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

'' country chart. Mason gained biggest success as a songwriter. In 1979, the song " When I Dream" written for

Crystal Gayle Crystal Gayle (born Brenda Gail Webb; January 9, 1951) 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 as that of her oldest sist ...

, 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 from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...

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

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

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 from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...

Early life and career

Sandy Mason was born in Tarentum, Pennsylvania 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. 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'' (top 10 on the ''Billboard'' Top Country Albums), 1977 studio album ''

We Must Believe in Magic ''We Must Believe in Magic'' is the fourth studio album by American country music singer Crystal Gayle. Released on June 24, 1977, it became her highest selling album, reaching #2 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and #12 on the main Billboa ...

''; and

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

: 1982 studio album ''

The Adventures of Johnny Cash ''The Adventures of Johnny Cash'' is an album by American country singer Johnny Cash, released on Columbia Records in 1982. The album was produced by Jack Clement. " Georgia on a Fast Train" and "We Must Believe in Magic" were both released as si ...

''.

Songwriting

The song "All I Wanna Do in Life", co-written with Allen Reynolds, was recorded by Marianne Faithfull and included on her studio album '' Dreamin' My Dreams'' (1976). The song was also recorded by Crystal Gayle (for her 1977 studio album ''

'') and George Jones (for his 1984 album '' Ladies' Choice''). Mason's other songwriting credits include "Only Love", co-written with Roger Cook and John Prine. It was recorded by

(for his 1982 studio album ''

''), Don Williams (for his 1982 studio album ''

Listen to the Radio "Listen to the Radio" is a song written by Fred Knipe, and recorded by American country music artist Don Williams. It was released in April 1982 as the first single and title track from his album '' Listen to the Radio''. The song reached number ...

''), 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 Boy ...

'' (1984). Australian singer Colleen Hewett, recorded Mason-written songs "Since I Loved Like That" and "When I Dream" for her studio album ''

Colleen Colleen is an Irish language name and is of Irish origin and a generic term for women or girls, from the Irish '' cailín'' 'girl/woman', the diminutive of '' caile'' 'woman, countrywoman'. Although it originates in the Irish language, 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 showbusiness family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on rad ...

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

Partners Partner, Partners, The Partner, or, The Partners may refer to: Books * ''The Partner'' (Grisham novel), by John Grisham, 1997 * ''The Partner'' (Jenaro Prieto novel), 1928 * ''The Partners'' (book), a 1983 book by James B. Stewart * ''Partner'' (m ...

'' (1986), and Nanci Griffith for her studio album ''

Ruby's Torch ''Ruby's Torch'' is a 2006 Nanci Griffith album on Rounder Records. It is a collection of torch songs penned by Griffith and various other artists, including Tom Waits, Jimmy Webb and Donal MacDonagh Long. All the songs are produced with lush ba ...

'' (2006). Her other songwriting credits include songs recorded by Dottie West: "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'' Top Country Albums), "You'll Be Loved Someday" (from the 1979 album '' We Should Be Together''), "Hands" (from the 1981 album '' A Woman's Heart''); Debby Boone: "I'd Even Let You Go" (from the 1980 album ''

Love Has No Reason Unable to approach the success of " You Light Up My Life", Debby Boone left Top 40 radio behind in 1980 and turned her career toward Country music with the release of her fourth album, ''Love Has No Reason'' (No. 17 Country). Boone had already es ...

''); Johnny Cash: "After All" (recorded during the 1980s sessions, was released on his 2014 posthumous album ''

Out Among the Stars ''Out Among the Stars'' is a posthumously released studio album by Johnny Cash. It was released on March 25, 2014, by Legacy Recordings. The recordings come from lost 1980s sessions with famed countrypolitan producer Billy Sherrill, which were ...

'').

Death

Mason died in Ormond Beach, Florida, 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