Born Dec. 4, 1981, Lila Elaine McCann became the youngest in a family that included 2 parents (Pat and Gretchen), and four brothers (Shane, Chad, Billy, and Patrick). Her father led the Southlanders, a country band that played at local Eagles Clubs and Elks Lodges around Seattle. One night, four-year-old Lila told her amused father she wanted to join him on stage.

"The only reason I got up to sing was that I wanted to be cool like Dad," Lila said. "The first time I got up to sing, he kind of laughed at me."

Of course, that simple question would prove itself to be pivotal later. But right then, the frightened child became stricken with nervousness, and abruptly fled.

"I was scared and hiding in the bathroom," she remembered. "My mom had to coax me out by promising to buy me a Barbie doll." Lila consented and gave her first stage performance, which included renditions of "You Are My Sunshine" and "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys."

Five years later, Lila was introduced to her manager, "burned out" veteran Kasey Walker.

"My father made me go hear her," Walker

"Lila's father announced her, and here was this little girl with a Shirley Temple perm and a flowered dress on and I laughed to myself and thought 'What am I doing here?'" That changed when Lila started singing. "I thought I was witnessing the Streisand of country music. Her voice just blew me out of the water."

"I didn't want to have to go that night," Walker continues. "I wanted to change and do something else, but when I heard Lila sing, it was like a transformation in my own career goals." From then on, Walker vowed to help Lila however she could, even assembling a high-powered team that worked for free to transform a little girl into a star. One member was attorney Ken Hertz, who represented Alanis Morrisette, No Doubt, and Boyz II Men.

At 12, Lila played a showcase at the Palomino Club in Los Angeles, Calif., and earned a record deal with impressed Asylum Records, nearly two years before fellow sensation LeAnn Rimes would sign hers. Three years later, in between bites at a taco night at the South Tacoma Eagles Lodge, she heard herself on the radio for the first time.

"It was really weird," she laughed. "My friends were jumping up and down, screaming. I was so embarrassed, I had to run to the bathroom."

In all, her debut album, Lila, did remarkably well. It produced a Top 5 Billboard hit ("I Wanna Fall in Love", #3) and Top 30 hit ("Down Came a Blackbird", #28), went platinum in the U.S. won her the 1998 Country Radio Music Newcomer of the Year Award, and earned her coverage in the prestigious Time magazine. She also earned a Best New Female Vocalist nomination at the ACMs, but lost out to Lee Ann Womack. Other honors she was given included an inclusion in the Country America Top Ten Stars of 1998 listing, being named the Best-Selling New Artist of 1998, and nominated for the 1998 Female Newcomer of the Year award.

Such successes could have come with a cost. As Lila's career began kicking off, her parents and her manager asked her if she wanted to continue attending a public high school, or hire a tutor and do music full-time.

"I wanted to stay in school," the former varsity cheerleader said. "School is a part of your childhood that you're not going to get back - ever. "

Her friends also helped the

ghed. "My friends were jumping up and down, screaming. I was so embarrassed, I had to run to the bathroom."

In all, her debut album, Lila, did remarkably well. It produced a Top 5 Billboard hit ("I Wanna Fall in Love", #3) and Top 30 hit ("Down Came a Blackbird", #28), went platinum in the U.S. won her the 1998 Country Radio Music Newcomer of the Year Award, and earned her coverage in the prestigious Time magazine. She also earned a Best New Female Vocalist nomination at the ACMs, but lost out to Lee Ann Womack. Other honors she was given included an inclusion in the Country America Top Ten Stars of 1998 listing, being named the Best-Selling New Artist of 1998, and nominated for the 1998 Female Newcomer of the Year award.

Such successes could have come with a cost. As Lila's career began kicking off, her parents and her manager asked her if she wanted to continue attending a public high school, or hire a tutor and do music full-time.

"I wanted to stay in school," the former varsity cheerleader said. "School is a part of your childhood that you're not going to get back - ever. "

Her friends also helped the rising star stay grounded.

"They always knew I sang, but I don't think they believed me when I said I was going to make a record," she laughed. "And when I did, they're like 'Yeah right, you weren't in Tennessee recording all summer. And then they saw my record in the store and they were, like, 'Oh yeah, well, do you know who my best friend is?'"

"My friends are awesome, they're so supportive," Lila continued. "They all bought two copies of my CD. Of course, they've all threatened to take me to the National Enquirer if I disown them!"

And Lila's friends were among the first to celebrate when George Strait asked Lila to join him in his George Strait Country Music Festival tour.

"My manager and I were talking about tours, and she said, 'The only way I'm letting you miss any school for a tour is if it's with George Strait," Lila said gleefully.

Lila wrapped up the year with a starring guest role in the hit series Walker, Texas Ranger. She was well-received, by critics, fans, and star Chuck Norris.

"What a real professional," Norris praised. "She is a very talented young lady! She jumped right in. It was fun watching her develop her character."

Lila's sophomore album, Something in the Air, was released amid high hopes.

"People expect more from your sophomore album," she said, "so it's either great or terrible. That's the way people look at it, really."

For this album, Lila called in friends Bryan White, Steve Wariner, and Vince Gill to help. Bryan and Steve co-wrote "You're Gone," and Vince, who was recording down the hall, joined the tenors on back-ups for that song. He also lent his vocals to "Kiss Me Now."

"Vince was a total surprise," Lila revealed. "He was down the hall recording all week long, so I would keep saying, 'Hey, you need to come in and do some background vocals,' knowing, like, 'Yeah right, Vince Gill's gonna come sing on my record.' Then when Steve and Bryan came in, he popped in and said, 'OK, I'm ready to sing.' Then, when I got the masters of the album back, he had sung on another song. I was shocked. You can't mistake that voice, so I called my producer and he said,