Beth Nielsen Chapman
The first sentence of her MySpace page starts, "Beth Nielsen Chapman, Nashville singer-songwriter, breast cancer survivor." Those last three words inform a lot about what drives this Nashville based singer/songwriter/country artist.
Cancer claimed Beth's husband back in 1994 and seems to have had a profound affect on her music. It seems to have woken a spiritual side to her writing that seems to be as much about finding answers as exploring faith.
She's recorded hymns and devotions from a number of religions as well as finding a spiritual spark in her own writing. That said there's a lot more to Beth than just her exploration of faith. She's a top class singer and performer of secular songs as well.
Beth Nielsen Chapman has a very pure style, she has been criticised for being over produced and not taking enough risks, personally I think she's an artist that's happy in her own skin and who doesn't feel the need to be as raw and exposed with her sound as she is with the content of her songs. The jury is still out on that aspect.
I think I'll file this one under interesting. It's an adventurous choice that I'd like to see baring fruit.