10 Songs That Define Brandi Carlile's Career

After a string of Grammys, Emmys, and every other kind of award, Brandi Carlile has a music career that feels almost inevitable. Who Believes in Angels?, her new collaborative release with Elton John, puts her next to one of rock's most lauded figures. The two have been friends for years, even vacationing together, so the match-up seems obvious. Carlile's career was never a sure thing, though. When she was growing up in a single-wide trailer, nearly dying from illness in childhood and later dropping out of high school, nothing was a given.