Jessica Simpson - Thank God She's a Country Girl

Holy smoke, she's gone country! Maybe it's because she's been hanging around with that Cowboy, you know, Tony Romo. Whatever the reason, it turned out to be a good move for Jessica Simpson, the former pop princess whose new CD "Do You Know" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's country charts the week of Sept. 9.

That same week, it became the No. 1 title on iTunes for all genres. And the CD's breakout single, "Come On Over," made chart history by becoming the first debut country single by a solo artist to break the top-50 at No. 41. Not bad for a gal whose critics predicted she was doomed for failure on Music Row.

Back in Los Angeles after a quick trip to Las Vegas to perform for a charity event, the Texas-born beauty offered some insights about her incredible yet sometimes unstable road to Nashville.

"To belong in this world, you have to belong to yourself first," said Simpson. "That's what Nashville has meant for me.  "I've always believed if you stay true to your heart the choices you make will end up being the right ones. I'm in the most comfortable place I've ever been and the smile on my face couldn't be more genuine."

Like many of the country greats she admires -- Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson, included -- Simpson started out singing in her church choir. Her father, Joe Simpson, was a Baptist minister and Jessica said he exposed her to a lot of gospel music.

As a pre-teen, she grew tired of choral singing and began to pursue her dream of fame and fortune in the music business. Along with competing in local dance and vocal competitions, she also auditioned for the "New Mickey Mouse Club" at the age of 12. Simpson admits to being heartbroken when she received a letter from Disney saying she hadn't made it.

The rejection was especiallydisappointing because so many of her peers were accepted: Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling and Keri Russell.

"Rejection is a great thing," said Simpson. "It allows you to be alone and figure things out."

Despite her disappointment, Simpson bounced back quickly when she was invited to contribute to an album recorded by a gospel choir in New Jersey. That project led to Simpson recording her first solo gospel album, which she said her grandmother paid to have duplicated. It didn't take long for the CD to catch the ear of Columbia Record's music executive Tommy Mottola, who signed her to a recording contract in 1999.

Simpson's debut CD, "Sweet Kisses," produced the smash single "I Wanna Love You Forever," launching her to international fame. Her follow-up CD in 2001, "Irresistible," debuted at No. 6 on theBillboard 200Album Chart and produced the hit single of the same title.

During the recording of her third CD in 2003, "In This Skin," Simpson's personal life began to unravel. Suddenly, she found herself more famous for her marital troubles to pop singer Nick Lachey than her music. The public got an up-close-and-personal look at the couple's rocky private life on the wildly popular reality show, "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica." 

Simpson said the program, which ran for 41 episodes until March 30, 2003, painted an inaccurate portrait of her as a ditzy, dimwitted and selfish person. That not only damaged her self-esteem but also led to the breakup of her marriage to Lachey, former member of the boy band 98 Degrees. The pair divorced in 2005.

These days, Simpson's feeling much stronger.

"I've sworn off all the haters," said Simpson. "My computer is turned off and I mostly read my fan mail to encourage myself. And my faith has given me strength. Without it, I'd have given up a long time ago."

As Simpson began to heal from her divorce and an onslaught of public criticism, she realized it was time to return to making her beloved music. And she became more determined than ever to prove herself as a recording artist capable of leaving behind a legacy.

So she left the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles and headed back to Nashville in 2007 to do what she wanted to do all along - write and record country music. Her label, Epic/Columbia Nashville, hooked her up with a team of writers and 12 songs for "Do You Know" began to take shape.

The result was a contemporary mixture of country tunes centered around her experiences with life and love. Among the tracks are "Remember That," "Pray Out Loud," "When I Loved You Like That" and "Do You Know," which was written by legendary singer/songwriter Dolly Parton.

"Dolly is a remarkable human being," said Simpson. "She's the kind of person that when you go to sleep at night you believe she might be saying a prayer for you. That's the kind of person I want to be to the people I know."

With the success of her new CD and her restored confidence, Simpson said she has finally found peace on her journey. And regardless of obstacles and a few remaining naysayers, she knows her life and her career hold exciting and endless possibilities.

"No matter how successful the record is in the world, it will always be successful to me because it has allowed me to follow my heart's desire," said Simpson. "I really believe what I'm singing about and I love what I'm doing. Yes, it's all highlighted by the world's perspective but if I stay humble and true to who I am, the best is yet to come."