Louise Mandrell

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Louise Mandrell
Birth name Thelma Louise Mandrell
Also known as Louise Mandrell
Born July 13, 1954 (1954-07-13) (age 53)
Origin Corpus Christi, Texas
Genre(s) Country
Occupation(s) Singer, Entertainer
Instrument(s) Vocals, Guitar, violin, Clarinet, Drums, Accordion , Key board, Bass
Years active 1977–Present
Label(s) Epic Records
RCA Records
Timelife
Associated acts Barbara Mandrell, Merle Haggard

Thelma Louise Mandrell (born July 13, 1954) in is an American country music singer. She is the younger sister of legendary Country singer Barbara Mandrell, and older sister of actress Irlene Mandrell. Louise had a successful singing career in country music with a string of hits in the 1980s.

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[edit] Early life

Mandrell was born in Corpus Christi, Texas. Although she never developed the iconic fan base of worldwide recognition that her older sister Barbara Mandrell gained in Country Music, Louise Mandrell is still credited as one of Country Music's most successful female vocalists of the 1980s. Her early life started off much like her sister's. Her family was always a musical family; her parents came from a musical background. Barbara started off working as a singer, and playing the steel guitar and other instruments — even working for Patsy Cline in the early 1960s. It would be no surprise Louise would pick up instruments as well. She played the guitar and bass. Soon, her parents founded their band called the Mandrell Family Band. The family band toured all over the United States and even Asia. The band jumpstarted Louise's professional career in music.

When her sister Barbara Mandrell got professional stardom in Country Music in the early 70s, with hits like "Treat Him Right", "Show Me" and "The Midnight Oil", it gave Louise oppurtunites to become successful. Louise started performing in her sister's band, The Do-Rights. She also toured with Merle Haggard in the early 70s as well. She tried to get her name noticed for the rest of the decade. In 1978, she signed with Epic Records, and her career soon went into full swing.

[edit] Music career

The year 1978 was a great change for Mandrell. She didn't just sign on with Epic Records, but she also met and married Country singer R.C. Bannon as well. She released her first single in 1978 called "Put It On Me". The single however proved unsuccessful. Her next single came the next year with a version of Carl Carlton's "Everlasting Love", which was again an unsuccessful single. She started singing duets with her husband as well beginning with "I Thought You Never Asked" which went Top 50 for them. That year, she also released another song which was a cover of the number 1 smash by Peaches and Herb called "Reunited", which was another duet with her husband. The song went all the way to #13 on the Country charts, and became her first significant hit. Her two other solo efforts in 1980, were not so successful for Mandrell, but it got her name noticed. Another huge boost came in 1980 when she joined her sister Barbara and younger sister Irlene on Barbara's TV variety show Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters. This show showcased not only her singing, but her multi-instrumental and comedy talents as well. In 1981, she signed on with RCA Records. In 1982, Mandrell had two Top 40 hits, that gave Mandrell a little more success. Another song released that year, called "Some of My Best Friends Are Old Songs", just broke the Top 20, and gave Louise a major hit.

The year, 1983, turned out to be her most successful year. Her one song "Runaway Heart" was a Top 15 hit. She really struck gold that year with two Top 10 hits called "Save Me" (originally recorded by Northern Irish singer Clodagh Rodgers) and "Too Hot to Sleep". The songs were one of her biggest hits, and made her a big name in the Nashville overnight. In 1984, Mandrell had two other Top 40 hits. She had her biggest hit in 1985 with the song "I Wanna Say Yes". The song was a Top 5 hit on the Country charts. Her songs at this time focused one the popular Countrypolitan sound that was coming out of Nashville from almost every successful Country artist. This style focused on more Pop-oriented Country Music. This style of music was what made Barbara Mandrell so famous in the late 1970s. Her chart success fell rapidly in 1987, once more New Country singers were entering Nashville, Patty Loveless, and Randy Travis. She had her last Top 40 hit that year called "Do I Have to Say Goodbye". Her last charted single came in 1988 with "As Long As We Got Each Other", a duet with Eric Carmen, and was the theme song of the TV show Growing Pains.She is performing at selected special occasions and corporate events. December 2007, Louise performed in Washington DC with National Army band. 2008, Louise will be releasing an album of country classic's with Time Life. The album will be sold on TV and in some stores such as Wal-Mart. Christmas 2008, Louise will be performing at Opryland Hotel in Nashville for one month. The Louise Mandrell dinner show will feature Louise singing her hits and songs of the season.

