Twain Trivia: Test your Shania savvy

By John Lamb

June 02, 2004 at 11:00 PM

By now, Shania Twain's life story has gotten almost as much play as her four multi-platinum albums.

The country singer makes her second stop at the Fargodome (she packed the space in December 1998) this Saturday, but her road to stardom was a rocky one.

Born Eileen Edwards 38 years ago and raised in Timmins, Ontario, her parents split when she was a child and Shania took her stepfather's name.

Stories of her childhood performances are now legendary, including being pulled out of bed at 1 a.m. to play bars after drinks were pulled. As a teen she worked in the family reforestation business swinging axes and handling chainsaws.

At the age of 21, Shania became guardian of her three younger siblings after her mother and stepfather died in a car crash. She supported the family as a resort entertainer.

Mercury Records released her self-titled debut in 1993. Though she was signed on the strength of her writing, the album featured only one original, "God Ain't Gonna Getcha for That."

She regained her faith after producer Mutt Lange, known for his work with rock acts like AC/DC, Def Leppard and Bryan Adams, called to praise her. The two met that year and were married six months later after writing half of her next album, "The Woman in Me."

She's since scored a string of hits, including "You're Still the One," "That Don't Impress Me Much" and "Man, I Feel Like a Woman." Her 1997 record "Come on Over" has sold more than 18 million copies, tied with Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" and The Beatles' "White Album" for seventh best-selling album of all time.

She now splits time between homes in New York, Canada and Switzerland.

It's the stuff Lifetime movies are made of, but it also makes for good trivia.

How well do you know country music's best-selling female singer? Come on over and take our Shania Twain trivia test.

1. Born Eileen Edwards, Shania adopted her name in the early 1990s. What language is it taken from and what does it mean?

2. Shania shares a middle name with what Canadian town?

3. What is Shania's husband, Mutt Lange's, real name?

4. What Oscar-winning actor directed her video for "Dance With the One Who Brought You?"

5. The video for "Man, I Feel Like a Woman" parodied what iconic 1980s video?

6. The video for "Man, I Feel Like a Woman" helped Twain land an endorsement contract with what company?

7. What title was bestowed on the country singer by PETA?

8. Since Billboard started listing country music in 1944, Shania has been one of only four native Canadians to top the charts. Who were the other three?

9. She's the first female country artist to have consecutive albums sell more than how many copies?

10. Shania's first big gig came opening for which Broadway star?

Answers:

1. "Shania" is Ojibwa for "I'm on my way"

2. Regina, Sask.

3. Robert John Lange

4. Sean Penn

5. Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love"

6. Cosmetics manufacturer Revlon

7. Sexiest vegetarian alive

8. Hank Snow, Anne Murray and Terri Clark

9. 10 million