How Do I Live

Written by prolific hitmaker Diane Warren, this country crossover ballad was originally recorded for the soundtrack to the Nicolas Cage movie Con Air by two different artists: LeAnn Rimes and Trisha Yearwood. Warren offered it to Rimes, the teen sensation who was fresh off the success of her debut single, "Blue." Rimes brought the tune back to Texas, recorded it with an orchestra, and shot a video - but it was all a bit premature, as the song hadn't even been chosen for the movie yet. Fortunately, Con Air producer Jerry Bruckheimer loved the ballad, but he wanted some changes that Wilbur Rimes (LeAnn's father and producer) was unwilling to make, so Bruckheimer suggested that Yearwood record the version for the movie. Warren agreed, but she refused to take the song away from Rimes because she knew she'd have a hit with it, so two simultaneous versions were born. Because no one wanted to jeopardize their individual success, everyone involved was angry with Warren until the song blew up. "They all kind of hated my guts for a while," the songwriter told iHeartRadio. "The hit makes everyone forget they hate you." Not only was it a huge hit for Rimes, it also earned Yearwood the #2 spot on the Country chart and #23 on the Hot 100. Even Bruckheimer, who swore he'd never work with Warren again after the "How Do I Live" fiasco, was softened by the profitable outcome and used her song "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" in his next big blockbuster, Armageddon.

Yearwood knew that Rimes had already recorded a version before she was brought on board to cover it, but she had no idea the young singer planned on releasing it as a single - and on the same day as hers, no less. "And I was so lucky, because we were on tour and we were heading to Europe," Yearwood told SiriusXM in 2021. "So I was out of the country, thank God, for all of the 'Play this version and this version, vote on what you like best.' I was gone for all of that." She added that the controversy probably helped both versions become as successful as they were.

At the 1998 Grammy Awards for the first time in history, two different artists were nominated for the same song in the same category. LeAnn Rimes performed the song at the award show, and Trisha Yearwood won the Best Country Vocal Performance Grammy for the song.