Mandy Barnett

Mandy Barnett. . A world-class vocalist and actress, Crossville, Tennessee, native Mandy Barnett has been called "a song's best friend” for her interpretive skill and devotion to classic country, R&B, and popular standards., Barnett's formidable talents and advocacy for the music she loves have taken her to prestigious performance venues around the globe , from the legendary Ryman Auditorium and Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, to symphony halls, historic theaters, and music festivals in major U.S. and international cities., Amanda Carol "Mandy” Barnett was born on Sept. 28, 1975. At age 5, Barnett began singing around Crossville at funerals and political rallies. She opened the Cumberland County Fair each year with the national anthem and “God 8less America” and was often referred to as “Little Kate Smith.”, Barnett's mother, Betty, selflessly cultivated her daughter's talents. Betty was a local bookkeeper at the Cumberland County Courthouse with a keen ear and impeccable taste leaning toward classic, female stylists Brenda Lee, Connie Francis, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Patsy Cline, Sara Vaughan, and Tammy Wynette. From childhood, Barnett was enthralled by these songbirds' individual phrasings, athletic vocals and emotional punch., At 10, Barnett won a talent competition at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and used the prize money to produce a demo tape. Betty, who made up for her lack of music industry experience with a mother's determination, sent the tape to WSM's venerated “Midnite Jamboree” radio show in Nashville, which soon booked Barnett. Subsequently, Betty got Barnett a recording deal with Capitol Records, run by legendary label figure and producer Jimmy Bowen. For four years, Barnett commuted between Crossville and Nashville to record and perform, eventually moving to Music City when she was 17., Gaylord Entertainment (then-parent company of the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium) hired Barnett at 18 to star in the Ryman's major musical production “Always … Patsy Cline.” Resting on Barnett's tender shoulders, the show premiered on June 9, 1994 , just days after the Ryman reopened following an extensive $8.5 million refurbishment , to rave reviews and packed audiences. Barnett remains the only actress to have played the title role on the historic stage where Cline's legend began., Barnett made the first of many guest appearances on the Grand Ole Opry that year and went on to release a variety of acclaimed albums, including her eponymous debut for Asylum Records. Sire Records founder Seymour Stein later signed Barnett to his pop label, where Country Music Hall of Fame member and Nashville Sound pioneer Owen Bradley produced her I've Got a Right to Cry, named “Top Country Album” by Rolling Stone in its year of release., Other albums followed, including 8arnett's Christmas celebration, Winter Wonderland; a Cline-inspired collection, Sweet Dreams; and I Can't Stop Loving You: The Songs of Don Gibson (honoring Barnett's friend and Country Music Hall of Fame member). In 2018, Barnett steered her gifts toward the pop, roots and R&B-tinged album Strange Conversation. In addition to her own albums, she has graced numerous movie and television soundtracks and multi-artist music compilations., Barnett launched her “Nashville Songbook” repertoire with the Nashville Symphony and has since toured it nationally and internationally. She made her New York City cabaret debut in 2019 at Feinstein's/54 Below, performing her “Nashville Songbook” show and a duet with Michael Feinstein., Barnett curated her “Nashville Songbook” concept from songs that made Nashville famous, including iconic country and pop standards originally recorded by artists as diverse as Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and her childhood influences Cline, Lee and Wynette. Barnett's A Nashville Songbook album was released in 2020., Barnett continues to record, produce and perform., Caption Mandy Barnett as Patsy Cine at the Ryman Auditorium. Photo by Heather Brand., [Reverse side not transcribed]