ShareThisMickie James feels too good about her burgeoning music career to sing the blues about World Wrestling Entertainment.
James has turned her focus to promoting "Strangers and Angels" -- her 11-song country debut -- since being released by WWE in late April.
"Wrestling has kind of taken a back seat right now," James said Wednesday in a telephone interview. "This is a new passion of mine. I'm a very competitive person and very much a perfectionist. When I want something that badly, I'm willing to make sacrifices and do whatever it takes to make it happen."
"Strangers and Angels" is proof of that dedication. What originally began as a three-track project of James-written songs grew into a full-fledged CD shaped by a renowned producer (Kent Wells) and vocal coach (Ron Browning). James spent 1-1/2 years completing "Strangers and Angels" in Nashville, Tenn., while also working a full-time WWE schedule.
"I was only home last year for about 20 days," she said.
Not that James is complaining. She wanted to become a recording artist long before dreaming of pro-wrestling stardom.
"I had played the violin for five years in school," James said. "I would walk around the house with a boom box recording myself and give the tapes to my mom. The last few years, I was on the road so much that I didn't really get the chance to watch TV, so I listened to music all the time. I would write down the melodies in my head and the feelings I had in lyrical form."
James, who was raised on a Virginia horse farm, became a country-music fan because of her stepfather. But while she cites Willie Nelson and Tim McGraw as two of her influences, James said "Strangers and Angels" isn't a traditional country release.
"I tried to pull in different sounds to make this unique," she said. "Obviously, it's an incredible honor to be compared to somebody else. But it's even better when you can say you have a sound all your own."
Somewhere along the way, a sour note was struck between WWE and its five-time women's champion. WWE's firing of James follows the same pattern as former "divas" Stacy Keibler and Maria Kanellis, both of whom were dismissed after pursuing outside entertainment projects.
James said she was never given a reason for her release. She also is limited in talking about the situation because of clauses in a WWE contract that expires Aug. 1. James, though, had hoped to stay with WWE for another five years while also following through on her musical ambitions.
"It broke my heart (to get released). I admit it," said James, who initially landed a WWE developmental contract in 2003 after spending four years on the independent circuit and in TNA Wrestling. "I had given so much of my life to this and sacrificed so much. I missed weddings, birthdays, my nieces being born. I starved on the road when I first tried to make it. I slept at rest stops because I didn't have the money for a hotel. I wanted it that bad.
"When you get that call (from WWE) that you're hired, it's the greatest call in the world. It's even better when you get the call that you're coming to TV (tapings) and debuting. But when you get the call saying you're gone ... What bothers me is, I could see if I didn't get a good reaction, but I would get the largest reaction of any female on the roster no matter who I was on the bill with. I still don't understand why, but that's life."
James still reflects fondly on some of her greatest WWE moments. One of them came when she defeated Trish Stratus at "Wrestlemania 22" in 2006 to begin her first title reign.
"It blew my mind," James said. "My mom was sitting in the front row and she was crying. She had come to Staunton, Virginia, to see me wrestle in front of 20 people nine years before that. It was a magical moment."
James isn't completely done working her magic inside the ring. She is traveling to Japan in late July to grapple for the SMASH promotion being run by former WWE star Yoshihiro Tajiri. And when her WWE non-compete clause expires, it wouldn't be surprising to see James resurface in TNA.
"For a while, I was going to say I didn't want to wrestle at all because I'm still heartbroken (about WWE)," James said. "But I do love it so much. I intend to wrestle here and there and do the shows I really want to do, especially if it's with someone who's a friend of mine or someone I never got a chance to work with."
For more information on "Strangers and Angels," visit www.mickiejames.com.
(Alex Marvez writes a syndicated pro-wrestling column for Scripps Howard News Service. Contact him at alex1marv(at)aol.com or follow him via Twitter at http://twitter.com/alexmarvez.)
mickie forever
i hope mickie does go to tna i miss seeing her on television wrestling shes one of my favorite divas and always will be.
FORGET IT!!! MICKIE RETURN TO WWE!!!
SCREW THAT! THE KNOCKOUTS DIVISION IS DEAD! AND EVEN IF IT WEREN'T TNA WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT THE CRAP TO DO WITH MICKIE!! THEY SUCK BALLS!
IF MICKIE RETURNS TO WRESTLING FULL TIME, IT MUST BE WITH WWE! SHE IS A DIVA THROUGH AND THROUGH!
Mickie James
Please come back to WWE, Mickie! WE LOVE YOU!!!
Mickie James COME BACK
Mickie's release was an absolute injustice to her and the fans! Rehire her, Vince! She BELONGS in WWE! We don't want her to go to TNA!
The Knockouts Division is dead. Hogan and Bishoff don't care about Women's wrestling. WE WANT MICKIE BACK IN WWE!!!!
Mickie
BRING MICKIE BACK TO WWE!! WE WANT MICKIE!!! WE WANT MICKIE!!!
Let her come back home, Vince!
TNA is a "been there, done that" type of deal for Mickie. If she goes back there, it'll be like starting over. What will they do with her there? Rip off the Mickie-LayCool angle, only replacing LayCool with the Beautiful People? Why not, they already ripped off the Montreal Screwjob and other things we saw in WWE in the past. In WWE, Mickie could move on to a new feud. I think it's time WWE started talking to her again and allowed her to come back home where she belongs. Mickie VS. Tamina would be 100 times better than say The Bellas VS. LayCool
There was a reason she was fired
Mickie was fired because she didn't want to follow the rules and thought she could dictate what her employer would do rather than the other way around. She felt she could come and go as she pleased and say what she wanted to whomever, whenever. Her behavior was a disruption, and WWE did what any employer would do with a disruptive employee. She was warned, and when the behavior continued she was terminated.
