Jessica Simpson at the Strawberry Festival in Plant City, Florida

The Short Story

Birthday: July 10, 1980
Hometown: Abilene, Texas
Famous For: Her MTV reality show Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica co-starring ex-husband Nick Lachey and thinking buffalo wings were actually made of buffalo; Her dating life (John Mayer, Tony Romo); her singing career
Quick Scoop: Has racked up 7 Billboard Top 40 Hits; unsuccessfully tried out for the Mickey Mouse Club as a kid
Awards: 2006 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Song From a Movie, The Dukes of Hazzard. 2006 Teen Choice Awards: Movies - Choice Breakout (Female), The Dukes of Hazzard; 2005 Teen Choice Awards: Choice TV Personality (Female); 2004 Teen Choice Awards: Choice Reality/Variety TV Star (Female), Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica.

Biography

Jessica Ann Simpson was born on July 10, 1980 in Abilene, Texas to Joe and Tina Simpson. The singer/actress/TV personality began her career at a young age-singing in her local church. She tried out for the Mickey Mouse Club, making it to the final cut but was ultimately turned down. She was signed to an independent label while in high school though the gospel record she recorded was never released due to the label going bankrupt. Simpson eventually left high school to try her luck at Christian music. Her luck turned when some of her recordings landed on Tommy Mottola's desk. Mottola, head of Columbia Records, quickly signed her to the label.

Simpson's first album Sweet Kisses, released in 1999, included her first hit single I Wanna Love You Forever. The album went double platinum with help from two other hot singles Where You Are and I Think I'm in Love With You. Her sophomore album, Irrestistible, went gold though it only produced one radio hit, the title-track Irresistible.

It was after the release of her first album that Simpson joined Ricky Martin and 98 Degrees on tour. It was there that she met future husband Nick Lachey. Soon after the tour ended, they began dating. The two married on October 26, 2002.

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In This Skin, Simpson's third album released in 2003, eventually went triple platinum riding the success of songs With You and the remake of Berlin's Take My Breath Away. She also released a holiday album called Rejoyce: The Christmas Album that went gold.

It was also in 2003 when Simpson and Lachey debuted their MTV reality show Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica. It instantly became a pop culture phenomenon with Simpson and Lachey both gaining more fame and recognition from the show and its silly antics than their musical careers.

2005 was an important year for Simpson. Her first feature film, The Dukes of Hazzard, was released that summer along with her super sexy video for the song These Boots Are Made for Walking. Sadly, things went sour later in the year. On November 5, 2005, Simpson and Lachey announced their separation. The pop culture phenomenon came to a close. Both went on to have high-profile romances in the following years-Dane Cook, Adam Levine, John Mayer, and Dallas Cowboy's quarterback Tony Romo for Simpson and Vanessa Minnillo for Lachey.

After the divorce, Simpson and Epic Records (she and Columbia agreed to part ways) released another album A Public Affair. Two years later she released her first country album, Do You Know, which debuted #1 on the Billboard Country charts. This was Simpson's first (and only, so far) #1 album in her career. Her film career hasn't fared as well. Her next few movies didn't make much at the theaters (Employee of the Month) or went straight to video (Blonde Ambition, Private Valentine: Blonde & Dangerous.)

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