Louise Mandrell

Thelma Louise Mandrell (born July 13, 1954) to Mary Ellen (née McGill; born 1931) and Irby Matthew Mandrell (October 11, 1924 – March 5, 2009) in Corpus Christi, Texas, United States. She is the second of three daughters. Sister Barbara is five and a half years older; sister Irlene is one and a half years younger. Her mother, Mary, was a homemaker and musician hailing from rural Wayne County, Illinois. Her father Irby was a World War II naval veteran and Texas police officer from Garland County, Arkansas. Irby Mandrell was an accomplished musician and entrepreneur as well. He used his impeccable social skills and knowledge of the music industry to manage all three of his daughters' careers for over three decades.

Although Louise Mandrell never developed the scale of fan base or the worldwide recognition that her older sister Barbara gained in country music, she 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 toured with Patsy Cline in the early 1960s. 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 "Tonight My Baby's Coming Home" and "The Midnight Oil" gave Louise opportunities at success. She started performing in Barbara's band The DoRites in 1969. Her first time in the studio was on the recording "Always Wanting You", a no. 1 hit for country singer-songwriter and Bakersfield sound pioneer Merle Haggard in 1975. In 1978, she signed with Epic Records. Mandrell appeared in every performance there and encompassed numerous musical styles, including country, jazz, and big band. It was considered the most attended (non-dinner) show in the Smoky Mountains. The Triumphant Quartet, formerly known as the Integrity Quartet, was the in-house Southern gospel group and back-up singers for Louise. The Louise Mandrell Theater had its last performance, to a sold-out house, on December 31, 2005. Mandrell sold the theater afterwards and it has changed hands twice since. The theater is now home to the "Smoky Mountain Opry."

In 1983, Mandrell co-wrote The Mandrell Family Album with writer Ace Collins. Later, they produced a series of children's books.

In 2012, she performed the title role of "Calamity Jane" at Roger Rocka's Dinner Theatre in Fresno, California through September 16, 2012. Mandrell reprised her role from July until September 15, 2019.

Later career Mandrell continues to perform at selected special occasions and corporate events. In December 2007, she performed in Washington, D.C., with the National Army band.

Over the Christmas and New Year seasons in 2008 and 2009, Mandrell performed at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville for one month. The multi-instrumental dinner show was entitled "Joy to the World". Mandrell also announced her intention to create a new show in 2010, "The Gift".

In 2009, she signed with Strouadavarious Records and announced her intention to release an album of country classics and a Christmas-themed album.

During 2011 and 2012, Mandrell joined fellow 80s country superstar Lee Greenwood on selected tour dates, including a six-week Branson run at the Welk Resort Theatre from September 12 —- October 22.

Mandrell's final Christmas show at Gaylord Opryland titled "Louise Mandrell's Christmas Dinner Party" took place on November 18 – December 25, 2011.

After 30 years, she released Playing Favorites, her most recent studio album consisting of country standards, on October 4, 2019. It was produced by Buddy Cannon.

Mandrell appeared on the Opry's country classic show in Nashville. The last time she performed on that stage was 50 years ago. The show was broadcast live on the radio program, Opry Country Classics at the Ryman Auditorium, October 3, 2019. She performed on the Grand Ole Opry live from the Ryman on November 30, 2019.

On July 30, 2022, Louise and Irlene joined the special Opry show celebrating the 50th year membership of sister Barbara Mandrell as a Opry member.

Louise once again took to the Opry stage in the Country classics segment on October 13, 2022, December 4, 2022, and March 9, 2023.

Commercial spokesperson Outside of her musical career, Mandrell served as spokesperson for Sanderson Farms' Miss Goldy Chicken, appearing in several television commercials and print ads for two decades. She also participated in a series of commercials for RC Cola in the mid-1970s, singing the famous "Me and My RC" jingle. Most recently, Mandrell, along with Jimmy Fortune of The Statler Brothers, appeared in a half-hour infomercial for Time-Life, promoting the box set Classic Country (2022 edition).

Pop culture In the 1980s, the Mandrell sisters were impersonated by the cast of Saturday Night Live on NBC. In 2007, Pam Tillis released a song called "Band in the Window", which name-checks Louise Mandrell ("her name is Louise but not Mandrell, she has 80's hair and fringe"). In 2023, Canadian country artist Lisa Brokop released her female-centric cover version of the George Jones country hit "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes" (as "Who's Gonna Fill Their Heels"), and it is where the Mandrell sisters are mentioned among the names of country’s greatest female artists.

