Amanda Carol "Mandy" Barnett
(born September 28 1975 in Crossville, Tennessee) is a country music singer and stage actress. In her musical career, she has released three albums and charted three singles on the Billboard
country charts. Her highest-charting country single is "Now That's All Right With Me", which reached #43 in 1996. Barnett has also held the titular role in the musical Always… Patsy Cline
, a musical based on the life of Patsy Cline.
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MANDY BARNETT TICKETS
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Early life
Born Amanda Carol Barnett, she was the only child of Betty and Dan Barnett (who worked respectively as a
bookkeeper and
contractor). Barnett began her musical career by singing in church at the age of five. Her mother encouraged her by booking singing engagements wherever people would listen:
bowling alleys,
VFW halls and political rallies (notably for
Lamar Alexander and future
Vice President Al Gore, Jr.. When there was no venue, she would perform in parking lots. By age nine, her father financed a professionally recorded
gospel music album. The following summer, she had joined a summer theatre cast at
Dollywood and shared the stage with
Dolly Parton herself. It was during her two years at Dollywood that she won a talent contest that included making a
demo in
Nashville.
Nashville
During the trip to Nashville, Betty Barnett worked to get her daughter a spot on "
Midnight Jamboree" radio show, which aired after the
Grand Ole Opry program on
WSM-AM. Opry star
George Hamilton IV was also a guest on the program. She was soon signed by producer
Jimmy Bowen. The then 12-year-old Barnett earned a lot of industry buzz after her debut on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, covering
Patsy Cline's "
Crazy."
Bowen's career transitioned from label to label at the time. Each time, he took Barnett with him, and despite constant training and development funding, no album ever resulted. Barnett graduated from high school in 1993 and headed back to Nashville full-time to seek her fortune, though
Capitol Records dropped her that December.
In 1994, she auditioned for
Always… Patsy Cline
and took the role of
Patsy Cline in the musical. It played nightly at the
Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry where Cline herself had sung, and Barnett performed to sold-out crowds for two years. In 1996, she was signed to
Asylum Records, releasing her self-titled debut album. Produced by
Kyle Lehning, it was led off by the single
She toured nationally in 1997 and reprised her role in
Always... Patsy Cline
for a short time and she contributed performances to two
film soundtracks before releasing her next album in 1999 on
Sire Records,
I've Got A Right to Cry,
produced by the man who had made Patsy Cline herself a star, studio legend
Owen Bradley. He died mid-way through the project and his brother
Harold Bradley took over production duties. It would be released soon after Bradley's death. Reviews of
I've Got A Right To Cry
were strong, including raves in
Rolling Stone
, but sales disappointed, and Barnett was dropped from Sire. She has not recorded since
Discography
Albums
| Year
| Album details
| Chart Positions
|
| US Country
| US Heat
| CAN Country
|
| 1996
| Mandy Barnett
- Released: February 27, 1996
- Label: Asylum Records
| 60
| —
| 28
|
| 1999
| I've Got a Right to Cry
- Released: April 13, 1999
- Label: Sire Records
| 45
| 47
| —
|
| 2006
| The Platinum Collection
- Released: June 26, 2006
