Sandra Mason Theoret (December 18, 1939 – April 1, 2015) was an American

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-songwriter and musician. Apart from her numerous songwriting credits, she was also a pianist and guitarist, and provided backing vocals for other artists. In 1967, her single "There You Go" reached No. 64 on 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 chart. Mason gained biggest success as a songwriter. In 1979, her song "

When I Dream ''When I Dream'' is the fifth studio album by American country music singer Crystal Gayle. It was released on June 2, 1978, at the height of her career. It was her second consecutive #2 country album on the ''Billboard'' charts. Two singles from ...

", recorded by

Crystal Gayle Brenda Gail Webb (born January 9, 1951), known professionally as Crystal Gayle, is an American country music singer widely known for her 1977 hit " Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". Initially, Gayle's management and record label were the same ...

, reached No. 3 on the ''Billboard''

Hot Country Singles & Tracks Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data along with digital sales and streaming. ...

chart. In 1998, the song " Two Piña Coladas" recorded by

Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American Country music, country singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him his immense popularity, particularly in the United States, ...

reached No. 1 on the ''Billboard''

Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data along with digital sales and streaming. ...

Early life and career

Sandy Mason was born in

Tarentum, Pennsylvania Tarentum is a borough in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh, along the Allegheny River. Tarentum was an industrial center where plate glass and bottles were manufactured; bricks, lumber, ...

in 1939. As a child, she performed on the Pittsburgh radio and TV. In 1965, she started her own local television show on WTAE. In 1966, she was signed to

Hickory Records Hickory Records is an American record label founded in 1954 by Acuff-Rose Music, which operated the label up to 1979. Sony Music Publishing (then Sony/ATV) revived the label in 2007. Originally based in Nashville, and functioning as an independ ...

. The song "There You Go", recorded on the label, was her lone chart success as a recording artist. Mason provided backing vocals for other artists, Crystal Gayle: 1976 studio album ''

Crystal A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macros ...

'' (top 10 on the ''Billboard''

Top Country Albums Top Country Albums is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The 50-position chart lists the most popular country music albums in the country, calculated weekly by Broadcast Data Systems based on physical sales ...

), 1977 studio album '' We Must Believe in Magic''; and

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. ...

: 1982 studio album '' The Adventures of Johnny Cash''.

Songwriting

The song "All I Wanna Do in Life", co-written with

Allen Reynolds Allen Reynolds (born August 18, 1938) is an American record producer and songwriter who specializes in country music. He has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. Biography Early ...

, was recorded by

Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (29 December 1946 – 30 January 2025) was an English singer and actress who achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her UK top 10 single " As Tears Go By". She became one of the leading female art ...

and included on her studio album '' Dreamin' My Dreams'' (1976). The song was also recorded by Crystal Gayle (for her 1977 studio album '' We Must Believe in Magic'') and

George Jones George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American Country music, country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for a long list of hit records, and is well known for his distinctive voice an ...

(for his 1984 album '' Ladies' Choice''). Mason's other songwriting credits include "Only Love", co-written with Roger Cook and

John Prine John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. Widely cited as one of the most influential songwriters of his generation, Prine was known for his signature blend of humoro ...

. It was recorded by

(for his 1982 studio album '' The Adventures of Johnny Cash''),

Don Williams Donald Ray Williams (May 27, 1939 – September 8, 2017) was an American country music singer, songwriter, and 2010 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Country Music Hall of Fame. He began his solo career in 1971, singing p ...

(for his 1982 studio album '' Listen to the Radio''), and Prine's version appeared on his studio album ''

Aimless Love ''Aimless Love'' is the eighth album by American folk singer and songwriter John Prine, released in 1984. It is his first release on his independent record label, Oh Boy Records. Background Prine and his longtime manager Al Bunetta formed Oh Bo ...

'' (1984). Australian singer

Colleen Hewett Colleen Hewett (born 16 April 1950) is an Australian singer and actress. Hewett's top 40 singles on the Kent Music Report include " Super Star", " Day by Day" (both 1971), " Carry That Weight" (1972), "Dreaming My Dreams with You" (1980 ...

, recorded Mason-written songs "Since I Loved Like That" and "When I Dream" for her studio album '' Colleen'' (1983). "When I Dream" was also recorded by

Helen Reddy Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in Melbourne to a show business family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on ra ...

for her studio album '' Play Me Out'' (1981),

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restr ...

for his studio album '' Partners'' (1986), and

Nanci Griffith Nanci Caroline Griffith (July 6, 1953 – August 13, 2021) was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She often appeared on the PBS music program ''Austin City Limits'', starting in 1985 during season 10. In 1990, Griffith appeared on th ...

for her studio album '' Ruby's Torch'' (2006). Her other songwriting credits include songs recorded by

Dottie West Dottie West (born Dorothy Marie Marsh; October 11, 1932 – September 4, 1991) was an American country singer and songwriter. She also had several credits as an actress. A distinguished figure in the country genre, West was among several people ...

: "I Heard Our Song" (from the 1969 album '' Makin' Memories''), "You Take Me Home, Honey" (from the 1973 album '' Country Sunshine''); Crystal Gayle: "What You've Done for Me" (from the 1975 studio album '' Somebody Loves You''; top 20 on the ''Billboard''

), "You'll Be Loved Someday" (from the 1979 album '' We Should Be Together''), "Hands" (from the 1981 album '' A Woman's Heart'');

Debby Boone Deborah Anne Boone (born September 22, 1956) is an American singer, author, and actress. She is best known for her 1977 hit, " You Light Up My Life", which spent ten weeks at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and led to her winning the G ...

: "I'd Even Let You Go" (from the 1980 album '' Love Has No Reason''); Johnny Cash: "After All" (recorded during the 1980s sessions, was released on his 2014 posthumous album '' Out Among the Stars'').

Death

Mason died in

Ormond Beach, Florida Ormond Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 43,080 at the 2020 census. Ormond Beach lies directly north of Daytona Beach and is a principal city of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach, FL Metrop ...

, of complications from pancreatic cancer on April 1, 2015. She was 75.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mason, Sandy 1939 births 2015 deaths American country singer-songwriters American women country singers American women songwriters Singers from Pennsylvania Songwriters from Pennsylvania 20th-century American women writers Guitarists from Pennsylvania American women pianists 20th-century American pianists 20th-century American guitarists American country pianists American country guitarists