I like Mickie, but I also understand business.
The OTHER reason Mickie was fired!
Wrong. It wasn't Mickie who had attitude issues, it was BATISTA! Mickie has some "run ins" with him and Vince sided with him because he didn't want to lose a MAIN EVENTER. Batista actually hung nude photos of Mickie in the locker room, cause he was pissed off, HE SHOULD'VE BEEN FIRED FOR SEXUAL HARRASSMENT! Batista actually threatened to quit if she wasn't released. FUCK HIM!
Maybe she can go back to foot
Maybe she can go back to foot fetish porn.
Another female victim
Anyone who has followed WWE or WWF shouldn't be surprised at the mercenary nature of women's wrestling there. Wendi Richter in 1985 raises waves and then gets pinned by Spider Lady/Moolah in a double-cross for the title. Mickie's departure wasn't quite that dramatic, but the point remains the same -- women have a short shelf life on the WWE roster, and any who ruffle feathers get the express pass out.
COME BACK MICKIE!
Please Vince! Let Mickie come back to WWE! We'll do whatever it takes!
Don't let TNA get Mickie! They'll RUIN HER! REHIRE HER FOR US! REHIRE HER FOR YOUR COMPANY!
Mickie deserved better
mickie james is gone so face the facts you morons, the only reason she was ever in the WWE was so she could make grown men's crotches tickle(a fucked up low-life like batista is a prime example). & when grown men's crotches tickle Vince fucking McMahon makes money which he then gives to Triple fucking H & his billionaire whore of a daughter Stephanie. Thank God Trish & Lita left when they had or they would've been ditched in a minute for 'Taker's whore Michelle McBitchass, who they fucking deep throat us with every minute. ONE word to say: FUCK MICHELLE MCCOOL.....& WWE
NEVER!
Forget it! We will never give up on Mickie! We want her back in WWE and that all there is to it! If Vince won't bring her back, then WWE is dead!
PLEASE COME BACK!
Mr. McMahon is an IDIOT for releasing Mickie! We all LOVE her SO MUCH!
I don't blame fans for wanting to riot at Extreme Rules! Vince screwed the fans when he fired Mickie! She was the greatest diva ever!
She was better than Trish! WWE had better rehire her! Cause if TNA gets their hands on Mickie, they will ruin her career! TNA SUCKS!
Please come back to WWE, Mickie!
This is terrible.
Please WWE, let Mickie come back home to the company. She didn't deserve any of this. The fans want her back SO BAD. Please reinstate Mickie! Do it for the fans!
WE BEG OF YOU!
ALLOW MICKIE TO RETURN TO WWE!!! SHE WAS THE GREATEST EVER!!!! WE WANT HER BACK!!! VINCE, WE ARE BEGGING YOU! RESIGN MICKIE TO THE WWE!!!!
WE WANT MICKIE!
WE WANT MICKIE!! WE WANT MICKIE!! WE WANT MICKIE!! Vince you screwed us when you released Mickie and you WILL bring her back to the company or you WILL REGRET IT!!!!
Vince, you bastard.
This is almost tough to read. It breaks the heart. Mickie didn't deserve this. She is one of the best divas WWE has ever had. And she is a very nice and beautiful woman. We all love her so much that words can't describe. Vince sold us out. If he doesn't allow her back in WWE then he doesn't give a shit about the fans. His father would be ashamed of him. Mickie was more entertaining than some of the male wrestlers. Vine says he wants to do what pleases the fans, so if he's not a liar then he will bring Mickie back home to the company.
Mickie...
Mickie, please come back to WWE... We love you so...
Dear WWE...
BRING MICKIE BACK!!!!! BRING MICKIE BACK!!!! BRING MICKIE BACK!!!!!
Mickie
Mickie, I really hope you return to WWE. We miss you. You're te greatest diva in history.
Mickie James
I heard Mickie is supposed to return once her album tours are up. I hope and pray it's true. I want Mickie to come back to WWE so bad.
Getting Mickie James Back
All Mickie fans who want her back, please go to this site and sign this petition:
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/BringbackMickieJames
And you can also go to this site and tell WWE you want her back by leaving a comment:
http://corporate.wwe.com/company/contact_form.jsp?dept=fan
WE NEED YOU MICKIE!!!!!!!
Please return to WWE, Mickie. We need you. Without you, the divas are finished! We love you, Mickie James! PLEASE COME BACK
RESIGN MICKIE!!!
Mickie's no compete clause is up! NOW RESIGN HER TO WWE, VINCE!!!!!!
PLEASE RETURN TO WWE!!!!
Vince, DON'T LET TNA GET MICKIE!!!!!! BRING HER BACK TO WWE!!!!!!! Please Mickie return to WWE!!!!!!
RESIGN MICKIE ALREADY!
WE WANT MICKIE!!!!!!!! BRING HER BACK, VINCE!!!!!!
In the name of great women's
In the name of great women's wrestlers from the past, ranging from Moolah to Sherri to Trish to Lita, Bring back Mickie, WWE!