Barbara Mandrell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barbara Mandrell
|
|
|---|---|
Mandrell in 1991
|
|
| Born |
Barbara Ann Mandrell
December 25, 1948 Houston, Texas, U.S.
|
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1960–2000 |
| Spouse(s) |
Ken Dudney
(m. 1967) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives |
|
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | |
| Labels | |
Barbara Ann Mandrell (born December 25, 1948) is an American country music singer and musician. She is also an actress and author. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, she was one of country music's biggest stars. She had six songs reach number one on the country charts. She also had 25 songs in the top ten.
Barbara Mandrell hosted her own TV show, Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters, in the early 1980s. This show featured music, dancing, and funny skits. She is also known for playing many different musical instruments. Her talents helped her win many important music awards.
Mandrell was born in Texas and grew up mostly in California. She came from a musical family. By the time she was a teenager, she could play several instruments. Her amazing skills on the steel guitar caught the eye of other country music stars. They gave her chances to perform in public when she was only 13. She even became a regular on the TV show Town Hall Party. She also played music on tours with famous singers like Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline.
Later, her family formed a band that traveled overseas to entertain military bases. After getting married in 1967, Mandrell took a short break from music. But watching a live show at the Grand Ole Opry made her want to sing again. In 1969, she signed her first record deal with Columbia Records. She became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1972.
In the early 1970s, Mandrell released songs that mixed country music with R&B and soul. Many of her songs became hits on the country charts. Some of her most successful songs from this time were "Tonight My Baby's Coming Home" (1971) and "The Midnight Oil" (1973). In 1975, she moved to ABC–Dot records. There, she became even more famous with country–pop songs like "Sleeping Single in a Double Bed" (1978) and "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" (1981). She became a top concert performer. She also won the Entertainer of the Year award from the Country Music Association two years in a row.
On September 11, 1984, Mandrell was in a serious car accident. She had head and leg injuries. For a while, she thought about stopping her career. But she started recording again in 1985. She had more top ten country songs like "Fast Lanes and Country Roads" (1985). She also started performing and touring again. She appeared as a guest on several TV shows and in commercials. Mandrell continued to record music in the 1990s. In 1997, she announced she was retiring from music. She kept acting until 2000. In 2009, she was honored by being added to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Mandrell was born on Christmas Day, 1948, in Houston, Texas. She was the oldest child of Mary Ellen and Irby Matthew Mandrell. Her family later moved to Corpus Christi, Texas. Her father was a police officer, and her mother was a music teacher. Her younger sisters, Louise and Irlene, were born there.
In Corpus Christi, Mandrell started to love music. She sang and played music often at home. She remembered having a natural talent for hearing music. She once told Texas Monthly, "I started to hear harmony. I began to sing it, and I just thought, 'This is the neatest thing in the world.'"
She began performing in public when she was very young. Her first time performing was singing "Gospel Boogie" at her family's church. She also learned several instruments as a child. Her mother taught her to play the accordion and read music before first grade. When she was six, her family moved to Oceanside, California. Her father opened a music store. In elementary school, she learned to play the saxophone in the school band. She also started taking steel guitar lessons. After a year, her father took her to a music show in Chicago, Illinois. There, she played the steel guitar. Country performer Joe Maphis heard her and helped start her early music career.
Becoming a Music Star
Teenage Years as a Steel Guitarist (1960–1968)
In 1960, Joe Maphis invited 11-year-old Mandrell to play on his country music show in Las Vegas, Nevada. She played the steel guitar as part of his act. Maphis also helped her get a regular spot on the California TV show Town Hall Party. She felt like she was the only female musician at first. But on Town Hall Party, she saw other women playing instruments too. During summer breaks from school, Mandrell often went back to Las Vegas to perform.
In 1962, she toured with country music stars Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline. Since she was only 13, Mandrell shared hotel rooms with Patsy Cline. She also played steel guitar for other artists like Red Foley and Little Jimmy Dickens.
