I’m excited to be able to finally talk about this! Heart of Texas, a book series by New York Times #1 bestselling author @debbiemacomber is coming to the screen and I’m going to be an executive producer! It’s a story of love and the land – hopefully a kick ass soundtrack too!
Shania Twain to Produce, Write Songs for TV Drama (Exclusive)
The project, based on Debbie Macomber's 'Heart of Texas' novels, will be taken to potential buyers soon.
By Rick Porter | The Hollywood Reporter | July 27, 2020
Shania Twain is expanding into TV producing.
The country music icon is teaming with Reel World Management (Netflix's Virgin River) to develop a drama based on best-selling author Debbie Macomber's Heart of Texas novels. Twain will also write original music for the potential series.
The books center on three adult siblings who struggle to keep their family ranch afloat following the death of their parents. Twain said she wasn't familiar with the books before signing on to the project, but she found them "captivating."
"There are some parallels in the story to my own story — a young family carrying on after the parents die, and the female main character having all this responsibility," Twain told The Hollywood Reporter. "I was thinking this sounds so much like my own life. And I'm drawn to horses and the whole lifestyle of living outside the city, where family is everything. It really spoke to me."
Twain will executive produce with Reel World Management principals Roma Roth and Christopher E. Perry. Roth told THR they're currently searching for a showrunner before taking the package to the marketplace.
The market for heartfelt drama is a growing one, with Netflix — with shows like Virgin River and the recently renewed Sweet Magnolias — joining the likes of cable networks Hallmark and Up in airing such shows.
"Debbie Macomber's brand is known for that kind of storytelling, and she has developed an incredibly dedicated fan base. Her Heart of Texas novels were exactly what we were looking for," said Roth. "They're an epic family drama. … The storylines revolve around the sacrifices each character has to make to keep their family's Texas cattle ranch and their legacy alive. We felt the books had the perfect combination of drama, conflict, unrequited love and romance, all while having that perfect, uplifting and inspiring quality we felt everyone was craving."
Twain said she's also planning to write songs for the show and spent time recently in Alberta (where filming will likely take place) getting a feel for the landscape and the type of music she'll compose.
"I'll be able to write about love and loss and hardship and triumph. It's going to run the gamut in that sense," she said. "I'm still getting a feel for the sound and mood of the music. I'll be getting together with an arranger, and that's going to be new for me as well, getting involved with the actual scoring."
Reel World Management has produced a host of movies for television but switched to series development in the recent years with Hallmark's Chesapeake Shores.
"That's where Reel World Management is leaning to these days, to adapt IP that already brings a big fanbase to the table, because that certainly doesn't hurt the ability for a show to be successful, and connecting that source material with a wide audience and a global audience," said Roth. "When you're dealing with themes of family and love and community, as well as the obstacles they have to overcome, that resonates with a global audience, not just a North American audience."
Shania Twain Bringing ‘Heart Of Texas’ Novels To Television
By Lorie Hollabaugh | Music Row | July 27, 2020
Shania Twain is helping develop author Debbie Macomber‘s Heart of Texas novels into an upcoming TV series.
Twain has partnered with Reel World Management, Roma Roth and Christopher E. Perry, Executive Producers of the Netflix original series, Virgin River, to adapt the novels for the small screen. Twain will Executive Produce alongside Roth and Perry and will be contributing creatively to Heart of Texas, which revolves around the personal and professional struggles of siblings Savanah, Grady and Richard Weston who must fight to keep the family ranch and legacy alive after the untimely death of their parents.
“Heart of Texas is an exciting project for me to be involved in as I very much relate to the dynamics and the powerful connection of friends and family of a small-town community,” says Twain. “It’s a story of love, laughter and true grit, all elements that so strongly influence my songwriting.”
Macomber is a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author who has sold more than 200 million copies of her books worldwide. Her novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list with 13 novels hitting the number one spot.
“Reel World Management is excited to collaborate with Shania Twain and Debbie Macomber, two outstanding female creatives who have successfully built powerhouse brands, to create a series that will resonate emotionally with a global audience while also reinforcing the valuable themes of tolerance, female empowerment, family, community and endurance,” says Roth.
If it's true, then I guess all her writing has been for the series not for her own original new album. That's sad.
