Louise Mandrell
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Birth Name:
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Thelma Louise Mandrell
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Born:
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July 13, 1954
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Origin:
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Corpus Christi, Texas
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Years active:
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1977-present
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Labels:
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Thelma Louise Mandrell, also known as Louise Mandrell, was born July 13, 1954 and is an American country music singer. She is the younger sister of 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 during the 1980s.
Early life
Mandrell was born in Corpus Christi, Texas. Although she never developed the scale of fan base or the worldwide recognition that her older sister Barbara Mandrell gained in country music, Louise Mandrell is still credited as one of country music's more successful female vocalists of the 1980s. With their parents coming from a musical background, Barbara started off working as a singer, and playing the steel guitar and other instruments, and worked for Patsy Cline in the early 1960s.[citation needed] Mandrell learned to play the guitar and bass. Soon, their parents founded the Mandrell Family Band, which toured the United States and Asia.
Barbara's professional recognition in country music in the early 1970s with hits like "Treat Him Right", "Show Me" and "The Midnight Oil" gave Mandrell opportunities at success, and she started performing in Barbara's band The Do-Rights, which toured with Merle Haggard in the early 1970s.[citation needed] Her first time in the studio was on the recording "Always Wanting You", a no. 1 hit for Haggard in 1975.[citation needed] In 1978, Mandrell signed with Epic Records.
[edit] Music career
Mandrell released her first single in 1978, called "Put It On Me", which entered the top 100 country music singles in the USA.[citation needed] In 1979 she released her next single, a version of "Everlasting Love", which also entered top 100. She started singing duets with her husband R.C.Bannon, such as "I Thought You Never Asked," which entered the top 50, and a cover of the number 1 song by Peaches & Herb, "Reunited", which went to number 13, her first significant hit. In 1980, following two more solo efforts that did not see the same success, she then 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 with RCA Records. In 1982, Mandrell had two top 40 hits, as well as the top 20 hit "Some of My Best Friends Are Old Songs".
1983 turned out to be her most successful year, entering the top 15 with "Runaway Heart" the two top 10 hits "Save Me" (originally recorded by Northern Irish singer Clodagh Rodgers) and "Too Hot to Sleep". In 1984, Mandrell had two other Top 40 hits "Goodbye Heartache" and "I'm Not Through Loving You Yet", and in 1985 the song "I Wanna Say Yes" entered the top 5.
In 1984, RCA released her first video for the hit single "Some Girls Have All The Luck". Her songs at this time focused one the popular Countrypolitan sound that was coming out of Nashville from many country artists,[citation needed] Barbara Mandrell included.
Mandrell's last studio album "Dreamin'" was released in 1987, with the single "I Want To Hear It From Your Lips" and having her last top 40 hit with the single "Do I Have To Say Goodbye". Her last charted single came in 1988, a cover of the song "As Long As We Got Each Other", a duet with Eric Carmen.
In 1988, Mandrell parted ways with RCA Records. During the 1990s she released the videos and songs "Jean Paul" and "Down Home Christmas".