When she turned 14, her parents formed the Mandrell Family Band. Barbara played steel guitar, her mother Mary played piano, and her father Irby sang lead. They also hired two other musicians, including drummer Ken Dudney. Barbara later married Ken in 1967. The Mandrell Family Band mostly played at military bases across the United States. They played many types of music, including songs by The Beatles. While in the band, Mandrell also learned to play the banjo and bass guitar. She also did other things as a teenager. In 1965, she was voted "Miss Oceanside California." She was in the marching band, chorus, and student council. She graduated from high school in 1967.
After graduating, Mandrell married Ken Dudney. She decided to stop performing to be a full-time wife. Her last performance trip was to Vietnam, where the Mandrell Family Band entertained troops. When she came back, her husband was sent overseas for his Navy pilot job. Feeling lonely, Mandrell visited her parents, who had moved to Nashville, Tennessee. There, they went to a Grand Ole Opry show. Watching the show, Mandrell realized she still wanted to perform. She later said, "I wasn't cut out to be in the audience."
With her father Irby as her manager, she got a chance to play steel guitar and sing at a show in Nashville. Her singing and playing caught the attention of six different record companies. One of them was country music producer Billy Sherrill. In 1969, Mandrell signed with Sherrill's label, Columbia Records.
Singing Career Takes Off (1969–1974)
Mandrell started her singing career by covering R&B and soul songs. Her first song for Columbia, "I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)", made it onto America's Billboard country songs chart in 1969. It was a cover of an Otis Redding song. Her next song, "Playin' Around with Love" (1970), became her first top 20 hit.
Her first album, Treat Him Right, was released in 1971. It included her charting songs and covers of other artists. Her early success earned her the Top New Female Vocalist award in 1970. She also became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1972.
In 1971, "Tonight My Baby's Coming Home" became her first song to reach the top ten on the Billboard country chart. She also started recording with country singer David Houston. Their songs together became hits in the U.S. and Canada. Their first song, "After Closing Time," reached number six on the Billboard country chart.
Many people noticed how Mandrell mixed country music with R&B and soul. Writers described her early songs as "colorful, spirited country soul." They said her voice had a "hoarse, urgent quality" that worked well with R&B songs.
In 1973, Columbia released "The Midnight Oil", which was a big hit for Mandrell. It reached number seven on the Billboard country chart. The album of the same name reached number eight on the country albums chart. In 1975, she left Columbia Records.
Becoming a Crossover Star (1975–1986)
In 1975, Mandrell signed with ABC–Dot (later bought by MCA Records). With producer Tom Collins, Mandrell added more pop sounds to her music. This made her popular with even more listeners. Her first song for ABC–Dot, "Standing Room Only" (1975), was her first top five country song.
She became very famous in the late 1970s. Her 1979 album Just for the Record was a top ten hit. It included country–pop songs like "Fooled by a Feeling" and "Years".
At the peak of her career, Mandrell became a headlining concert performer. Her shows included dancing, costume changes, and her playing many instruments. She also appeared on national TV shows. She won the Country Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year award in 1979. From 1980 to 1982, she and her sisters hosted the NBC TV show Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters. This show helped her become the first person to win the Entertainer of the Year award two years in a row (1980 and 1981).
Her songs continued to be successful. She had top ten country songs with "Crackers" (1980) and "The Best of Strangers" (1980). In 1982, MCA released her first live album. It reached the top five on the country albums chart and sold very well. This album included the song "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool", which became her fourth number one hit.
Her success continued into the early 1980s. Her albums ...In Black & White (1982) and Spun Gold (1983) were both top ten hits. These albums had number one songs like "'Till You're Gone" and "One of a Kind Pair of Fools". She also released a gospel music album in 1982 called He Set My Life to Music, which won her first Grammy awards. She also sang duets with Lee Greenwood in 1984. Their album Meant for Each Other had the top five country song "To Me".
