During the 1970s and 1980s, Barbara Mandrell, an American singer and actress, was one of the most successful country musicians. During those two magnificent decades, she produced a number of top 10 hits and garnered numerous honors, including two times as the Country Music Association’s “Entertainer of the Year” and “Female Vocalist of the Year” accolades. “Years,” “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right,” “Till You’re Gone,” and “One of a Kind Pair of Fools” are some of her greatest songs. Being a musician’s daughter, she entered the music business at a young age. Her career was guided for a number of years by her father, who urged her to pursue her passion. Her abilities extended beyond singing; in addition, she occasionally acted in television movies and series, giving some outstanding performances. She focused solely on her acting career after quitting her music in the late 1990s, making appearances in a number of well-known series like “Sunset Beach” and “Touched by an Angel” before officially leaving the entertainment business.
Early Life & Childhood of Barbara Mandrell
On December 25, 1948, Barbara Ann Mandrell was born in Houston, Texas, to Irby Matthew Mandrell, a World War II naval veteran and former Texas police officer, and Mary Ellen, a pianist. Her father finally took on the role of manager; he was also a talented pianist.
Thelma Louise Mandrell and Ellen Irlene Mandrell, Barbara’s two younger sisters, are both successful country music vocalists. She learned to play the steel guitar on her own and began studying music at a very young age.
She also picked up the accordion, saxophone, and banjo, among other musical instruments. At thirteen, she went on tour with Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and George Jones.
Her family started a band after her two sisters showed an interest in music as well. Ken Dudney, who would later marry Barbara, joined them later as their drummer.
A Music Career of Barbara Mandrell
After starting the “Mandrell Family Band,” Dudney received a call to duty in the Navy a few years later. Barbara Mandrell made the decision to pursue a career as a country singer about this time, and she relocated to Nashville. Then her father took over as her work manager. Under producer Billy Sherrill, who had previously managed well-known performers like Charlie Rich, Tammy Wynette, and Tanya Tucker, she began with a few modest hits.
Having turned down six offers from other record labels, she joined with Columbia in 1969. Her debut recording was a rendition of the beloved song “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” by Otis Redding, which shot to fame right away. A year later, she collaborated with vocalist David Houston to produce multiple more popular songs, including the top 40 single “Playin’ Around With Love.”
Barbara’s tenure with Columbia Records was not particularly successful, and Billy Sherrill was frequently questioned about why he continued to collaborate with her in spite of her lack of broad recognition. In 1975, he ultimately terminated their contract.
Barbara Mandrell joined with ABC/Dot after departing Columbia Records, where she collaborated with producer Tom Collins. Her career took off because of this partnership. In 1978, she released her chart-topping single “Sleeping Single in a Double Bed,” after her track “Standing Room Only” had reached the top 5. The hit song “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right” quickly succeeded this and peaked at the top of the charts.
She was at her finest in the early 1980s, releasing a string of hit songs that made it into the country top 10, including “Crackers” and “Wish You Were Here.”
In the early 1980s, she also released a number of extremely successful singles, including “Years,” “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” “Till You’re Gone,” and “One of a Kind, Pair of Fools,” all of which helped her establish herself in the music business. The song “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool,” which she sang with George Jones, was one of these hits that quickly gained popularity.
She and Lee Greenwood started a very successful collaboration in 1984, and some of their well-known duets from the album “Meant for Each Other” reached the top of the country charts.
Career in Acting
Due to her increasing fame in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Barbara Mandrell also dabbled in television. In 1980, NBC hosted the launch of the television series “Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters.”
Later, she had appearances on a number of well-known TV programs, such as “Empty Nest,” “Diagnosis: Murder,” “Dr. Quinn,” “Medicine Woman,” “Touched By An Angel,” “The Commish,” and “Baywatch.”
She focused only on her acting career for two more years after leaving the recording industry in 1997. During that time, she starred in TV movies and shows like Walker, Texas Ranger, Love Boat: The Next Wave, The Wrong Girl, and Stolen from the Heart.
Large-scale Works of Barbara Mandrell
One of Barbara Mandrell’s hallmark songs is “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool.” The Recording Industry Association of America certified it gold, and it reached at number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles list.
One of her greatest duets, “I’m So Glad We’re Standing Here Today,” was performed in 1984 when she and Bobby Jones partnered up. They were awarded a Grammy Award for “Best Soul Gospel Duo Performance” in recognition of their gospel duet. This song elevated her already successful career to even higher heights and became one of the all-time favorite gospel anthems.
Honors & Accomplishments of Barbara Mandrell
One of the most honored musicians in American country music history is Barbara Mandrell. In a number of categories, she took home the Academy of Country Music Awards in 1971, 1978, 1980, 1981, 2001, and 2005.
She was the recipient of two Grammy Awards: one in 1984 for Best Soul Gospel Duo Performance (with Bobby Jones) for “I’m So Glad We’re Standing Here Today” and one in 1983 for Best Inspirational Performance (with “He Set My Life to Music”).
Mandrell received inductions into the Artists Music Guild in 2012, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2014, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009, and the Country-Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999.
Individual Life of Barbara Mandrell
Three children, Nathaniel Mandrell Dudney, Jaime Nicole Dudney, and Kenneth Matthew Dudney, were born to Barbara Mandrell and percussionist Ken Dudney on May 28, 1967.
Barbara was involved in a horrible vehicle accident with her two children, Matthew and Jaime, during the height of her career. The three of them had serious injuries as a result of not using seatbelts. In addition to the fractures, she reportedly experienced a concussion, transient memory loss, and speech issues. She has been an advocate for seatbelt use ever since.
Net worth of Barbara Mandrell
The estimated net worth of Barbara Mandrell is about $1 million.