Yes, I thought about that too. If she has been writing for the TV series (and not even singing the songs), she really fooled us. Hopefully the writing has been for the series and her own album like Courtney said.
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Tommy's #1 SHANIA TWAIN SuperSite shaniasupersite.com Our eyes are closed, but we're not asleep, We're wide awake beneath the sheets
I think she hasn't started to work on the series yet. I'm pretty sure all of the photos in studio she posted were for her new album, we saw her on the microphone. She won't be singing the songs on "Heart of Texas", so being behind a microphone doesn't make sense. I'm not sure when the album will be released at this point, but my guess is no sooner than 2021. We'll see...
I think she hasn't started to work on the series yet. I'm pretty sure all of the photos in studio she posted were for her new album, we saw her on the microphone. She won't be singing the songs on "Heart of Texas", so being behind a microphone doesn't make sense. I'm not sure when the album will be released at this point, but my guess is no sooner than 2021. We'll see...
The Deals: Shania Twain Makes 'Texas'-Sized Detour
By Chris Eggertsen | Billboard | August 6, 2020
Five-time Grammy winner Shania Twain has partnered with Reel World Management, Roma Roth and Christopher E. Perry to adapt author Debbie Macomber’s Heart of Texas novels as a TV series.
Twain will executive produce alongside Roth and Perry as well as contribute creatively to the project, which centers on the personal and professional struggles of a trio of siblings as they fight to keep the family ranch and legacy alive following their parents' untimely death.
"Heart of Texas is an exciting project for me to be involved in as I very much relate to the dynamics and the powerful connection of friends and family of a small-town community," said Twain in a release announcing the project. "It's a story of love, laughter and true grit, all elements that so strongly influence my song writing."
Twain’s former TV projects include the reality series Why Not? With Shania Twain and the reality competition show Real Country, both of which she starred in and executive produced.
Since the news was announced that Shania Twain was going to be producing the Heart of Texas series, I wanted to give one lucky winner a chance to win a copy of the whole series of books! All you have to do is retweet! One winner will be selected Monday, August 10th!
Shania Twain with songwriter Stacy Barthe. Shania went to one of her sessions and was playing around on the guitar. I don't think it has anything to do with "new music". Probably just a jam session.
It looks like Shania has in fact been writing with songwriters Stacy Barthe and Denise Rich. I wonder if it's for Shania's new album or her "Heart Of Texas" TV series. And if it is for the album and she's still writing, it's not going to be released for a WHILE!
Based on the recent videos and picture, Shania and Stacy have been on Denise Rich's $50 Million yacht! Denise has written songs for several movie soundtracks so they must be working on "Heart Of Texas". So now we know where Shania has been hiding the past month.
Shania Twain with songwriter Stacy Barthe. Shania went to one of her sessions and was playing around on the guitar. I don't think it has anything to do with "new music". Probably just a jam session.
It looks like Shania has in fact been writing with songwriters Stacy Barthe and Denise Rich. I wonder if it's for Shania's new album or her "Heart Of Texas" TV series. And if it is for the album and she's still writing, it's not going to be released for a WHILE!
Based on the recent videos and picture, Shania and Stacy have been on Denise Rich's $50 Million yacht! Denise has written songs for several movie soundtracks so they must be working on "Heart Of Texas". So now we know where Shania has been hiding the past month.
From the same writing session on Denise Rich's yacht. Either for "Heart Of Texas" or Shania's new album. Who really knows.
Shaddy Einstein @shaddyeinstein (Albany, Bahamas)
Success is when preparation meets opportunity. Working with a LIVING LEGEND @shaniatwain (Recording on a Yacht at that) .... the vibes were organic, the passion for the craft is REAL. The knowledge I gained I couldn’t pay for..... She has sold over 100 million records, and also has 5 Grammy awards. With over 150 Awards under her belt, I am Humbled and honored to be in the presence of greatness..... #ShaddyEinstein #HD #StayPrepared #Requested #InDemand #Engineer #Bahamas #AlbanyBahamas #Producer
Wayne and I recently had the honor of going to @ShaniaTwain's residency show in Las Vegas and had such a wonderful time! She is a superstar and I'm so blessed she's signed on to hopefully turn the Heart of Texas series into a TV series.