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Barbara Ann Mandrell (born December 25, 1948) is an American retired
country music Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
singer and musician. She is also credited as an actress and author. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, she was considered among country's most successful music artists. She had six number one singles and 25 top ten singles reach the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' country songs chart. She also hosted her own prime–time television show in the early 1980s that featured music, dance numbers and comedy sketches. Mandrell also played a variety of musical instruments during her career that helped earn her a series of major–industry awards. Mandrell was born in Texas and raised mostly in California. Mandrell is from a musical family; she played several instruments by the time she was a teenager. Her skills on the
steel guitar A steel guitar () is any guitar played while moving a steel bar or similar hard object against plucked strings. The bar itself is called a "steel" and is the source of the name "steel guitar". The instrument differs from a conventional guitar i ...
were noticed by country music entertainers, who gave Mandrell the chance to perform in public at age 13. During this period she became a regular on the television program '' Town Hall Party''. She also performed as a musician when she toured in shows featuring
Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...
and
Patsy Cline Patsy Cline (born Virginia Patterson Hensley; September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963) was an American singer. One of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century, she was known as one of the first country music artists to successfully Cross ...
. Her family formed a band in her late teens which traveled overseas and entertained military bases. After marrying in 1967, Mandrell briefly retired, but was inspired to pursue a singing career after watching a performance of the ''
Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a regular live country music, country-music Radio broadcasting, radio broadcast originating from Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, on WSM (AM), WSM, held between two and five nights per week, depending on the ...
'' live at the
Ryman Auditorium Ryman Auditorium (originally Union Gospel Tabernacle and renamed Grand Ole Opry House for a period) is a historic 2,362-seat live-performance venue and museum located at 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North, in the downtown core of Nashville, Tennesse ...
. In 1969, she signed her first recording contract with
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
. She was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1972. In the early 1970s, Mandrell recorded a number of singles that combined country influences with R&B
soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
. Her singles frequently made their way onto the country charts. Her most successful singles of this period were " Tonight My Baby's Coming Home" (1971) and " The Midnight Oil" (1973). In 1975, she moved to ABCDot records and reached her commercial breakthrough with country–pop singles like " Sleeping Single in a Double Bed" (1978), " (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right" (1979), " I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" (1981) and " One of a Kind Pair of Fools" (1983). She became a concert headliner and won several major music awards including the Entertainer of the Year accolade from the
Country Music Association The Country Music Association (CMA) is an American trade association with the stated aim of promoting and developing country music throughout the world. Founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee, it originally consisted of 233 members and was the f ...
two years in a row. Mandrell sustained serious head and leg injuries in a near-fatal car accident on September 11, 1984. She seriously considered retirement for a time. However, she returned to recording in 1985 and had several more top ten country singles including " Fast Lanes and Country Roads" (1985), " No One Mends a Broken Heart Like You" (1986), and " I Wish I Could Fall in Love Today" (1988). She resumed performing, touring, and began guest-starring in several television shows and numerous commercials. Mandrell appeared in several television films and shows during the late 1980s and 1990s like ''Burning Rage'' and ''
Empty Nest ''Empty Nest'' is an American television sitcom that aired for seven seasons on NBC from October 8, 1988, to June 17, 1995. The series, which was created as a spin-off of ''The Golden Girls'' by creator and producer Susan Harris, starred Richa ...
''. She continued recording into the 1990s, releasing several albums for the Capitol label including '' No Nonsense'' (1991). In 1997, Mandrell announced her retirement from performing and recording. She continued acting until 2000. In 2009, she was inducted into the
Country Music Hall of Fame The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amass ...
for her work in the industry.


Early childhood

Mandrell was born in
Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, on
Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, Chri ...
, 1948. She is the eldest child born to parents Mary Ellen (
née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
McGill; born 1931) and Irby Matthew Mandrell (October 11, 1924 – March 5, 2009). The family later moved to
Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( ; ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas County, T ...
, where her father was a police officer and her mother was a music teacher. Mandrell's younger sisters Louise and Irlene, were born there. While in Corpus Christi, Mandrell got acquainted with music. She sang and played music regularly at home. She also recalled having a natural ear for hearing music. "I remember once I was at my cousins' home in Falfurrias. We were playing outside—and I'm talking this is when I'm a little girl—and we were singing, of all things, 'I've Been Working on the Railroad.' All of a sudden I started to hear harmony. I began to sing it, and I just thought, 'This is the neatest thing in the world,'" she told ''
Texas Monthly ''Texas Monthly'' (stylized as ''TexasMonthly'') is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Downtown Austin, Texas. Founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, ''Texas Monthly'' chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the Natura ...
''. In her early childhood, she began performing publicly. Her first recollection of performing in front people was at her family's church singing a rendition of the "Gospel Boogie". In addition to singing, Mandrell also learned several instruments as a small child. Mandrell's mother taught her how to play the
accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German language, German ', from '—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a Reed (mou ...
and read music before she entered into the first grade. When she was six years old, the family moved to
Oceanside, California Oceanside is a beach city in the North County (San Diego area), North County area of San Diego County, California, United States. The city had a population of 174,068 at the 2020 United States census, making it the most populous city in the Nort ...
. Irby Mandrell opened his own music store. In her elementary school years, she learned to play
saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to p ...
while a part of the school band. During the same period, she started taking lessons on the
steel guitar A steel guitar () is any guitar played while moving a steel bar or similar hard object against plucked strings. The bar itself is called a "steel" and is the source of the name "steel guitar". The instrument differs from a conventional guitar i ...
from her father's friend Norman Hamlet. After a year of practice on the instrument, Irby Mandrell took his daughter to a music trade show in
Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. At the program, she performed on the steel guitar. She was heard by country performer Joe Maphis who would help launch Mandrell's early career as a musician.


