Like many successful musicians, Fiona Apple was exposed
to music very early in life, due in large part to the
fact that she was the product of two very creative people:
her mother was a singer; her father an actor.
A native New Yorker, born in 1977, Apple inherited
her parents’ creative genes, learning to play
the piano at the tender age of eight. Four short years
later, Apple was penning songs that would later win
fans across the nation. When she was only 16, Apple
got her big break when her demo tape landed in the hands
of Sony Music executive Andy Slater. However, it wasn’t
until Apple turned 18 in 1995 that Slater offered her
a recording deal. Her debut album, “Tidal,”
appeared in 1996, which followed with Apple going on
tour to promote the album. “Tidal” also
featured the hit single “Shadowboxer,” which
earned extensive airplay both on the radio and on MTV.
Yet, Apple didn’t become a bona fide success
until she released her third single, the hit “Criminal.”
The single shot her to stardom, and garnered her a Grammy
for the Best Female Rock Vocal in 1997. Overnight, Fiona
Apple concert tickets became the hottest tickets in
town.
In the midst of great success, however, Apple simply
took a three-year break, leaving fans wondering if she
would ever return to the music scene.
“When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like
a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to
the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'Fore He Enters
the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is
Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand
and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and
if You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to
Land and if You Fall It Won't Matter, 'Cuz You'll Know
That You're Right.”
Perhaps there is no greater – or longer –
album title than the 1999 album that signaled Apple’s
return to music. “When the Pawn,” as it’s
widely known, earned some critical acclaim, but it was
Apple’s loyal fan base that made the album a success.
While the album’s singles and videos received
little airplay, it still sold more than a million copies.
Apple also grabbed several Grammy nominations for her
work on “When the Pawn.”
At the same time, Apple teamed up with country legend,
Johnny Cash, on the single “Bridge Over Troubled
Water,” which also earned her a Grammy nomination.
Apple’s latest effort, “Extraordinary Machines,”
was released in late 2005, debuting at number seven
on the charts. The album also earned Apple another Grammy
nomination, this time for Best Pop Vocal Album.
.