Originally intended for Patsy Cline before her untimely d**th, it had lingered in obscurity for decades. Then came Rimes. Her voice carried echoes of Cline’s own phrasing, a smoky, timeless quality that critics and fans alike couldn’t ignore.The track shot to #10 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, cracked the Billboard Hot 100, and soared to #1 on Canada’s RPM Country rankings. But beyond chart success, it was the believability that made jaws drop. At 13, Rimes sang with the conviction of someone who’d lived every line of heartbreak. A Teen Among Legends The CMA nominations proved Nashville wasn’t treating her like a novelty act.

She was being recognized alongside heavyweights like George Strait, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, and Vince Gill — artists who’d been making hits longer than she’d been alive. Though she didn’t win in 1996, she returned the next year and claimed the Horizon Award at just 14, making history as the youngest CMA winner ever. Her success with “Blue” bridged a generational gap. Older fans heard echoes of the country they’d grown up with, while younger audiences discovered the magic of traditional sounds for the first time.