Julie Roberts

Country singer Julie Roberts (not to be confused with actress Julia Roberts, who doesn't sing) was born in Lancaster, South Carolina in 1979. A born entertainer, she began starring in school plays from grade school and won a number of regional singing contests, eventually forming a traveling band with her parents and touring across Appalachia while still in high school. After graduation she attended the University of South Carolina Lancaster for two years before moving to Nashville, Tennessee.

Julie transferred to Belmont College in Nashville, studying music. Belmont, a prestigious liberal arts institution, has been at the heart of the Nashville country music scene for decades; a list of notable alumni includes such stars as Josh Turner, Ginny Owens, Brad Paisley, and all five members of Cowboy Crush. After Belmont, Julie got a job as the assistant to Luke Lewis, a major music executive for Universal Music Group Nashville. Unaware of her singing talents, Julie had a friend anonymously deliver her demo to Luke one afternoon - impressed, he asked to meet the singer, and was flabbergasted to find her sitting just outside his office.

She signed to a record deal with Universal under their Mercury imprint on the spot in 2004, releasing her first album Julie Roberts just months later. A modest success, Julie Roberts soared to the ninth spot on the Billboard Hot Country Albums index, going on to sell over 600,000 copies in the United States and Canada. Supported by successful lead single "Break Down Here", Julie Roberts quickly established herself as one of country music's most promising new artists, with critics likening her vocal style to that of Faith Hill and Sara Evans.

Roberts released her second album Men & Mascara in late 2006. Though the album hasn't sold quite as well as her first, it's still backed by a number of solid singles, including "Men and Mascara" and a cover of rock band Saving Jane's 2005 hit "Girl Next Door".

From Lastfm:

Julie Roberts (born February 1, 1979, in Lancaster, South Carolina) is an American country music singer. She is best known for her 2004 break-through hit, "Break Down Here" and her 2006 remake of Saving Jane's "Girl Next Door". Roberts began performing country music as a child. When she was in junior high and high school, she toured with her family, playing at festivals in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. She also performed at area nursing homes (where she developed an appreciation for blues music); and worked at Carowinds (a theme park in Charlotte, North Carolina) and Dollywood.

Read more about Julie Roberts on Last.fm.

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From Wikipedia:

Julie Roberts (born February 1, 1979) is an American country music singer. Signed to Mercury Nashville in 2004, Roberts made her debut that year with the single "Break Down Here", a Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts and the first track from her self-titled debut album. A second album for Mercury, Men & Mascara, followed in 2006. This album produced two non-charting singles in its title track and a cover of Saving Jane's "Girl Next Door".