Andrea Corr
Occupation : Musician, Actress
Birth Date : May 17, 1974
Birth Place : Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland
Birth Name : Andrea Jane Corr
Nationality : Irish
Height : 5' 1''
Sex : F
Education : Dun Lughaidh Convent
Sister : Caroline Corr (musician; born on March 17, 1973; married Frank Woods on August 22, 2002 in Deia De Mallorca, Balearic Islands), Sharon Corr (musician; born on March 24, 1970; married Gavin Bonner on July 7, 2001)
Brother : Jim Corr (musician; born on July 31, 1964)
Claim to fame : Member of the Irish musical group The Corrs
The youngest of the Corr siblings, Andrea Jane was born on May 17th, 1974 in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland. Her parents, Jean and Gerry, were musicians themselves and encouraged their children -- Sharon, Caroline, Andrea and Jim -- to try their hand at music. All four siblings learned to play piano at a young age.
Like her older sisters and brother, Andrea attended Don Lughaidh Convent School. She achieved higher marks than any of her family had, but upon graduation, sacrificed a so-called normal life and joined her siblings' band.
In 1991, the quartet attended their first audition. It was for musical parts in the Irish film The Commitments, which detailed the story of the famous local band of the same name. In the end, only Andrea received a speaking role but everyone benefited from the experience. A man named John Hughes attended several of the movie shoots and noticed the talent the Corr family had. He soon signed them and became their manager.
For three years, Hughes helped The Corrs hone their talents, both on stage and in the studio. The group played several small venues and gained a respectable local following. Their big break came in 1994 when American Ambassador to Ireland Jean Kennedy Smith, sister to Ted Kennedy, saw their performance in Dublin and was thoroughly impressed. She invited them to Boston to play at an event leading up to America's hosting of the World Cup.
Once in the United States, The Corrs did not let the opportunity to find a record deal go to waste. They literally marched right into Atlantic Records producer David Foster's office and played for him. Though he was currently helping Michael Jackson put the finishing touches on his HIStory album, The Corrs presented such a unique sound that Foster could not ignore them. The very next day, just as the group and Hughes were about to fly back to Ireland, they received the great news that they had been signed.
The band went to California to iron out the album details, and released their debut, Forgiven Not Forgotten, within a year. Though the work was backed by American support, it was in Europe that the band received recognition. The tracks "Runaway" and "Someday" propelled the album to No. 1 status throughout Europe and Australia. When all was said and done, the album, which Andrea had a hand in producing and writing, went gold or platinum in 13 countries.
With this swell of support, The Corrs felt it their obligation to tour. They went from venue to venue for over a year and were nearly burnt-out by 1995. However, they had gained notoriety as an amazing live act.
Workaholics that they are, The Corrs and Andrea in particular were motivated to put out a second album. Collaborating with some great producers -- including Glen Ballard, who did Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill -- they completed Talk On Corners in six months. This time, the album penetrated the UK market, becoming a No. 1 hit in 1998.
During this time, Andrea revived her acting career. She had already played the role of Juan Peron's mistress in Evita and now became the singing voice of Kayley in Warner Brothers' animated feature, Quest for Camelot.
After their Fleetwood Mac cover of "Dreams" became a popular hit in Britain, The Corrs were hailed as a sensational success. This pop single was followed up with a third album, called In Blue, which steadily climbed the UK charts. It was an MTV Unplugged album, released a year before In Blue, which ended up being the real moneymaker for The Corrs. After initially slow sales, the album blew up, going gold or platinum in 21 countries.
With a Live in Dublin CD making waves thanks to a hit single featuring Bono from U2, Andrea, as the lead singer of The Corrs, continues to ride an incredible wave. The group has announced that their next album, Borrowed Heaven, will be released in the spring of 2004, solidifying themselves as a great European bond. Hopefully, the album will also help them create a strong American fan base, the one feat they have yet to accomplish. With Andrea's good looks -- she's now single too, by the way -- and her amazing voice, there is no reason why The Corrs should not make the leap across the Atlantic.
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