Award-winning country singer Amanda Stott completed the recording of her self-titled debut album in the spring of 2000. Being so close to her family, it came as little surprise to those who knew her when that album was dedicated to the sister who died years earlier. The first single to be released from the excellent debut was "Black Is Black." It quickly found its way onto the country charts, moving easily into the Top Ten. The young singer's first offering set up a promising preview of what fans and music critics could expect from her in the future.nn Stott was born in 1982 and grew up working on a family farm that raised both crops and cattle. Before she was old enough to enter school, she was already singing in front of impressed audiences at the neighborhood church. Music came as second nature to her, or maybe even first. Her father is a musician, equally capable on the piano, banjo, saxophone, and even the accordion. Together with her brother, a drummer, they formed a little family band. By the time she was 11 years old, she was already performing on the festival and fair circuit throughout Canada.nn In 1999, at the ripe old age of 17, Stott was put under contract by Warner Music Canada. Live shows kept her fan base at a steady growth rate, while she went to work on her first album. Music videos on television stations like CMT put the young star in front of country music fans in the United States. Award nominations and wins began to roll in, like the Rising Star Award, Outstanding Video of the Year for "Black Is Black," Outstanding Country Recording and Outstanding Album for her self-titled debut, Entertainer of the Year, and a coveted Juno for Best New Solo Artist.nn Some of the tunes Stott performs are "Reachin' for a Star," "I Just Believe That I Can," "All Along," "He Loves Me Like That," "To Keep From Missing You," "Every Time the Phone Rings," and "Magic." ~ Charlotte Dillon