Please tell me what you can about singer Janie Fricke, who wrote and sings I'll Need Someone to Hold Me When I Cry. It's such a beautiful song.
—Marilyn M., Nebraska
Born in South Whitley, Ind., Janie Fricke has released more than 20 albums and has had almost 40 hit singles in her career. She started singing in a small hometown church, then evolved into singing gigs in coffeehouses and school events. She embarked on a musical career in earnest after obtaining a degree in elementary education and became a successful jingle singer in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Memphis, Tenn., before settling in Nashville, Tenn. Fricke became a sought-after studio singer and worked with artists such as Loretta Lynn and Elvis Presley before landing her first major solo recording contract. She has been nominated for two Grammy awards and has won top female vocalist honors from the Country Music Association, the Academy of Country Music, and other groups. She tours frequently, and Fricke's latest venture is a greatest hits project, recorded in Nashville in April and due out later this year. She also designs her own line of decorative home products. Fricke lives on a Dallas-area ranch with her husband and manager, Jeff Steele.