- Label: WEA
| —
| —
| —
|
Singles
| Year
| Title
| Chart Positions
| Album
|
| US Country
| CAN Country
|
| 1995
| "An Unforgettable Voice"
| —
| —
| Single only
|
| 1996
| "Now That's All Right With Me"
| 43
| 64
| Mandy Barnett
|
| "Maybe"
| 65
| 93
|
| "A Simple I Love You"
| 72
| —
|
| 1999
| "I've Got a Right to Cry"
| —
| —
| I've Got a Right to Cry
|
| "The Whispering Wind (Blows on By)"
| —
| —
|
Guest singles
| Year
| Single
| Artist
| US Country
| Album
|
| 1996
| "Hope"
| Various Artists
| 57
| single only
|
Guest appearances
| Year
| Title
| Song
|
| 1997
| AFTRA First Tuesday Singers Showcase
| "When We Ran"
|
| Traveller (soundtrack)
| "Dream Lover"
"Searching (For Someone Like You)"
"Dark Moon"
|
| 1999
| A Walk on the Moon (soundtrack)
| "Town Without Pity"
|
| Election (soundtrack)
| "If You'll Be the Teacher"
|
| Drop Dead Gorgeous (soundtrack)
| "Beautiful Dreamer"
|
| All the Lonely (Songs by John Pennell)
| "No One Knows"
|
| 2000
| Space Cowboys (soundtrack)
| "I Only Have Eyes for You"
|
| 2001
| Good Rockin' Tonight (The Legacy of Sun Records)
| "You Win Again"
|
| 2002
| Caught in the Webb (A Tribute to Webb Pierce)
| "Slowly"
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| 2007
| Crazy (soundtrack)
| "Walking After Midnight"
"I Fall to Pieces"
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Recordings with other artists
| Year
| Artist
| Title
| Song(s)
| Participation
| Format(s)
|
| 1996
| Various Artists
| Hope - Country Music's Quest For A Cure
| Hope (All Star Version A)
Hope (All Star Version B)
| Background Vocals
| Cassette Single
7" 45 RPM Vinyl Single
CD Single
|
| 1996
| Kenny Chesney
| Me and You
| Ain't That Love
| Background Vocals
| Cassette Tape
CD
|
| 1997
| Kim Richey
| Bitter Sweet
| I'm Alright
| Background Vocals
| Cassette Tape
CD
|
| 1997
| Gail Davies
| Greatest Hits
| Unwed Fathers
| Background Vocals
| CD
|
| 1998
| Don Walser
| Down at the Sky-Vue Drive-In
| Are You Teasing Me?
Hearts Made Of Stone
| Duets
| CD
|
| 1998
| Various Artists
| The Songs of Dwight Yoakam - Will Sing For Food
| Near You
| Kim Richey sings Lead
Mandy sings Background Vocals
| CD
|
| 2000
| Ray Price
| Prisoner of Love
| Various Tracks
| Background Vocals
| CD
|
| 2000
| Melvin Sloan and Friends
| Pick and Sing Opry Favorites
| Waltz Across Texas
| Duet
| CD
|
| 2001
| Gail Davies and Friends
| Live and Unplugged at the Station Inn
| Bucket To The South
| Background Vocals
| CD
|
| 2001
| Rosie Flores
| Speed of Sound
| Rock-A-Bye Boogie
| Background Vocals
| CD
|
| 2001
| Asleep At The Wheel
| The Very Best Of
| The Letter (That Johnny Walker Read)
| Duet
| CD
|
| 2001
| Jesse Dayton
| Hey Nashvegas!
| Hey Nashvegas!
Don't Take Yesterday
| Background Vocals
| CD
|
| 2002
| Various Artists
| Dressed In Black - A Tribute To Johnny Cash
| Jackson
| Duet With Chuck Mead
| CD
|
| 2006
| SpongeBob SquarePants
| The Best Day Ever
| Various Tracks
| Background Vocals
| CD
|
Videos
| Year
| Title
| Song(s)
| Format(s)
|
| 1996
|
| Now That's All Right With Me
| Music Video
|
| 1996
|
| Maybe
| Music Video
|
| 1997
|
| Planet Of Love
| Music Video
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| 1999
|
| The Whispering Wind (Blows On By)
| Music Video
|
2001
2005
| Opry Family Reunion - Volume Four (VHS)
Country's Family Reunion at the Opry - Volume Four (DVD/VHS)
| Hurt
Crazy
| See Title
|
2001
2005
| Opry Family Reunion - Volume Six (VHS)
Country's Family Reunion at the Ryman - Volume Two (DVD/VHS)
| Legend in My Time
| See Title
|
References