Music career


1960–1968: Late childhood and teenage years as a steel guitarist

In 1960, Joe Maphis brought eleven-year-old Mandrell onto his country music show in
Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
. As part of Maphis's act, she performed the steel guitar. Maphis also helped her secure a regular spot on the country music California television program '' Town Hall Party''. Feeling as if she was the only female musician, Mandrell discovered on ''Town Hall Party'' that other female instrumentalists also existed: "Men dominated the world of country music, but I looked around and discovered there were more women than you might have thought." On summers off from school, Mandrell routinely went back to Las Vegas to perform. In 1962, she toured country music shows with artists
Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...
and
Patsy Cline Patsy Cline (born Virginia Patterson Hensley; September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963) was an American singer. One of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century, she was known as one of the first country music artists to successfully Cross ...
. During the tour, 13-year old Mandrell shared hotel rooms with Cline since she was underage. She also performed steel guitar for
Red Foley Clyde Julian "Red" Foley (June 17, 1910 – September 19, 1968) was an American musician who made a major contribution to the growth of country music after World War II. For more than two decades, Foley was one of the biggest stars of the gen ...
, Little Jimmy Dickens and
Tex Ritter Woodward Maurice "Tex" Ritter (January 12, 1905 – January 2, 1974) was a pioneer of American country music, a singer, and an actor from the mid-1930s into the 1960s. He was the patriarch of the Ritter acting family (son John Ritter, grandso ...
. When she turned 14, her parents formed the Mandrell Family Band with Barbara on steel guitar, mother Mary on piano, and father Irby on lead vocals. They also hired two outside musicians including drummer Ken Dudney, whom Mandrell would later marry in 1967. The Mandrell Family Band mostly played military bases around the United States and performed a variety of music including songs by
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
. While in the band, Mandrell also learned how to play
banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and in modern forms is usually made of plastic, where early membranes were made of animal skin. ...
and
bass guitar The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...
. Mandrell also engaged in other activities during her teenage years. In 1965, she was voted "Miss Oceanside California". She participated in the marching band, chorus and student council. She eventually graduated from high school in 1967. Shortly after high school graduation, Mandrell married Ken Dudney and chose to retire from performing to become a full-time housewife. Her last performance trip was to
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
where the Mandrell Family Band entertained the troops fighting in the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
. Upon returning, Mandrell found out that her husband had been sent temporarily overseas for his Navy pilot career. Feeling alone, Mandrell visited with her parents who had just moved to
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
. There, the family attended a performance at the ''
Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a regular live country music, country-music Radio broadcasting, radio broadcast originating from Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, on WSM (AM), WSM, held between two and five nights per week, depending on the ...
''. While watching the show that evening, Mandrell realized that she still wanted to perform. "I wasn't cut out to be in the audience," she recalled in 2003. With father Irby acting as her manager she got the chance to play steel guitar on a show located in the
Printer's Alley Printer's Alley is a famous alley in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., between Third and Fourth Avenues, running from Union Street to Commerce Street. The portion of the alley between Union and Church Street is the home of a nightclub distric ...
section of Nashville. In addition to the steel guitar, Mandrell also sang on several selections in the show. Her skills as both a singer and musician caught the attention of six different record companies who offered her a recording contract. This included country music producer Billy Sherrill, who was watching the performance. In 1969, Mandrell signed with Sherill's label
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
as a recording artist.


