VOA常速英语:Dreams Come True for Laura Bell Bundy

Country newcomer Laura Bell Bundy spent the past decade working as a television, film and Broadway actress and just recently switched gears to focus on a career in Country music.

Laura Bell began acting at the age of nine.  She appeared in many network television shows and major motion pictures.  Laura Bell also starred in the critically-acclaimed Broadway musicals "Legally Blonde," "Hairspray" and "Wicked."

Bundy grew up in Kentucky where her parents introduced her to Country music.  She lists Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson among her musical influences.  At 18, Laura Bell moved to New York and formed a Country duo with her roommate.  But, the opportunity to earn a living as an actress postponed her music plans.  By 2008, Laura Bell had the financial means to move to Nashville, and fulfill her original dream of a career in Country music.  Mercury Nashville Records signed her the following year. 

Laura Bell began writing Country songs when she was in her teens.  She co-wrote 11 of the 12 tracks on "Achin' and Shakin'," including the album's debut hit, "Giddy On Up."

"It was the first song that I had written for the Shakin' side of the album and it inspired the rest of those Shakin' songs," she says.  "It had all those elements, which are sort of older Country meets older soul or Motown put together and produced in a modern way, and lyrically was sassy and witty.  It's a girl giving a guy the 'What for?' [ending the relationship] and women love those kinds of things.  It had this catchy little punch line, 'Giddy on up and giddy on out,' which is very representative of my sense of humor."

"Giddy On Up" received a CMT Music Award nomination for Breakthrough Video of the Year and "Achin' and Shakin'" made a respectable debut on the Country chart at Number 5. 

Laura Bell explains the two opposite themes of the album.

"It's six songs Achin', six songs Shakin.'  It's kind of like an old LP [record album], where you had side A, side B and you just flipped it over when you wanted to change your mood so to speak.  So, this is kind of a mood album, it's the extreme of moods, you know, Achin,' sad slow, sultry Country ballads and then the Shakin' is all up-tempo, kind of crazy, fast, a little bit throw-back Country, a little bit throw-back old soul or Motown."