RENEE OLSTEAD

VANITIES

This Month

PRO FOOTBALL SNOB'S DICTIONARY VOLUME 1

INTELLIGENCE REPORT CAMPAIGN '04: GUIDING HANDS

Plus:

IS GAY MARRIAGE UNDERMINING THE SANCTITY OF BATTLEAX HUMOR?

AGE AND OCCUPATION: 15; singer, actor. PROVENANCE: Kingwood Texas. THE NEIL SEDAKA? Olstead's jazzy, eponymous debut album has earned critical praise from all corners with no less than Neil Sedaka calling her 'Patsy Cline, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday all wrapped in one." BONUS POINTS FOR JAMI GERTZ MENTION: When not on tour or in the studio, Olstead can he seen on-screen— both big and small-in such films as last spring's 13 Going on 30 ("I played Becky, Jennifer Garner's friend when she turns 30") and on th$ CBS sitcom/ Jami Gertz vehicle, Still Standing ("I'm getting ready to start our third season"). FOSTER CHILD: Olstead was discovered by Uber-producer/songwriter and AOR (that's "album-oriented rock" to those not in the trade) pioneer David Foster, who also guided the rise of "popera" singer Josh Groban. THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR: "A mutual friend gave him my, kind of, demo, that was just a family project, and he liked the music I sang, and he liked my voice, so he called me. I've been given some great opportunities, especially by him."

KRISTA SMITH