1969–1974: Singing transition and early success at Columbia Records

Mandrell started her singing career by cutting covers of R&B
soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
selections. Her first Columbia single made America's ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' country songs chart in 1969 called " I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)". It was a cover of the
Otis Redding Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. ...
original. It was followed by the Billy Sherrill-penned " Playin' Around with Love" (1970). It became her first song to reach the top 20, peaking at number 18 on the ''Billboard'' country chart. Her next singles were covers of
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...
's " Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" and
Roy Head Roy Kent Head (January 9, 1941 – September 21, 2020) was an American singer, best known for his hit song "Treat Her Right". Head and fellow high school student Tommy Bolton founded musical group The Traits in 1957, with the band, billed as Roy ...
's " Treat Him Right". In 1971, Mandrell's debut studio album was released through Columbia, also titled '' Treat Him Right''. The disc included her charting singles between 1969 and 1971, along with covers of songs by
Ivory Joe Hunter Ivory Joe Hunter (October 10, 1914 – November 8, 1974) was an American rhythm-and-blues singer, songwriter, and pianist. After a series of hits on the US R&B chart starting in the mid-1940s, he became more widely known for his hit recordi ...
,
Joe South Joe South (born Joseph Alfred Souter; February 28, 1940 – September 5, 2012) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Best known for his songwriting, South won the Grammy Award for Grammy Award for Song of the Year, ...
and others. Her early success garnered Mandrell the Top New Female Vocalist award from the
Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller (songwriter), Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris ...
in 1970 and a membership to the ''
Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a regular live country music, country-music Radio broadcasting, radio broadcast originating from Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, on WSM (AM), WSM, held between two and five nights per week, depending on the ...
'' in 1972. In 1971, Mandrell's single " Tonight My Baby's Coming Home" was her first to peak in the top ten of the ''Billboard'' country songs chart. It was followed in 1972 by a cover of
Joe Tex Yusuf Hazziez (born Joseph Arrington Jr.; August 8, 1935 – August 13, 1982), known professionally as Joe Tex, was an American singer and musician who gained success in the 1960s and 1970s with his brand of Southern soul, which mixed the style ...
's " Show Me", which made the top 20 on the same chart. At the same time, Mandrell started recording with country singer David Houston. Several of their recordings were released as singles and made the country charts in the United States and Canada. Their first single "After Closing Time" reached number six on the ''Billboard'' country survey and number four on Canada's ''
RPM Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or r⋅min−1) is a unit of rotational speed (or rotational frequency) for rotating machines. One revolution per minute is equivalent to hertz. Standards ISO 80000-3:2019 def ...
'' Country songs list. Their duets made the charts several more times between 1970 and 1974, including "I Love You, I Love You" (1973), which climbed into the ''Billboard'' top ten as well. Their recordings were released on a studio album titled '' A Perfect Match''. Critics and writers took notice of Mandrell's fusion of country music with R&B and soul. Author Kurt Wolff of ''Country Music: The Rough Guide'' described her early chart records as "colorful, spirited country soul". Wolff further explained, "The songs weren't exactly all roots and downhome twang, but they were certainly closer to the ground (and the soul) than any of her later, more suburban material." Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann highlighted Mandrell's country–soul mix in their 2003 book: " andrell's deliverygives her vocals a hoarse, urgent quality that she put to good use on 'blue-eyed soul' versions of R&B songs," they noted. In reviewing a Columbia compilation,
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
's Greg Adams stated that her early work was "some of the best recordings arbara Mandrellever made." Some critics found that Mandrell's Columbia material lacked individuality and at times seemed closer resemble that of other Columbia artists. "Sometimes, it seems as if Sherrill isn't quite sure what to do with Mandrell. He keeps her away from anything that could be construed as a good fit for
Tammy Wynette Tammy Wynette (born Virginia Wynette Pugh; May 5, 1942 – April 6, 1998) was an American country music singer and songwriter, considered among the genre's most influential and successful artists. Along with Loretta Lynn, Wynette helped bring a ...
, and when the country does turn toward the straight-ahead, it's still soft;
Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in country music, he was a central pioneer of the Bakersfield ...
's 'Today I Started Loving You Again' doesn't carry resignation in Barbara's hands, only reassurance,"
Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance ...
commented on one of her early LP's. In 1973, Columbia issued what was considered Mandrell's breakthrough record, called " The Midnight Oil". The song told the story of a wife having an affair and lying to her husband about the situation. The single became her second solo top ten hit, reaching number seven on the ''Billboard'' country chart and number five on the ''RPM'' country chart. Its corresponding studio album of the same name reached the number eight position on the ''Billboard'' country LP's chart. In 1974, she reached the top 20 on the country chart with " This Time I Almost Made It", which followed a similar country–soul style as her previous material. Mandrell later reflected to ''
Biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curri ...
'' about the lack of confidence she felt showcased her Columbia material: "There have been many times when I thought other people might be better singers or better musicians or prettier than me, but then I would hear Daddy's voice telling me to never say never, and I would find a way to squeeze an extra inch or two out of what God had given me." In 1975, she left Columbia's roster.