On September 11, 1984, Mandrell and her two oldest children were in a car accident in Tennessee. Another car crossed the center line and hit them head-on. The driver of the other car died. Mandrell had serious injuries, including a broken leg and a head injury that caused temporary memory problems. Her children had minor injuries. The crash led to many surgeries and a long recovery for Mandrell. She later told CNN, "I never thought I would ever sing again."
She returned to recording music in May 1985. Her song "There's No Love in Tennessee" became a top ten hit. She returned to the stage in 1986 at the Los Angeles Universal Amphitheatre. Her album Get to the Heart (1985) had top ten songs like "Fast Lanes and Country Roads". Her last album for MCA, Moments (1986), included the top ten song "No One Mends a Broken Heart Like You".
Later Career and Retirement (1987–1997)
In 1987, Mandrell signed with EMI America. Her album Sure Feels Good (1987) reached number 24 on the country albums chart. One of its songs, "Child Support", made it to the top 20. As new country artists became popular, Mandrell's songs charted lower. However, she continued to tour and was still a popular concert performer.
Mandrell signed with Capitol Records in late 1987. Her first song for Capitol was a cover of Ray Price's "I Wish I Could Fall in Love Today". It reached the top five in the U.S. and Canada. This song was on her album I'll Be Your Jukebox Tonight (1988). This album had a traditional country sound. Her songs "My Train of Thought" (1989) and "Mirror, Mirror" were her last to chart in the United States. She stayed with Capitol until 1991.
Mandrell continued to appear on TV shows and on the Grand Ole Opry. In 1994, Direct Records released two of her albums. These albums were sold through TV. Acoustic Attitude had new versions of her old songs. It Works for Me had new material.
In 1997, Mandrell announced she was retiring from touring and recording music. She told Billboard that she wanted to focus on acting full-time. Her final music performance was in October 1997 at the Grand Ole Opry house. Her last concert was shown on TV as Barbara Mandrell and the Do-Rites: The Last Dance. After retiring, Mandrell sold all her musical instruments. She now spends time with her family.
Acting Career Highlights
Early Roles and TV Show (1978–1983)
Mandrell started appearing regularly on national TV shows. She was on The Tonight Show, American Bandstand, and Bob Hope specials. She also appeared on an episode of The Rockford Files in 1979. She co-hosted the 1979 Academy of Country Music Awards. In 1979, she played herself in a holiday TV movie called Skinflint: A Christmas Carol.
NBC offered Mandrell her own TV show many times, but she kept saying no. Then, producer Marty Krofft saw a photo of Mandrell and her sisters playing instruments. He asked her to host a show with her sisters. In 1980, she agreed to host Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters. The show featured Barbara and her sisters Irlene and Louise.
Mandrell learned choreography for the show and often played many instruments. The sisters also performed comedy skits. At its most popular, the show had about 40 million viewers each week. Mandrell was even nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy.
Even though the show was successful, the constant work and her music career made Mandrell very tired. Doctors told her she needed to quit the show to protect her voice. In 1982, Mandrell announced the show would end after two years. She later said, "I'm the only person that I know of that has ever left a television series with a five year contract."
Later TV Roles (1984–2000)
Mandrell continued acting after her show ended. In 1984, she starred in her first TV movie, Burning Rage. She played a geologist investigating coal mining fires. After her 1984 car crash, a TV special called Barbara Mandrell–Something Special aired on CBS.
She also appeared on talk shows and other TV programs in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She was in several TV commercials for food products. In the early 1990s, she played a character on the TV show Empty Nest. In 1994, Mandrell played a villain in an episode of ABC's The Commish.
In the mid-1990s, Mandrell also had roles on shows like Touched by an Angel, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, and Baywatch. In 1997, she decided to focus only on acting. She appeared as a regular character in the soap opera Sunset Beach. In 1999, Mandrell played a mother in the TV movie The Wrong Girl. Some of her last acting roles included the TV movie Stolen from the Heart (2000).
