Moorer

Web posted on: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 2:30:08 PM EST

From Paul Vercammen
CNN Showbiz Today Correspondent

(CNN) -- Country music singer Allison Moorer is preparing for the biggest performance of her career at the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony, where she'll sing the tune that catapulted her from unknown country musician to Academy Award nominee.

The ballad, "A Soft Place to Fall," appeared on Moorer's debut recording, and caught the attention of Robert Redford. And the rest is history for viewers of Redford's popular romantic film, "The Horse Whisperer." The song was featured in the film, and won an Academy nomination for best original song.

Moorer hails from Alabama, and shows a deep gratitude for her early success. "I'm just happy to be able to represent country music," she said.

MULTIMEDIA

Listen to a clip of "A Softer Place to Fall" [155k MPEG-3] or [210k WAV] (Courtesy MCA/Nashville)

Nashville dream

Moorer's debut record, "Alabama Song" has received critical praise, and now wider attention due to her Academy Award nomination.

Moorer may have country singing in her blood, with older sister Shelby Lynne, preceding her in the country music business. And Moorer didn't waste any time after graduating from the University of South Alabama.

"I didn't even get my diploma. The day I finished my last exam, I went to Nashville," she said.

Moorer intended to find her first singing gigs behind a lead singer. "I figured I would be a background singer. But my sister was in the music business, and I saw her go through a lot of things that I didn't want for myself," she said.

So her musician husband Butch Primm suggested she go solo.

'Keep it to yourself'

Moorer wrote "A Soft Place to Fall" with her partner Gwil Owen, and won a fan in Redford.

As for the Academy Award nomination, she says, "You know that movie, 'Broadcast News'? I think it's the William Hurt character who says, 'What do you do when your real life exceeds your dreams?', and the other guy says, 'Keep it to yourself!'"

Moorer will share her lilting song and her dreams when she performs on the world stage come Oscar night.