Barbara Mandrell Gives Thanks at Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Barbara Mandrell will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year, and following her speech at the induction announcement today, I thought to myself, "Wow, she must have had an incredible work ethic." At the age of 11, she was playing steel guitar in the Las Vegas showrooms. One night she discovered that her steel bar was missing and calmly asked the audience for a drinking glass -- and then used it instead of the steel bar! Smart kid! As a teenager, her inventive father booked her at military clubs since she wasn't considered under the age limit in such establishments. And in the summers away from high school, they'd go to Vietnam to play for the troops. Mandrell also recalled that her father bought a tour bus for the family when she was just 21 and that he always invested money back into the show. Certainly, the investment paid off.
Mandrell is no stranger to the stage, following a successful NBC variety show in the early 1980s and huge country hits like "Sleeping Single in a Double Bed" and "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool." As soon as she stepped to the podium at Wednesday's (Feb. 4) press conference, she emotionally thanked God, noting, "He orchestrates our journeys if we let him." Later, she emphasized the team effort behind her career, including musicians, producers and sound engineers, as well as the press. Along with individually introducing her family members, she graciously pointed out Rose Lee Maphis, a West Coast country singer from the 1950s who, with husband Joe Maphis, gave Mandrell her first job. She also name-checked the country legends who taught her well, such as Jimmy Dickens, Tex Ritter and Merle Travis. Following the formal induction ceremony in May, her plaque will rightfully hang beside theirs in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
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cj says:
Thanks Craig another interesting blog. I totally love the way you write. Congrats to Barbara. Beautiful talented lady. I love when they had the Mandrell show with Barbara and her sisters. There is nothing like that now. Now days you don’t even have to know how to sing to be popular…All three of the Mandrells were out of this world with talent.
Wayne says:
A long overdue honour, but an honour nonetheless. Congrats to my favourite Entertainer of the Year!!
countryiscool says:
I grew up watching the Mandrells on TV- loved ‘em! Congrats!
BarbaraFan says:
About time and long overdue! Congrats to Barbara!!
Scott Yoggerst says:
Well its about time they Barbara in the Hall of Fame!! She is the Best!!!!!!!
Sean says:
I hope she signs when she is inducted-that would be a nice treat, I remember when Dolly was inducted she sang and Charlie Pride etc etc, I really hope for one night, Barbara comes out of retirement to sing one more time for her fans on a special night like this..
Sean
Chuck says:
I first saw Barbara perform in Lakeland, FL. She was the opening act for Merle Haggert. At that time she had her sisters with her as part of her performance. After Merle had finished his show, he left the arena before the last note had faded away, Barbara came back out on stage to sign autographs. She told the fans that she would stay there and sign until everyone was taken care of. She was a fans’ performer and a great person.
RedMaZ says:
…well you just can’t beat ‘Ol Merle Haggert. Unless of course it’s Sammy Haggert.
Duke says:
It is about time the Country music Hall of Fame started getting people instaled as members who really deserve to be members! Yes Sonny james should be in but it was too soon for Alabama when there are so many other deserving who should go in first! Such as-
Dottie West
Cowboy Copas
Hawkshaw Hawkins
Sam and Kirk Magee
Jean Sheperd
Jan Howard
Sketter Davis
And many more who get passed over from year to year!
RedMaZ says:
None of those people will get in. Well Jean Shepard might. Gram Parsons and Billy Joe shaver should be in too, but I doubt thay ever will. As should Marty Stuart and Ricky Skaggs.
JK says:
I think she is great. Love to hear her sing. Would be nice to see some decent shows back on T.V. She deserves the best. J.K.
TBone says:
I agree that Barbara Mandrell well deserves this honor. It is easy to point to Kitty Wells, Patsy Cline, and even Dolly Parton at bastions of the women’s movement in country music, but, truth be told, Barbara Mandrell is also among the ranks of country music pioneers.
Mandrell, along with Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, brought country music to a wider audience, stepping into the fields of pop and television to take country music to the masses. She has often been critized for being “too pop” or “too slick” and not enough cornpone, but it is in those very points that she finds her greatness. Remember that Barbara Mandrell had the last successful variety show on TV, not to mention that she also was the first woman in country music (sorry, Dolly) to host a network variety show. We can’t forget, either, that in her heyday, Barbara Mandrell ranked among the best steel guitarists in the country. She may not have written her own music, but she was an artist, an innovator, and, perhaps above all, an entertainer.
David says:
Congratulations to Barbara Mandrell and the other inductees. A deserved honor for this years inductees. I remember watching the Mandrell sister’s show in the ’80s, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what made me a fan of female musicians today.
I will say to whomever is putting together the Induction ceremony in May. If there’s going to be a concert honoring the inductees, put a call in to Broken Bow Records’ Megan Mullins. If any young artist embodies the legacy that Barbara Mandrell created, it’s Megan — a multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and dancer, who grew up playing in her family’s band.
Patrick Cooper says:
This may not pertain directly to this blog but I am trying desparately to contact Mrs. Mandrell to see if it would be possible for her to give my wife (a lifelong devoted fan) a Happy 40th Birthday phone call this Sunday afternoon, February 22nd at around 2:30pm. It would mean the world to her. Can anyone help me???
glenda says:
Barbara Mandrell is the greatest and classiest performer ever. We all wish she would do us the honor and sing ocasionally. she is truly a wholesome lady.
Bryon Brown says:
It certainly is about time! I think Barbara is one of the greatest entertainers of all time. One of my first concerts as a child was one of hers and I STILL remember and talk about it! Congrats Barbara!
Mister W says:
A response to Duke’s comment: In terms of their impact, one can make a good case for the McGees and Jean Shepard, but the others are far from Hall of Fame material.
For what it’s worth, I think the recent category changes will probably exclude a number of genuinely worthy candidates from induction. Important early pioneers such as Charlie Poole, Fiddlin’ John Carson, the Skillet Lickers and the Blue Sky Boys now seem unlikely to get a look-in.
Cathy says:
Congrats to Barbara. It’s about time that they came to their senses and put her in the hall. I have followed her career from the early 80’s. She is everything that a performer should be. She is the type of performer that these young people coming up in Country Music should look up too as a role model. She, along with her family, only prove that you can have a very long successful career doing what you love to do by depending on your talent and not getting into trouble like alot of the newer performers seem to be doing today. Again - Congratulation Barbara!!
Jamie says:
Never mind Barbara, What about DOTTIE WEST, have you heard of her, the first woman to win a Grammy in country Music yet the Hall of fame do not take this into consideration. It’s high time dottie was put in soon.