1975–1986: Country–pop crossover and career peak

In 1975, Mandrell signed a recording contract with ABCDot (it was later bought by
MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc. established in 1972, though MCA had released recordings under that name in the UK from the 1960s. The label achieved success in the 1970s through the 1980s, often by acquiring other ...
). With producer
Tom Collins The Tom Collins is a Collins cocktail made from gin, lemon juice, sugar, and carbonated water. This "gin and sparkling lemonade" drink is typically served in a Collins glass over ice with a cherry garnish. A non-alcoholic "Collins mix" drink mi ...
, Mandrell incorporated a pop production that broadened her appeal with listeners. Her first ABC–Dot single was 1975's " Standing Room Only", which was her first top five ''Billboard'' country song. It was followed by the top 20 songs "
That's What Friends Are For "That's What Friends Are For" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. It was first recorded by Rod Stewart in 1982 for the soundtrack of the film '' Night Shift'', but it is best known for the 1985 version by Dionne Warwic ...
" and " Midnight Angel". Collins also incorporated R&B elements into her repertoire, which further elevated her commercial success. Her R&B covers of Denise LaSalle's " Married But Not to Each Other" and
Shirley Brown Shirley Brown (born January 6, 1947, West Memphis, Arkansas) is an American R&B singer, best known for her million-selling single " Woman to Woman", which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1975. Biography Brown was born in West Memphis, bu ...
's " Woman to Woman" made the American and Canadian country song top five in 1977. "Woman to Woman" was also her first enter the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. These recordings appeared on her sixth and seventh studio albums, which were also issued in 1977. Mandrell reached her commercial zenith in the late 1970s with songs about infidelity and cheating. In 1978, " Sleeping Single in a Double Bed" was her first single to reach the number one spot on the ''Billboard'' and ''RPM'' country charts. It was followed in 1979 by a cover of Luther Ingram's R&B hit " (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right". It also topped the North American country charts and crossed over into the top 40 of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Canadian pop songs chart. On ''Billboards
adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...
survey, the single reached the top ten. Both tracks appeared on Mandrell's top ten ''Billboard'' country album '' Moods'' (1978). Her 1979 album '' Just for the Record'' was also a top ten ''Billboard'' LP. ''Just for the Record'' spawned the country–pop crossover singles " Fooled by a Feeling" and "
Years A year is a unit of time based on how long it takes the Earth to orbit the Sun. In scientific use, the tropical year (approximately 365 solar days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 45 seconds) and the sidereal year (about 20 minutes longer) are more exa ...
". Now at her career peak, Mandrell became a headlining concert act. Her concert productions included choreography, costume changes and featured Mandrell on multiple musical instruments. One of her headlining performances was turned into a cable television special called ''The Lady Is a Champ''. She also appeared on national television programs and won the
Country Music Association The Country Music Association (CMA) is an American trade association with the stated aim of promoting and developing country music throughout the world. Founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee, it originally consisted of 233 members and was the f ...
's 1979 Female Vocalist of the Year accolade. Between 1980 and 1982, she and her siblings co-hosted the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
television series ''Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters''. It helped Mandrell become the first performer to win back–to–back Entertainer of the Year awards from the Country Music Association in both 1980 and 1981. Mandrell's recordings continued having commercial success too. She had top ten country singles with 1980's " Crackers" and " The Best of Strangers". In 1981, MCA issued her first
live album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track or cassette), or digital. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th centur ...
, which charted the ''Billboard'' country albums top five and certified gold in sales from the United States. The disc included a track about staying close to country roots called " I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool". Released as a single, it was her fourth number one song on the ''Billboard'' country chart. Mandrell's commercial momentum continued through the early 1980s. Her twelfth studio album '' ...In Black & White'' reached number seven on the country albums list. It was followed by her fourteenth studio record '' Spun Gold'' (1983), which climbed to number five on the same list. Both discs spawned the number one singles " 'Till You're Gone" and " One of a Kind Pair of Fools". Also included were the top ten recordings " Operator, Long Distance Please" and " In Times Like These". Mandrell's 1984 album was also a top ten ''Billboard'' disc and featured the top five singles " Only a Lonely Heart Knows" and " Happy Birthday Dear Heartache". Mandrell's popularity allowed her to record an album of
gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music vary according to culture and social context. Gospel music is compo ...
in 1982 titled '' He Set My Life to Music''. The project brought Mandrell her first
Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
awards. She also collaborated on several duets with
Lee Greenwood Melvin Lee Greenwood (born October 27, 1942) is an American country music singer. Active since 1962, he won a Grammy Awards, Grammy Award and he has charted 33 singles on the Hot Country Songs with seven singles reaching the number one. He has ...
in 1984. The duets were issued on their 1984 studio album '' Meant for Each Other'', which featured the top five country single " To Me". Despite her popularity and commercial appeal, Mandrell's early–1980s music received mixed reviews. Writer Kurt Wolff found that her 1980s recordings exemplified "a weak attempt to maintain her roots" featuring "garnish productions" that went "head-first into schmaltz". In reviewing her 1983 album, critic Greg Adams commented, "''Spun Gold'' contains some bizarre collisions of country music's traditional working-class perspective with disco-era glitz." Meanwhile, writers Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann described her early 1980s singles as "powerful heartache songs" whose themes centered around "enduring financial hardship" and "proud-to-be country anthem . On September 11, 1984, Mandrell and her two oldest children were in Tennessee heading home from shopping when another driver crossed the center line and hit them head on. Mandrell suffered a broken femur, shattered ankle, injured knee and a concussion that left temporary brain damage. The driver of the other vehicle died. Mandrell's children survived with minor injuries. The crash caused Mandrell to endure numerous surgeries on her femur and ankle. This led to prolonged pain and depression. "I never thought I would ever sing again or be Barbara Mandrell again, or any of that," she later told
CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
. She eventually returned to the recording studio in May 1985, which resulted in the 1985 top ten country single " There's No Love in Tennessee". It appeared on Mandrell's ''
Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...
'' compilation, which was also issued in 1985. She returned to the stage for the first time in 1986 at the Los Angeles Universal Amphitheatre, with
Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily as a country music, country musician. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton's debut album ...
serving as her opening act. Her next studio album '' Get to the Heart'' (1985) spawned the top ten ''Billboard'' songs " Fast Lanes and Country Roads" and " Angel in Your Arms". Her final album for MCA appeared in 1986 titled '' Moments''. It spawned the top ten country song " No One Mends a Broken Heart Like You".


1987–1997: Later recordings, career slow–down and retirement

In 1987, Mandrell signed a new recording contract with
EMI America EMI America Records was launched in 1978 by EMI as their second label in the United States after Capitol Records, relying on Capitol only for pressing, distribution, and international liaison. In 1987, EMI America merged with Manhattan Records, ...
. Her first album with the label was the studio offering '' Sure Feels Good'' (1987). The disc reached number 24 on the ''Billboard'' country albums survey.
United Press International United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ce ...
positively commented that, "Mandrell should be proud of this effort which should put her back on top of the charts." Yet, of its three singles only "
Child Support Child support (or child maintenance) is an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child (state or parent, caregiver, guardian) following the end of a marriage or other similar relationship. Child maintenance is ...
" reached the top 20 of the North American country charts. Mandrell's future singles and albums reached progressively–lower chart positions as a new group of traditionally–oriented country artists began having more commercial success. Yet, Mandrell continued touring and remained a popular concert attraction through the 1980s and 1990s. Mandrell signed with
Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...
in late 1987. Her first Capitol single was a cover of Ray Price's " I Wish I Could Fall in Love Today", which reached the top five of the American and Canadian singles charts. It was included on her nineteenth studio disc '' I'll Be Your Jukebox Tonight'' (1988). The project featured a traditional country sound and included production credits for the first time from Fred Foster. It also spawned the top 20 single " My Train of Thought" (1989) and the charting song "Mirror, Mirror". Both songs were her final singles to chart in the United States. Mandrell remained with Capitol until 1991. Her next two Capitol discs were both issued in 1990: '' Morning Sun'' and '' No Nonsense'' (distributed through
Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...
). For the latter album, Mandrell signed a commercial deal with the No Nonsense panty hose brand. Her final Capitol–Liberty project was issued in 1991 called '' Key's in the Mailbox''. Mandrell's Capitol recordings found positive reviews from critics. Mary. A Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann found the songs to showcase "strong female lyrics", while Bill Carpenter said her 1991 album exemplified "Heartful soul and contemporary country." Mandrell continued making live performance appearances on network television. She also remained a popular act on the ''Grand Ole Opry'', including their televised portion of the program. Mandrell also continued recording and releasing new material. In 1994, the New York label Direct Records released two albums of her music. The studio album projects were marketed exclusively through television and appeared on networks such as TNN. That year, the label issued '' Acoustic Attitude'', which was an album of re-recordings. The label also issued an album of new material that year titled '' It Works for Me''. The album was reissued on Razor & Tie in 1997, which Mandrell temporarily signed a contract with that year. Also in 1997, Mandrell announced her retirement from touring, recording and performing. In an interview with ''Billboard'', Mandrell explained that she chose to retire so she could focus on a full–time acting career. She gave her final musical performance in October 1997 at the Grand Ole Opry house. Her final concert was aired on network television. Titled ''Barbara Mandrell and the Do-Rites: The Last Dance'', premiered on TNN in late 1997. After her retirement, Mandrell sold all of her musical instruments. She now spends time on her family and domestic responsibilities.


