Where Chalee's exquisite self-titled 1999 debut album vivid showcased the amazing talents of this versatile, deeply emotional Texas singer, This Woman's Heart fleshes out those strengths and dimensions.

As much as Chalee cherishes recent career highlights--her 2000 Academy Of Country Music "Top Female Vocalist" Award nomination, her numerous appearances on the Grand Ole Opry, opening a show at the Ryman Auditorium for George Jones and dueting with "The Possum" on "Golden Ring"--she concedes that she's walked a long hard road to get where she is in her life right now.  

Chalee-They juggle me! My children are 14, 9 and 6. People always wonder how I do that and they always think I'm superwoman and I have to say no I'm not. My children keep me grounded. They are actually my grounding tools. I'm 32 years old, if I went to Nashville at 22 years old there is no way I would have stood the pressures of being a country artist. 

There's too many temptations out there just being in certain places and networking your job. Because I don't do it like a young single person-I really don't get in the mix of it all. I come home instead, and I'm mommy and that's the best thing for me. If I'm not on the road, I'm here, it's back to my job and I come home. I live out of Nashville a little way about 28 miles so I'm out away from it.

I think that if you have your dream you should go for your dream too but your # 1 priority should be your children. That's why it's easy for me my children are my # 1 priority. 

Having children makes us work harder and helps us to not make stupid mistakes, being a single mom you just automatically turn that switch on. To my children, I am their idol, they watch every move that I make, and I'm who they look up to. They watch me and I want to set a good example for them.

Ladyfire-Share with us what it was like for you growing up in such a big family in Texas.

Chalee-There was the five siblings I was raised with and then later when I was about 15 there were ten of us. There's a lot of love there and I'm one of 172 grandchildren. I grew up in my grandmother's house and every year the family got bigger so she ended up enclosing the screened in porch and then converted the garage, added on another room… so it ended up being this massive house by the time my grandmother passed on. 

I think that's' why I'm such a people person. I'm a people watcher; I like to sit in airports and at the mall and watch people and such. I am really intrigued by people because I'm from such a large family with so many personalities and so many different interests. My family was such a big influence and that's why I can get out there with so many different personalities and perform on stage.

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How she reached for the stars. "I was a substitute teacher, a waitress, I did electrical work, plumbing, tape and bedding for sheetrock..."