Television appearances Louise Mandrell appeared in the following TV shows: Super stars and their moms Happy New Year 1985 w/Andy Williams Host The Mike Douglas Show The Today Show 700 club CNN Branson Country Christmas Bright Lights and Country Nights Pop! Goes the Country 1977-78-79* Battle of the Network Stars X 1981 Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters 1980–1982 Hollywood Squares Austin City Limits 1985 Hee Haw 1980-82-87-89-90-91 + The Tonight Show 1983–87 Crook & Chase most recently 2009 + Children's Miracle Network Lifestyles of the rich and famous Another World 1983 Crazy Like a Fox 1986 Vicki Lawrence Show Miller and Company (Dan Miller) Prime Time Country + American Almanac with Willard Scott 1995 Nashville Now + Louise Mandrell: Diamonds, Gold and Platinum (TV special 1983) Barbara Mandrell Christmas 1986 New Country 1987 Country Music Spot Light 1994 Music City News Awards guest and host Mike Hammer 1987 Nashville on the road ACM Awards * CMA Awards * Lee Ann Womack Christmas Special 2003 The New Hollywood Squares 1987 This Is Your Life 1987 Superstars and Their Moms American Revolutions: Country Comedy 2005 Intimate Portrait 1999 Family Feud Grand Ole Opry * The Tommy Hunter Show Canada The Geraldo Rivera Show The Oprah Winfrey Show * Merry Christmas From the Grand Ole Opry Branson Country Christmas Jerry Reed and Friends 1983 Louise Mandrell & Friends Salute the Boy Scouts Hee Haw 20th Anniversary Show Funny Business With Charlie Chase (11/06/91) Christmas in Hollywood CBS' Happy New Year America 1984 & 1985 Solid Gold 1985 Barbara Mandrell: Country's Do-Right Woman (TV special) National Easter Seal Telethon 1990 Ralph Emery 2009 Mike Huckabee show 2019 Mr Nashville (Larry Ferguson) Web 2020 Jerry Lewis telethon + was a guest many times

Discography Studio albums

Peakpositions

Release date: February 1983 Label: RCA Records Formats: LP, cassette 30

Release date: August 1983 Label: RCA Records Formats: LP, cassette, CD 26

Release date: May 1984 Label: RCA Records Formats: LP, cassette 54

Release date: May 1985 Label: RCA Records Formats: LP, cassette, CD 60

Release date: 1987 Label: RCA Records Formats: LP, cassette —

Release date: 1997 Label: Mandrell, inc. Formats: CD, cassette —

Release date: 1998 Label: Mandrell, Inc. Formats: CD, cassette —

Release date: October 4, 2019 Label: Time–Life Formats: CD, digital download —

Albums with R. C. Bannon Title Details Peakpositions US Country Inseparable Release date: 1979 Label: Epic Records Formats: LP, cassette — Love Won't Let Us Let Go Release date: October 1980 Label: Epic Records Formats: LP, cassette — Me and My R. C. Release date: 1982 Label: RCA Records Formats: LP, cassette 20 You're My Super Woman, You're My Incredible Man Release date: 1982 Label: RCA Records Formats: LP, cassette 44 "—" denotes releases that did not chart

Compilations Title Details Louise Mandrell Release date: July 1981 Label: Epic Records Formats: LP, cassette The Best of Louise Mandrell and R. C. Bannon(with R. C. Bannon) Release date: November 1983 Label: RCA Records Formats: LP, cassette Best of Louise Mandrell Release date: 1987 Label: RCA Records Formats: LP, cassette Anthology Release date: October 13, 1998 Label: Renaissance Records Formats: CD, cassette Sisters in Song(with Barbara Mandrell) Release date: 2001 Label: Sony Special Products Formats: CD, cassette

Singles

1978

77 —

69 —

72 —

63 —

82 —

61 —

35 40

20 39

22 35

6 2

10 26

13 10

7 8

24 29

52 —

8 23

5 3

22 37 1986

35 41

28 57

74 — 1988

51 —

1991

— —

Singles with R. C. Bannon Year Single Peak chartpositions Album US Country CAN Country 1979 "I Thought You'd Never Ask" 46 — Inseparable "Reunited" 13 — "We Love Each Other" 48 — 1981 "Where There's Smoke There's Fire" 35 45 Me and My R. C. 1982 "Our Wedding Band" / "Just Married" 56 45 1983 "Christmas Is Just a Song for Us This Year" 35 — A Country Christmas "—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos