Beth Nielsen was born in Harlington, Texas, on 14 Septemeber 1958. She began writing songs at age 11. While singing in clubs in Mobile, Alabama, she met The Beach Boys' Bruce Johnston, who encouraged her to move to Nashville to pursue her career. She released her first album, "Hearing it First", in 1980, just after her marriage to Er...
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Beth Nielsen was born in Harlington, Texas, on 14 Septemeber 1958. She began writing songs at age 11. While singing in clubs in Mobile, Alabama, she met The Beach Boys' Bruce Johnston, who encouraged her to move to Nashville to pursue her career. She released her first album, "Hearing it First", in 1980, just after her marriage to Ernest Chapman. Their son, Ernest Chapman Jr., was born the following year. Beth wrote songs for several artists, including Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Tanya Tucker. She wrote top-10 hits for artists including Trisha Yearwood, "Highway 101" and Don Williams. In 1990, Beth released her second album, "Beth Nielsen Chapman", and followed it in 1993 with "You Hold the Key". In 1993, her husband was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma. Ernest's untimely death the following year inspired her to release her fourth album, "Sand and Water", in 1997, which received much publicity. Her co-written song, "This Kiss" (performed by Faith Hill), garnered her a Grammy nomination in 1998. In 2000, Beth experienced her own battle with breast cancer. Triumphant, she released "Deeper Still" in 2002. Her songs can be heard in many film soundtracks, including The Prince of Egypt (1998), Message in a Bottle (1999) and Calendar Girls (1999), as well as episodes of TV's Dawson's Creek (1998), Touched by an Angel (1994), Providence (1999) and Felicity (1998). Her latest album, "Hymns", was released in 2004. Show less «
There is only one song on Hymns that I wrote, 'Hymn to Mary.' I wrote that when I was right in the middle of chemotherapy for breast cancer ...Show more »
There is only one song on Hymns that I wrote, 'Hymn to Mary.' I wrote that when I was right in the middle of chemotherapy for breast cancer in 2000. As horrible as I felt, I would make myself go to the piano every day, turn on the tape recorder and plunk around for 10 minutes. Then I'd go back to lying on the couch, moaning. I did it because I had to keep my foot in the water: I was more afraid of losing my ability to write songs than anything. When I got my strength back, I listened to all those days of plunking and clinking. And there was this melody that was very special to me. A month or so later when my body was cleared of the chemotherapy I wrote the words, a prayer that came from the deepest place of reaching to Mary for faith in the midst of feeling abandoned. Show less «
I've always had this belief that diversity of faith is like the brilliant scattering of light shining through the angles of a diamond. Even ...Show more »
I've always had this belief that diversity of faith is like the brilliant scattering of light shining through the angles of a diamond. Even as it appears fragmented, it is all borne of the same source of light and each of us have an equal right to define and celebrate this beauty and sureness of the love of God in our lives. I have always wanted to use my voice like a thread winding through the many languages of these songs of devotion. It is only natural that I start with the songs of my spiritual roots. Show less «
I never went to college. I forgot. I was going to college, and then I got a gig. Then I got a publishing deal. Then I got married. Then I ha...Show more »
I never went to college. I forgot. I was going to college, and then I got a gig. Then I got a publishing deal. Then I got married. Then I had a kid. Then one day I looked up and went, 'Oops, I didn't go to college.' Show less «