Louise Mandrell
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Louise Mandrell | ||
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 Louise Mandrell publicity photo.
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Thelma Louise Mandrell | |
| Also known as | Louise Mandrell | |
| Born | July 13, 1954 | |
| Origin | Corpus Christi, Texas | |
| Genre(s) | Country | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer | |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, Guitar | |
| Years active | 1977–Present | |
| Label(s) | Epic Records RCA Records |
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| Associated acts |
Barbara Mandrell, Merle Haggard | |
Louise Mandrell (born July 13, 1954 in Corpus Christi, Texas) is an American Country Music Singer. She is the younger sister of legendary Country singer Barbara Mandrell. Louise however, had a successful Country career of her own having a string of hits in the 1980s.
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[edit] Early Life & Rise to Fame
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. She was born in 1954 in Texas. 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 surpise Louise would pick up instruments as well. She played the guitar and bassist. 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 1979, she signed with Epic Records, and her career soon went into full swing.
[edit] The Height of Her Music Career
The year 1979 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, which was a duet with her husband called "Put It On Me". The single however, proved unsuccessful. Her first solo single came the next year called "Everlasting Love", which was again an unsuccessful single. That year, she also released another song 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. 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" 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 Traditional Country singers were entering Nashville, like Garth Brooks, Patty Loveless, Reba McEntire, and Randy Travis. She had her last Top 40 hit that year called "Do I Have to Say Goodbye". Her last charted single came that same year called "As Long As We Got Each Other".
[edit] Other Careers: Starting Her Own Theater
In 1987, Mandrell parted ways with RCA Records and stayed away from recording Country Music, however, she contued to perform when she could. On September 12, 1997, Louise opened up her own theater called 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 the theater Lee Greenwood built in the 1990s. Louise of course hosts her own show out there, and has regular performers that can sing any type of music, including Country Music.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | U.S. Country Singles | Album | |
| 1978 | "Put It on Me" (with RC Bannon) | #77 | Inseparable | |
| 1979 | "Everlasting Love" | #69 | Sisters In Song | |
| 1979 | "I Never Loved Anyone Like I Loved You" | #72 | Louise Mandrell | |
| 1979 | "Reunited" (with RC Bannon) | #13 | Insepearable | |
| 1980 | "Beggin' For Mercy" | #82 | Louise Mandrell | |
| 1980 | "Wake Me Up" | #63 | Louise Mandrell | |
| 1981 | "(You Sure Know Your Way) Around My Heart" | #35 | Me and My R.C. | |
| 1982 | "When There's Smoke There's a Fire" (with RC Bannon) | #35 | Me and My R.C. | |
| 1982 | "Just Married" (with RC Bannon) | #56 | Me and My R.C. | |
| 1982 | "Some of My Best Friends Are Old Songs" | #20 | Super Woman and Incredible Man | |
| 1982 | "Romance" (with RC Bannon]]) | #22 | Super Woman and Incredible Man | |
| 1983 | "Runaway Heart" | #13 | Too Hot to Sleep | |
| 1983 | "Save Me" | #6 | Too Hot to Sleep | |
| 1983 | "Too Hot to Sleep" | #10 | 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 | |
| 1984 | "This Bed's Not Big Enough" | #52 | I'm Not Through Loving You Yet | |
| 1985 | "I Wanna Say Yes" | #5 | Maybe Baby | |
| 1985 | "Maybe Baby" | #8 | Maybe Baby | |
| 1985 | "Some Girls Have All the Luck" | #22 | Maybe 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' | |
| 1987 | "As Long As We Got Each Other" | #51 | Dreamin' |
[edit] Albums
| Year | Album | U.S. Country Albums | |
| 1979 | Inseperable (with RC Bannon) | - | |
| 1980 | Love Won't Let Us Let Go (with RC Bannon) | - | |
| 1981 | Me and My R.C. (with RC Bannon) | #20 | |
| 1981 | Louise Mandrell | - | |
| 1982 | Super Woman and Incredible Man (with RC Bannon) | - | |
| 1983 | Too Hot to Sleep | #26 | |
| 1983 | The Best (with RC Bannon) | - | |
| 1984 | I'm Not Through Loving You Yet | #54 | |
| 1984 | Close Up | #30 | |
| 1985 | Maybe Baby | #60 | |
| 1986 | Dreamin' | - | |
| 1987 | The Best | - | |
| 1998 | Anthology | - |