[edit] Theater

In 1988, Mandrell parted ways with RCA Records and stayed away from recording Country Music, however, she continued to perform almost everyday on the road to packed houses. 1991 TNN began re-airing the Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell sisters show From 1992-1994 she headlined the 4,000 seat Grand Palace theatre in Branson, Missouri along with Kenny Rogers. On occasion she shared the stage with her sister Barbara, Sawyer Brown, Roger Miller, Waylon Jennings, and several other well known country and pop music entertainers at The Grand Palace. On September 12, 1997, Louise opened up her own theater, The Louise Mandrell Theater in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It is in the heart of the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, where other theaters can be found, like the theater Lee Greenwood built in the 1990s. Louise starred in each and every performance and was considered the most attended (non-dinner) show in the Smokies. The Louise Mandrell Theater had its last performance, to a sold out house, on December 31, 2005. Louise's show contained every type of music from country to jazz to big band and beyond.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Singles

Year Single U.S. Country Singles Album
1978 "Put It on Me" 77 Louise Mandrell
1979 "Everlasting Love" 69 Louise Mandrell
1979 "I Never Loved Anyone Like I Loved You" 72 Louise Mandrell
1979 "I Thought You Never Asked" (with R.C. Bannon) 46 Inseparable
1979 "Reunited" (with R.C. Bannon) 13 Inseparable
1979 "We Love Each Other" (with R.C. Bannon) 48 Inseparable
1980 "Beggin' For Mercy" 82 Louise Mandrell
1980 "Wake Me Up" 63 Louise Mandrell
1980 "Love Insurance" 61 Louise Mandrell
1982 "(You Sure Know Your Way) Around My Heart" 35 Me and My R.C.
1982 "When There's Smoke There's Fire" (with R.C. Bannon) 35 Me and My R.C.
1982 "Just Married" (with R.C. Bannon) 56 Me and My R.C.
1982 "Some of My Best Friends Are Old Songs" 20 Super Woman and Incredible Man
1983 "Christmas Is Just A Song For Us This Year" (with R.C. Bannon) 35 Country Christmas
1983 "Romance" 22 Super Woman and Incredible Man
1983 "Save Me" 6 Close up
1983 "Too Hot to Sleep" 10 Too Hot to Sleep
1984 "Runaway Heart" 13 Too Hot to Sleep
1984 "I'm Not Through Loving You Yet" 7 I'm Not Through Loving You Yet
1984 "Goodbye Heartache" 24 I'm Not Through Loving You Yet
1985 "This Bed's Not Big Enough" 52 I'm Not Through Loving You Yet
1985 "I Wanna Say Yes" 5 Maybe My Baby
1985 "Maybe My Baby" 8 Maybe My Baby
1986 "Some Girls Have All the Luck" 22 Maybe My Baby
1986 "I Wanna Hear It From Your Lips" 35 Dreamin
1987 "Do I Have to Say Goodbye" 28 Dreamin
1987 "Tender Time" 74 Dreamin
1988 "As Long As We Got Each Other" (with Eric Carmen) 51 Best of Louise Mandrell
1991 "Jean Paul" n/a

Albums Louise Mandrell Close up Too hot to sleep I'm not through loving you yet Maybe my baby Dreamin The best of Louise Mandrell Winter wonderland Anthology Personal With RC Bannon Inseparable We love each other Me and my RC Super woman/Incridable man the best of Louise and RC

[edit] Albums

Year Album U.S. Country Albums
1979 Inseparable (with RC Bannon) 125
1980 Love Won't Let Us Let Go (with RC Bannon) 95
1981 Me and My R.C. (with RC Bannon) 20
1981 Louise Mandrell 76
1982 Super Woman and Incredible Man (with RC Bannon) 92
1982 Close Up 30
1983 Too Hot to Sleep 26
1983 The Best (with RC Bannon) 80
1984 I'm Not Through Loving You Yet 54
1985 Maybe My Baby 60
1986 Dreamin' 75
1987 The Best 50
1997 Winter Wonderland n/a
1998 Anthology GOLD
2001 Personal n/a

[edit] References