Refreshed UT Tyler Cowan Center Welcomes Country Artist LeAnn Rimes

September 8, 2026 | Hannah Buchanan

Rimes to Open 2026-27 Cowan Center Season Sept. 26

Following a significant renovation of its public spaces, The University of Texas at Tyler R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center welcomes world-renowned artist LeAnn Rimes to open the 2026-27 “Big Names, Big Entertainment” season.

The Grammy® Award-winning singer, songwriter and actress takes the Cowan stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26.

“Bringing LeAnn Rimes back to Tyler is the perfect way to open our season,” said Jeff Noblitt, executive director of the Cowan Center. “She has built a career defined by extraordinary talent and timeless music. Audiences can expect an exceptional evening filled with powerful performances, stirring emotion and the hits that have made her a beloved artist for more than three decades.”

Tickets can be purchased online at cowancenter.org, by calling 903.566.7424 or visiting the Cowan Center box office. Box office hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

A native of Jackson, Miss., Rimes grew up in the Dallas area and began singing at a young age. In her early teens, she recorded some songs, including several from her chart-topping album “Blue,” at the Rosewood Studio in Tyler.

“Coming back feels like closing a beautiful circle,” Rimes said. “There are places that become a part of your story, whether you realize it at the time or not, and Tyler is definitely one of those places for me. It’ll be really special to celebrate that with the audience.”

At 14, Rimes won Best New Artist, making her the youngest solo artist to take home a Grammy® – and at 15 – she became the first country artist to win Artist of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards. Since then, she has sold over 48 million albums globally, won two Grammys® and CMA Awards, and three ACM Awards, to name a few. Out of the 63 singles released, her ballad “How Do I Live” holds the record as Billboard’s Hot 100 all-time No. 1 hit by a female artist and ranks No. 6 on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time: Hot 100 Songs list. Most recently in 2022, Rimes had a big year including the release of her 19th album, “God’s Work.” The album, which features a roster of accomplished artists including Ziggy Marley, Mickey Guyton, Aloe Blacc, Ben Harper and more, was listed as No. 9 on Variety’s “The Best Albums of 2022.”

The LeAnn Rimes performance will be one of the first opportunities for audiences to experience the renovated UT Tyler Cowan Center. The 2,012-seat performing arts venue completed a refresh of its public spaces over the summer including elevated concessions, restrooms and furnishings.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 11,500 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.