Acting career


1978–1983: Early roles and television variety series

Mandrell began gaining regular exposure on national television programs. Her television credits from this period included appearances on ''
The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has been broadcast on NBC since 1954. The program has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2 ...
'', ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'' (AB) is an American Music television, music performance and dance television series that aired in various iterations from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark who also served as the program's Television producer, pr ...
'' and
Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...
entertainment specials. Among the highlights was an appearance on a 1979 episode of ''
The Rockford Files ''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner, aired on NBC from September 13, 1974, to January 10, 1980. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investigator Jim Rockford, with Noah Beery Jr. in th ...
'' and co-hosting the 1979
Academy of Country Music Awards The Academy of Country Music Awards, also known as the ACM Awards, were first held in 1966, honoring the industry's accomplishments during the previous year. It was the first country music awards program held by a major organization. The academy ...
. In late 1979 she played Emmy in the holiday program ''Skinflint: A Christmas Carol'' alongside several other country artists of the era. The special was a southern American take on the original story of the same name. Fred Guida gave the program a negative review in his book ''A Christmas Carol and Its Adaptations'': "Unfortunately, ''Skinflint'' fails to live up to its interesting premise, and the result is one of the lamest ''Carol'' variations to date." Mandrell was given multiple offers from the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
network to host her own syndicated show. However, she routinely turned it down. One day, NBC producer Marty Krofft was shown a wallet-sized photograph of Mandrell and her sisters playing different musical instruments. This prompted Krofft to contact Mandrell about offering her a program that she could co–host with her sisters. From his encouragement, she eventually agreed to host a show on his network. In 1980, she was signed by NBC to host a national television variety series. Titled '' Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters'', the show was hosted by Mandrell along with her two sisters Irlene and Louise. Mandrell learned choreography for the show and was routinely featured playing multiple musical instruments. In addition, the Mandrell sisters performed a series of comedy sketches. In their book ''The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows'', authors Tim Brooks and Earle F. Marsh noted that Barbara often portrayed the "serious, pushy sister" while Irlene was portrayed as the "sexy, vain one". Mandrell often had to push back against NBC executives who insisted that the show feature hay barrels and other features of traditional country-western shows. "They expect you to be barefoot and ignorant," Mandrell commented in 2003. During its peak, it was estimated that the show attracted roughly 40 million viewers per week. For her work, Mandrell was nominated for Best Actress in a Television Musical or Comedy Series by the
Golden Globe Awards The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual Awards ceremony, award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally ...
. Despite the NBC show's success, the constant workload (along with a focus on her music career) caused Mandrell to suffer from burnout. She often had to take extra naps on her tour bus parked next to the television studio. She also had to take
Cortisone Cortisone is a pregnene (21-carbon) steroid hormone. It is a naturally-occurring corticosteroid metabolite that is also used as a pharmaceutical prodrug. Cortisol is converted by the action of the enzyme corticosteroid 11-beta-dehydrogenase ...
shots before show tapings so that her vocal chords had less strain. She was urged to quit the show by physicians who warned that she would ultimately suffer from permanent vocal damage. In 1982, Mandrell announced the program would end after a two-year run on NBC. "I'm the only person that I know of that has ever left a television series with a five year contract," she later commented.


