From ‘Us’ Magazine:

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2007

Britney Spears made a name for herself as a happy, wholesome pop star who was saving herself for marriage.

But lawyer Eric Ervin, who worked with Spears as a teenager, tells Us Weekly in its new cover story that the “virgin” image Spears portrayed was, in his words, a “PR blitz.” …Something Spears also kept secret: Her family’s tragic history.

Us has learned that Spears’ paternal grandmother, Emma Jean Spears, in June 1966 committed suicide at age 31. …Emma Jean Spears left behind four other children, including Britney’s father, Jamie Spears, then an eighth grader. Two of Jamie Spears’ brothers ended up with criminal records and homeless.

More troubling details on Britney Spears’ disturbing childhood — and how it plays a part in her behavior today appear in the new issue of of Us Weekly, on newsstands Wednesday nationwide.

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