Who is LeAnn Rimes? Everything to know about the singer and actress as she makes an appearance on 9-1-1: Nashville

Grammy-winner LeAnn Rimes is appearing in 9-1-1: Nashville, the second spinoff of ABC’s 9-1-1. The singer-actor LeAnn has been part of the show business for a long time, but recently made news for opening up about health issues. Meanwhile, the procedural drama kept LeAnn’s character under wraps for a long time till recently. However, LeAnn had teased that she was playing a mother to the young firefighter played by Hunter McVey. 

Incidentally, the show premiered on October 9, 2025, and LeAnn is playing Dixie Bennings, the overprotective mother of Blue Bennings. 9-1-1: Nashville Season 1 has a three-part premiere. The show follows Captain Don Hart and his son, Lieutenant Ryan Hart, as they run the Nashville Firehouse. The pilot episode of October 9, 2025, introduced Blue Bennings, played by Hunter McVey, when Don offered him a job at the Firehouse.

The following episodes played out Blue’s brooding discontent for being Don’s illegitimate son, while Dixie opened up about her wrath. Captain Don’s near-death experience brought out the true nature of his wife, Blythe and his mistress, Dixie’s animosity. Meanwhile, half-brothers Blue and Ryan seemed to bond gradually.

A glimpse at LeAnn Rimes’s career

Mississippi-born Margaret LeAnn Rimes was a singing genius from a young age. Her parents helped her land a music career as a child. Learning music and dance as a child, Rimes started her career in the musical theatre before moving on to Broadway, playing the titular character in Annie.

In 1996, her single, Blue, became a top-10 hit, earning her immediate success. The song was certified Platinum six times. Rimes then switched over to pop music and presented many hits. She has created over 40 singles that made it to the international charts. Moreover, she is credited with 20.8 million album sales in the US and 48 million records internationally.

LeAnn Rimes debuted in her acting career with ABC’s Holiday in Your Heart, released in December 1997. She also made an appearance in the NBC soap opera, Days of Our Lives. She continued with her music career while indulging in brief notable roles in movies and shows such as Coyote Ugly, Northern Lights, FX’s Anger Management, It’s Christmas Eve, and many more.

In her personal life, LeAnn Rimes married dancer Dean Sheremet in 2002. The couple separated in 2009 and divorced in 2010. In 2009, Rimes had an affair with married actor Eddie Cibrian. After Cibrian’s divorce, the two got engaged. She married Eddie Cibrian in 2011 and they are currently a couple. The singer is also connected to many philanthropic works, ranging from cancer research to LGBTQ support.

9-1-1: Nashville: A quick look at Rimes’s character, Dixie

As mentioned before, LeAnn Rimes is playing Dixie Bennings, mother to Blue Bennings, her son with Captain Don Hart. As per the plot of 9-1-1: Nashville, Dixie is upset with Don for staying married to his wife, Blythe. She is projected as a crazily protective mother while being vengeful and jealous. 

In the first episode, Blue was seen taking up the job to work as a firefighter at his father’s Firehouse. This freaked Dixie since she had kept Blue from meeting Don for years. As such, she was seen badmouthing Don Hart while complaining about her much-needed surgery, pushing her son to get money out of Don. She went to the extent of asking Blue to sink his claws into Don.

Dixie was later seen on 9-1-1: Nashville episode 3, trying to visit Don at the hospital as he came out of his coma following his encounter with lightning. The friction between Blythe and Dixie was played out in the form of an argument where the latter denied the accusation of being after Don’s money and looking for revenge.

Dixie’s character will likely play out as the villain for Blythe’s marital life. Meanwhile, she may lose her son, Blue, to the Hart family as he bonds with his half-brother, Ryan.

Tune in to 9-1-1: Nashville every Thursday to catch LeAnn Rimes play the catty Dixie.