1984–2000: Later television roles

Mandrell continued acting following her show's cancellation. In 1984, Mandrell debuted in her first
television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...
titled ''Burning Rage''. Mandrell played the main role of a
geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the structure, composition, and History of Earth, history of Earth. Geologists incorporate techniques from physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and geography to perform research in the Field research, ...
who investigates coal mining fires underneath a town in Tennessee. Joe Brown of ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' called the film, "an overheated title for what amounts to a lukewarm drama about a natural phenomenon and its effect on a small town." He concluded by commenting on Mandrell's acting performance: "As an actress, Mandrell is likable and natural, but she has little to do here but walk around looking concerned when she's not getting into tepid clinches with omWopat". Following her 1984 car crash, a television special of Mandrell's was aired on
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
titled ''Barbara Mandrell–Something Special''. She also made appearances on talk shows and network programs during the late 1980s and early 1990s. She also was featured in several television commercials for food products. In the early 1990s, she portrayed a character on the television show ''
Empty Nest ''Empty Nest'' is an American television sitcom that aired for seven seasons on NBC from October 8, 1988, to June 17, 1995. The series, which was created as a spin-off of ''The Golden Girls'' by creator and producer Susan Harris, starred Richa ...
''. In 1994, Mandrell played a villain guest role in an episode of ABC's '' The Commish''. ''
The Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local, regional, national, and international news. Founded in 1837, the newspaper was owned by Tribune Publi ...
'' described her as playing "a less sympathetic role than usual" in their description of the episode. During the mid-1990s, Mandrell also played roles on the shows ''
Touched by an Angel ''Touched by an Angel'' is an American drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994, and ran for 211 episodes over nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and executive produced by Ma ...
'', '' Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman'' and ''
Baywatch ''Baywatch'' is an American Drama (film and television), drama television series about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, and Hawaii, starring David Hasselhoff. It was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz ...
''. In 1997, Mandrell gave up her music career to focus on acting full-time. She signed with the Creative Artists Agency, which helped her acquire more television roles. She appeared as a recurring character in the soap opera '' Sunset Beach''. In 1999, Mandrell played the mother of a deceased son who finds conflict with his "controlling girlfriend". Titled '' The Wrong Girl'', the television filmed aired on NBC that year. Among Mandrell's final acting credits was 2000's made-for-television film ''Stolen from the Heart''.


Artistry


Musicianship

In addition to singing, Mandrell is also known for playing multiple instruments. In her teenage years, she was nicknamed "The Princess of Steel" for become a skillful steel guitar player. In a 2006 interview with CMT, Mandrell explained that she is "proficient" on the steel guitar,
alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...
,
dobro Dobro () is an American brand of resonator guitars owned by Gibson and manufactured by its subsidiary Epiphone. The term "dobro" is also used as a generic term for any wood-bodied, single-cone resonator guitar. The Dobro was originally a gui ...
, five-string banjo, and
bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...
. She also said that she can play the guitar and mandolin "if necessary".
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
described Mandrell as "a true prodigy" in reference to her musicianship. ''
News & Record The ''News & Record'' is an American, English language newspaper with the largest circulation serving Guilford County, North Carolina, and the surrounding region. It is based in Greensboro, North Carolina, and produces local sections for Greensbo ...
'' found that Mandrell's musicianship can also be found in her live shows: "Those hours are packed with aerobics, as Mandrell dances and prances across the stage, playing several musical instruments and clowning with her Do-Rites band." In reviewing a concert, ''
The Morning Call ''The Morning Call'' is a daily newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1883, it is the second-longest continuously published newspaper in the Lehigh Valley, after '' The Express-Times''. The newspaper is owned by Alden Global Capital ...
'' explained, "No Mandrell show would be complete without a demonstration of the singer's musical virtuosity. Playing a mean saxophone and banjo during the course of the evening, Mandrell proved herself to be a talented musician."


Musical styles

Mandrell's musical style embeds country music with country–pop, R&B–soul, and gospel. Jason Ankeny of AllMusic found that the most popular era of her career (late 1970s and early 1980s) had a "glitzier, more pop-influenced" sound. Kurt Wolff highlighted a similar theme in his book ''Country Music: The Rough Guide'': " omCollins churned out frightfully slick and garnish productions, but Mandrell thrived in her new environment." Hunter Kelly of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' explained that when Mandrell began incorporating R&B sounds into her style that her career "really kicked into overdrive". Mandrell further explained her reasoning behind incorporating R&B: "To me, country music and R&B music have a lot of similarities, but the one thing that I think is the most important is both genres, just straight ahead, they're telling you. They're not making up a story just because it rhymes nicely." Writers found that Mandrell had her greatest commercial success with songs that incorporated subjects of cheating. Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann found this to be especially evident after she transitioned to her second record label: "Barbara continued to smolder in sin after moving to the ABC/MCA Records fold in 1975." Kurt Wolff found a similar theme with cheating material: "The subjects of many of Mandrell's songs were also racy for the time, dealing openly with such topics as lust, sexual loneliness, and late night-night love trysts." Wolff further commented, "What's ironic about her subject matter is that Mandrell herself–a devout Christian, mother and wife– always maintained an impeccably clean, family–oriented profile." "I've recorded a lot of cheating songs, but there were a lot of cheating songs I turned down. It depends on the lyrics...God loves prostitutes too," Mandrell further commented.


Voice

Mandrell's singing voice has also been the subject of discussion amongst writers and critics. Mary Bufwack and Robert Oermann commented that her habit of smoking cigarettes made her voice stand out: "Barbara is a heavy smoker, and this gives her vocals a hoarse, urgent quality that she put to good use on 'blue-eyed soul' versions of R&B songs," they commented in 2003. In 1982, ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' highlighted Mandrell's singing in a review of her concert performance: "At other times the gritty edges of her husky voice crackled with R&B flourishes and gospel fervor. It was an impressive display." In 1984, ''
The Oklahoman ''The Oklahoman'' is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma, United States, and is the only regional daily that covers the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, Greater Oklahoma City area. The Alliance for Audited Media (formerly Audit Bureau Circul ...
'' commented on her live singing as well: "She can perform almost anything short of grand opera in fact, if she took a mind to, she probably could do that too (after all, Linda Ronstadt did!)."