Barbara Mandrell's Talents
Playing Many Instruments
Besides singing, Mandrell is famous for playing many instruments. As a teenager, she was called "The Princess of Steel" because she was so good at the steel guitar. In a 2006 interview, Mandrell said she is skilled at the steel guitar, alto saxophone, dobro, five-string banjo, and bass. She also said she can play the guitar and mandolin if needed. PBS called Mandrell "a true prodigy" because of her musical talent. People who saw her live shows often mentioned her amazing musicianship.
Her Singing Style
Mandrell's music style combines country music with country–pop, R&B–soul, and gospel. During her most popular time (late 1970s and early 1980s), her sound became more "glitzy" and "pop-influenced."
Her Voice
Many writers and critics have talked about Mandrell's singing voice. Some noted that her voice had a "hoarse, urgent quality" that made her R&B songs special. The Washington Post described her voice as having "gritty edges" with "R&B flourishes and gospel fervor" during a concert review.
Legacy and Honors
Barbara Mandrell is seen as one of country music's most successful artists and entertainers. Many people have praised her strong work ethic and talent. Jason Ankeny of AllMusic said she was "arguably the biggest female star in country music in the late '70s and early '80s."
She has influenced many artists, including Terri Clark, Reba McEntire, and Carly Pearce. Reba McEntire thanked Mandrell in 2009, saying, "I thank you for the things that you've taught me, not only musically, but spiritually." In 2006, other artists recorded her popular songs as a tribute album called She Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool: A Tribute to Barbara Mandrell.
Mandrell is one of only a few women to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year award. She is also one of only two women (along with Taylor Swift) to win it twice. She was the first person to win the award in back-to-back years (1980 and 1981). In 2005, she received the Triple Crown award from the Academy of Country Music for winning three major awards from them. In 2009, Mandrell was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Mandrell's story was further shared when she released her 1990 autobiography called Get to the Heart: My Story. In 1997, the book was made into a TV movie called Get to the Heart: The Barbara Mandrell Story.
In 2020, her 1978 song "Sleeping Single in a Double Bed" was remixed. This was part of an effort to bring her music into the digital age. All of her albums were then re-released on digital and streaming platforms. In July 2022, Mandrell celebrated 50 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Many Opry members and country artists performed to honor her.
Personal Life
Marriage and Family
Barbara Mandrell has been married to Ken Dudney since 1967. Ken was the drummer for her family band. They met when she was 14 and he was 21. Ken was engaged to someone else at the time, but he broke it off because he had feelings for Barbara. She later said, "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."
After they married, Ken gave up his Navy pilot career to help Barbara with her music. They had their first child, Matthew, in 1970. Their daughter Jaime was born in 1976, and their third child, Nathan, was born in 1985.
In 1988, Mandrell and her family built a large log cabin mansion called the Fontanel Mansion. It had six bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, and two kitchens. It was considered one of the largest log cabin homes in the world. Mandrell sold the home in 2002. It has since become a tourist attraction with a restaurant, hotel, and music venue.
Car Accident and Recovery
.jpg)
On September 11, 1984, Mandrell and her two children were in a head-on car crash near their Nashville home. The driver of the other car died. Police said the other car crossed the center line. Mandrell's children had only minor injuries. Mandrell herself had serious injuries, including a broken leg, a shattered ankle, and a head injury that caused temporary brain damage.
Mandrell's injuries caused her pain for many months. Her head injury took about three years to fully heal. She still feels some pain in her ankle. Mandrell believes that seat belts saved her and her children's lives. Before the crash, she didn't always wear a seat belt. But just before the accident, she saw children playing without seat belts in another car. Thinking it was unsafe, she told her children and herself to buckle up. After the crash, she became a strong supporter of seat belt use. She filmed TV commercials to encourage people to wear them. She was made an honorary chairman of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 1985.
Awards and Nominations
Barbara Mandrell has won many awards for her work. These include six awards from the Academy of Country Music, four from the Country Music Association, and two from the Grammy Awards.
Images for kids
-
Barbara Mandrell in Billboard magazine, 1977.
.jpg)
