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Linda Diane Thompson (born May 23, 1950) is an American actress and songwriter who also won several beauty pageants, including the 1972 Miss Tennessee USA title.

[edit] Career

[edit] Acting

In 1977, Thompson became a regular on the TV series Hee Haw where she was in the cornfields until 1982. Other television appearances include Starsky and Hutch, Vega$, Fantasy Island, The Fall Guy, and Beverly Hills, 90210.

[edit] Songwriting

She began writing lyrics for some of David Foster's compositions, notably the song "No Explanation" for the 1990 film, Pretty Woman. In 1992, they were nominated for a Grammy Award and an Academy Award for Best Song for their composition of the song "I Have Nothing" sung by Whitney Houston in the 1992 motion picture, The Bodyguard.

Thompson co-wrote the lyrics to "The Power of the Dream", the official song of the 1996 Summer Olympics, composed by Foster and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.

She wrote the lyrics to "You're Still You", which was featured in a 2001 episode of Ally McBeal. Along with singer-songwriter Richard Marx, she also wrote the song "To Where You Are". Both songs were performed by Josh Groban and are included on his debut album. She also composed the song "A Love That Will Last" for the 2004 film The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.

[edit] Personal life

Thompson was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee.

In July 1972 she began a relationship with the recently separated Elvis Presley;^[1] their relationship ended in December 1976. She was portrayed by actress Stephanie Zimbalist, opposite Don Johnson as Elvis, in the 1981 television movie, Elvis and the Beauty Queen.

In 1980 Thompson began a relationship with former Olympic Gold Medal decathlete Bruce Jenner. The couple married on January 5, 1981. They had two children, Brandon Jenner (born June 4, 1981) and Brody Jenner (born August 21, 1983). They divorced in 1984.

On June 22, 1991, she married composer and record producer David Foster, with whom she has co-written many songs. He filed for divorce in 2006.

[edit] Awards

In 2003, Thompson and Foster won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics for The Concert for World Children's Day.

[edit] Humanitarian work

She was active with her husband in humanitarian causes in the David Foster Foundation Society. In 2005, the Fosters aired a reality television show called The Princes of Malibu based on Linda's slacker sons and how Foster had to deal with them. The show was cancelled after a few airings, with Foster separating from Thompson.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Linda Thompson at the Internet Movie Database
• Interview with Linda Thompson
• Miss Tennessee USA Hall of Fame