LeAnn Rimes Reimagines Her Breakout Hit ‘Blue’ [Exclusive Premiere]

LeAnn Rimes lightens and brightens her debut hit "Blue" during a reimagined recording available for fans worldwide with this exclusive premiere on Taste of Country. The classic's universal melancholy is not compromised during this jazzy recreation, however.

Still vocally brilliant, still rooted to a timeless era of standards, this updated version of "Blue" was a quicker, shuffling surprise for fans who saw her on the Remnants Tour in 2017.

"I originally recorded the song ‘Blue’ right before I turned 12 years old," Rimes recalls. "It is crazy to think how this one song changed the course of my life."

After 24 years it was simply time for a few changes, she admits. So much like she did with "How Do I Live" and "One Way Ticket," she set about providing a new, but still familiar experience to her fans. Indeed, "Blue" was Rimes' introduction to country music fans, and during the summer and fall of 1996 it became a huge hit. Strings and steel guitar framed the young singer's warble back then.

You don't need to look further than the solo to hear the most obvious difference between the two versions. A few acoustic pickings bridge the gap on the 2018 version.

Rimes has tour dates scheduled nationwide throughout the spring and summer, including a June 10 stop at the Taste of Country Music Festival in Hunter, N.Y. Remnants is her most recent studio album, released in 2016.

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