Legacy, influence and honors

Mandrell has been widely considered among country music's most successful artists and all–around entertainers. "Perhaps the toughest soldier in the female army that invaded the country charts in the 1970s, Barbara could outwork, outperform, out-talk, and out-smile virtually anyone in show business," wrote Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann. Jason Ankeny of AllMusic commented in a similar fashion: "Thanks to a string of hit singles and a popular television variety series, vocalist Barbara Mandrell was arguably the biggest female star in country music in the late '70s and early '80s." Paul Kingsbury, Michael McCall and John Rumble explained that Mandrell, "took her soul–country style to the biggest showrooms of Las Vegas, ruled the country charts during the late 1970s and early 1980s, starred on network TV, and told her story in one of country's best–selling autobiographies". Her influence on future artists has also shaped her legacy. Mandrell has been credited as an influence for
Terri Clark Terri Lynn Sauson, known professionally as Terri Clark (born August 5, 1968) is a Canadian country music singer who has had success in both Canada and the United States. Signed to Mercury Records in 1995, she released her self-titled debut that ...
,
Reba McEntire Reba Nell McEntire ( ; born March 28, 1955), or simply Reba, is an American country music, country singer and actress. Dubbed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Queen of Country", she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Sin ...
, and Carly Pearce. McEntire thanked Mandrell in 2009 and spoke about her influence: "I thank you for the things that you've taught me, not only musically, but spiritually...And I will always treasure our relationship with all my heart." In 2006, several artists re-recorded several of Mandrell's most popular singles in tribute to her career. The project was titled ''She Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool: A Tribute to Barbara Mandrell''. It featured of remakes of her songs performed by contemporary country performers such was
Kenny Chesney Kenneth Arnold Chesney (born March 26, 1968) is an American country singer. With 30 million albums sold worldwide, he released his debut, '' In My Wildest Dreams'', in 1994, and has since released 19 follow-ups. His albums spawned 27 singles tha ...
,
Sara Evans Sara Lynn Evans (; born February 5, 1971) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is also credited as a record producer, actress, and author. She had five songs reach the number one spot on the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboar ...
and
LeAnn Rimes Margaret LeAnn Rimes Cibrian (born August 28, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She originally rose to success as a country music artist at the age of 13 and has since crossed over into pop, contemporary Christian, and o ...
. Mandrell has been only one of a few women to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year award, and one of only two women (alongside
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...
) to win the award twice. She was also the first individual to win the accolade in back to back years (1980 and 1981). In 2005, she received the Triple Crown accolade from the Academy of Country Music for winning three major awards from the association. She is only one of several people to have since won the award. In 2009, Mandrell was inducted into the
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amass ...
. She was inducted that year along with
Roy Clark Roy Linwood Clark (April 15, 1933 – November 15, 2018) was an American singer, musician, and television presenter. He is best known for having hosted '' Hee Haw'', a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969 to 1997. Clark wa ...
and
Charlie McCoy Charlie McCoy (born Charles Ray McCoy, March 28, 1941) is an American harmonica virtuoso and multi-instrumentalist in country music. He is best known for his harmonica solos on iconic recordings such as " Candy Man" ( Roy Orbison), "He Stoppe ...
. Her induction was celebrated that year at the Country Music Association Awards where Mandrell gave a speech to thank the industry. Mandrell's legacy was further cemented she released her 1990
autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...
called '' Get to the Heart: My Story'' (co-written with writer
George Vecsey George Spencer Vecsey ( ;
titled). In 1997, the book was turned into a television movie titled '' Get to the Heart: The Barbara Mandrell Story''. She was portrayed in the film by television actress
Maureen McCormick Maureen Denise McCormick (born August 5, 1956) is an American actress, best known for her role as Characters of The Brady Bunch#Marcia Brady, Marcia Brady on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television sitcom ''The Brady Bunch'' (1969–1 ...
. Mandrell briefly made a cameo appearance at the beginning and end of the film. In 2020, American
disc jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music fes ...
and producer Dave Audé partnered with Mandrell to remix her 1978 song "Sleeping Single in a Double Bed". ''Rolling Stone'' explained that the song was remixed as "the first step in a new effort to bring Barbara Mandrell's music into the digital age." It was followed by all of Mandrell's LP's being reissued to digital and streaming sites. Her original Columbia, ABC–Dot, MCA, and Capitol albums were all re–released through various digital platforms. In July 2022, Mandrell celebrated 50 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Several Opry members and country artists performed on the stage to honor Mandrell's legacy. Among the artists who performed that night were
Suzy Bogguss Susan Kay Bogguss (born December 30, 1956) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She began her career in the 1980s as a solo singer. In the 1990s, six of her songs were Top 10 hits, three albums were certified gold, and one album ...
,
Jeannie Seely Marilyn Jeanne Seely (born July 6, 1940) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and author. Primarily identified with country music, Seely found success with the Grammy Award-winning song " Don't Touch Me" (1966). Her soul-ins ...
and
Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005, returning as a judge beginning with the twenty-third season. Underwood's f ...
.


Personal life


Marriage and family life

Mandrell has been married to former musician and
Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
pilot Ken Dudney since 1967. Dudney was originally hired as the drummer for Mandrell's family band. The pair met when she was 14 and he was 21. Dudney was engaged to another woman at the time. However, he broke off the engagement after having feelings for Mandrell. In 2003, Mandrell commented: "I'd dated him since I was 14 and I just couldn't wait to graduate high school so I could be Mrs. Ken Dudney." At the time of their marriage, Dudney gave up his career as a Navy pilot to help further his wife's career. The couple welcomed their first child, Matthew, in 1970, followed by daughter Jaime in 1976. In 1985 Mandrell gave birth to her third child, Nathan. In 1988, Mandrell and her family built a log cabin mansion called the Fontanel Mansion. The home consisted of six bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, two kitchens, five fireplaces and a helicopter landing pad. It has been considered to be the largest log cabin home in the world. Mandrell sold the home in 2002 in order to downsize. The home was auctioned. It has since been turned into a tourist attraction with a restaurant, a hotel, an outdoor music venue, and an indoor
shooting range A shooting range, firing range, gun range or shooting ground is a specialized facility, venue, or field designed specifically for firearm usage qualifications, training, practice, or competitions. Some shooting ranges are operated by milita ...
. Her daughter Jaime was the human resources manager of the mansion until February 2017. She then began a new career with a company that works to place people with addiction issues into appropriate rehabilitation facilities.


