Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Ann Mandrell (born December 25, 1948)[1] is a retired American country music 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 country songs chart.[2] 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.
Not to be confused with British journalist and newsreader Barbara Mandell, or American activist and philanthropist Barbara Mandel.
Barbara Mandrell
- Musician
- singer
- actress
- author
1960–2000
3
- Louise Mandrell (sister)
- Irlene Mandrell (sister)
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 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 and Patsy Cline. 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 live at the Ryman Auditorium. In 1969, she signed her first recording contract with Columbia Records. 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. 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 ABC–Dot 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 two years in a row.
After a near-fatal car accident in 1984, Mandrell seriously considered retirement. 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. 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 for her work in the industry.
Early childhood[edit]
Mandrell was born in Houston, Texas, on Christmas Day, 1948.[3][4] She is the eldest child born to parents Mary Ellen (née McGill; born 1931) and Irby Matthew Mandrell (October 11, 1924 – March 5, 2009).[3][5] The family later moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, where her father was a police officer and her mother was a music teacher. Mandrell's younger sisters Louise and Irlene, were born there.[6] 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.[6]
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".[7] In addition to singing, Mandrell also learned several instruments as a small child. Mandrell's mother taught her how to play the accordion and read music before she entered into the first grade.[3][8] When she was six years old, the family moved to Oceanside, California.[6] Irby Mandrell opened his own music store.[9] In her elementary school years, she learned to play saxophone while a part of the school band.[8] During the same period, she started taking lessons on the steel guitar 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. 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.[9]
Music career[edit]
1960–1968: Late childhood and teenage years as a steel guitarist[edit]
In 1960, Joe Maphis brought eleven-year-old Mandrell onto his country music show in Las Vegas, Nevada. As part of Maphis's act, she performed the steel guitar.[8] Maphis also helped her secure a regular spot on the country music California television program Town Hall Party.[9][3] 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."[7] On summers off from school, Mandrell routinely went back to Las Vegas to perform.[10] In 1962, she toured country music shows with artists Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline.[7] During the tour, 13-year old Mandrell shared hotel rooms with Cline since she was underage.[11] She also performed steel guitar for Red Foley, Little Jimmy Dickens and Tex Ritter.[10]
Acting career[edit]
1978–1983: Early roles and television variety series[edit]
Mandrell began gaining regular exposure on national television programs.[31][60] Her television credits from this period included appearances on The Tonight Show, American Bandstand and Bob Hope entertainment specials.[14] Among the highlights was an appearance on a 1979 episode of The Rockford Files[61] and co-hosting the 1979 Academy of Country Music Awards.[31] 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."[62]
Mandrell was given multiple offers from the NBC 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.[63] 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.[31][32]
Mandrell learned choreography for the show and was routinely featured playing multiple musical instruments.[64] 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".[65] 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.[32] During its peak, it was estimated that the show attracted roughly 40 million viewers per week.[64] For her work, Mandrell was nominated for Best Actress in a Television Musical or Comedy Series by the Golden Globe Awards.[66]
Artistry[edit]
Musicianship[edit]
In addition to singing, Mandrell is also known for playing multiple instruments.[4][76] In her teenage years, she was nicknamed "The Princess of Steel" for become a skillful steel guitar player.[1][77] In a 2006 interview with CMT, Mandrell explained that she is "proficient" on the steel guitar, alto saxophone, dobro, five-string banjo, and bass. She also said that she can play the guitar and mandolin "if necessary".[10] PBS described Mandrell as "a true prodigy" in reference to her musicianship.[1] News & Record 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."[78] In reviewing a concert, The Morning Call 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."[79]
Musical styles[edit]
Mandrell's musical style embeds country music with country–pop,[4][1] R&B–soul,[80] and gospel.[38] 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.[4] Kurt Wolff highlighted a similar theme in his book Country Music: The Rough Guide: "[Tom] Collins churned out frightfully slick and garnish productions, but Mandrell thrived in her new environment."[3] Hunter Kelly of Rolling Stone 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."[80]
Personal life[edit]
Marriage and family life[edit]
Mandrell has been married to former musician and Navy pilot Ken Dudney since 1967.[7][95] Dudney was originally hired as the drummer for Mandrell's family band.[7] 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.[96] 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."[97] The pair officially wed in 1967.[95] At the time of their marriage, Dudney gave up his career as a Navy pilot to help further his wife's career.[15] The couple welcomed their first child, Matthew, in 1970, followed by daughter Jaime in 1976.[32] In 1985 Mandrell gave birth to her third child, Nathan.[98]
In 1988, Mandrell and her family built a log cabin mansion called the Fontanel Mansion.[99] The home consisted of six bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, two kitchens, five fire places and a helicopter landing pad. It has been considered to be the largest log cabin home in the world.[100][101] Mandrell sold the home in 2002 in order to downsize. The home was auctioned.[101] It has since been turned into a tourist attraction with a restaurant, a hotel, an outdoor music venue, and an indoor shooting range.[102][103] 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.[102][104]