Car crash

On September 11, 1984, Mandrell and her two children were involved in a head-on car collision near their Nashville home. The driver of the other car in the crash (19-year-old college student Mark White) was killed instantly. The police report stated that White's car had crossed the center line of the road, causing a head-on collision with Mandrell's
Jaguar XJ The Jaguar XJ is a series of mid-size/full-size luxury cars produced by British automobile manufacturer Jaguar Cars (becoming Jaguar Land Rover in 2013) from 1968 to 2019. It was produced across four basic platform generations (debuting in 1968 ...
. Mandrell's children suffered only minor injuries and were released from the hospital shortly after their arrival. Mandrell suffered critical injuries from the crash. These injuries included a broken femur, shattered ankle, injured knee and a concussion resulting in temporary brain damage. Mandrell's injuries from the crash resulted in her suffering from pain throughout her body for months. Much of the physical pain she suffered came from knee injuries. "You can't say she's in terrible pain all the time if the pain she's in is the kind where she's trying to exceed what that knee will do, trying to make it do its full thing again. Every day she's trying to make it exceed what it did the day before so she can finally get it back to full capacity," said father Irby Mandrell to the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
''. As a result of Mandrell's head injuries, she had a temporary shift in personality and experienced memory loss. "I would refer to myself in the third person: 'That was her' or 'She did that' or 'You should have asked her. I can't do that'," she told ''
The 700 Club ''The 700 Club'' is the flagship television program of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing each weekday in syndication in the United States and available worldwide on CBN.com. The news magazine program features live guests, daily news, p ...
''. Mandrell's injuries took over a year to fully recover. In an interview with '' CMT'', she explained that her head injury took about three years to fully recover. She explained that she still suffers from pain in her ankle. Mandrell has credited seat belts for saving her and her children's lives. Prior to the day of the crash, Mandrell was not a seat belt user. However, minutes prior to the crash, she observed unbelted children playing around in the back of a moving car. Thinking this unsafe, she told her children to put on their seat belts and she would as well. After the crash, she campaigned and filmed television commercials that advocated for the use of seat belts in cars. She campaigned for arthritis and organ donation. Mandrell was made honorary chairman of the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA ) is an agency of the U.S. federal government, part of the Department of Transportation, focused on automobile safety regulations. NHTSA is charged with writing and enforcing Feder ...
in 1985. Nearly a year later, in accordance with Tennessee state law, Mandrell was required to sue the White family for $10.3 million in damages in order to collect from her own insurance company. Her legal team contacted the White family to inform them that Mandrell did not want money from them but instead needed to do it for legal purposes. The lawsuit created controversy among Mandrell's fans. "I'm not blaming the public... I would have felt the way they felt", she commented in 1995.


Discography

;Studio albums *'' Treat Him Right'' (1971) *'' A Perfect Match'' (1972) *'' The Midnight Oil'' (1973) *'' This Time I Almost Made It'' (1974) *'' This Is Barbara Mandrell'' (1976) *'' Midnight Angel'' (1976) *'' Lovers, Friends and Strangers'' (1977) *'' Love's Ups and Downs'' (1977) *'' Moods'' (1978) *'' Just for the Record'' (1979) *'' Love Is Fair'' (1980) *'' ...In Black & White'' (1982) *'' He Set My Life to Music'' (1982) *'' Spun Gold'' (1983) *'' Clean Cut'' (1984) *'' Meant for Each Other'' (1984) *'' Christmas at Our House'' (1984) *'' Get to the Heart'' (1985) *'' Moments'' (1986) *'' Sure Feels Good'' (1987) *'' I'll Be Your Jukebox Tonight'' (1988) *'' Precious Memories'' (1989) *'' Morning Sun'' (1990) *'' No Nonsense'' (1990) *'' Key's in the Mailbox'' (1991) *'' Acoustic Attitude'' (1994) *'' It Works for Me'' (1994)


Awards and nominations

Barbara Mandrell has won many awards for her work as an entertainer. This includes six accolades from the
Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller (songwriter), Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris ...
, four from the
Country Music Association The Country Music Association (CMA) is an American trade association with the stated aim of promoting and developing country music throughout the world. Founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee, it originally consisted of 233 members and was the f ...
and two from the
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
.


Filmography


Books

* '' Get to the Heart: My Story'' (1990)


References


Footnotes


Books

* * *


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mandrell, Barbara 1948 births 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singer-songwriters 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American singer-songwriters ABC Records artists Actresses from Houston American women country singers American country singer-songwriters American gospel singers American television actresses Columbia Records artists Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Country musicians from Texas Dot Records artists Epic Records artists Grammy Award winners Grand Ole Opry members Living people MCA Records artists Members of the Country Music Association Singers from Houston Singers from Nashville, Tennessee Steel guitarists 20th-century American guitarists 21st-century American guitarists Guitarists from Tennessee Guitarists from Texas 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women singers Country musicians from Tennessee 20th-century American women guitarists 21st-century American women guitarists