Mandy Barnett, Nashville’s Torch Song Queen, is the New Lady in Satin
Her latest recording, “Every Star Above,” Celebrates Billie Holiday’s Iconic 1958 Album of Standards from The Great American Songbook
It was a sultry summer night in Manhattan’s theatre district, and a large crowd had gathered at Feinstein’s/54 Below, the city’s premier cabaret for the Great American Songbook. Mandy Barnett, a raven-haired Nashville singer, was making her Big Apple club debut — but this would not be an evening of standards by Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and other giants. Accompanied only by a piano, she powered her way through a set packed with country classics like “Stand By Your Man,” “Hey, Good Lookin’” and “Walkin’ After Midnight.” Her soulful, richly-nuanced alto blew the room away, and the message was clear: When it comes to lyrical grace and musical magic, the boundaries of the American songbook reach well beyond the Manhattan skyline.
Barnett followed up that gig with a critically-acclaimed 2020 recording, “A Nashville Songbook,” breathing new, intimate life into songs you thought you knew, like “Help Me Make it Through the Night” and “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You.)” It’s tempting to put her in a Nashville box, yet Barnett — who began performing at the age of 10 and broke through with a celebrated musical about Patsy Cline — has blazed an artistically restless path that recalls Linda Ronstadt’s genre-hopping legacy. Good luck pinning her down. Beyond traditional country, she’s explored gospel, R&B, rockabilly, Americana, jazz, blues, pop and country rock. But now, Barnett has made perhaps the biggest leap of all with her latest recording, “Every Star Above” (Melody Place Music). It’s a loving tribute to Billie Holiday’s “Lady in Satin,” a classic 1958 album released a year before her tragic death.
Like Holiday, Barnett and producer Fred Mollin assembled a large studio orchestra to create symphonic interpretations of songs including “You’ve Changed,” “For All We Know” and “I’m a Fool to Want You.” Like Lady Day, Barnett’s album features vocals floating over lush, shimmering arrangements, in this case by the late Sammy Nestico, a renowned composer, conductor and arranger who worked with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Barbra Streisand, Natalie Cole and Count Basie. But that’s where the similarities end.
At the time she recorded “Lady in Satin,” Holiday was ravaged by addiction, mounting legal woes and deteriorating health. She sang with a rough, battle-scarred voice, even though her ability to cast a musical spell was undiminished. Barnett, who the Los Angeles Times said has “pipes of steel,” is a confident, mature artist at the height of her powers — a Torch Song Queen who searches out and reveals the beating heart of standards that have defined American pop music. She puts her own stamp on timeless material, with a voice that rocks you back on your heels one moment and breaks your heart with vulnerability the next.
Turn down the lights, break out the bourbon and give “Every Star Above” a listen. Mandy Barnett is, quite simply, one of the finest American singers you haven’t heard nearly enough of — a Michael Feinstein-like songbook preservationist from the hills of East Tennessee who is equally at home at the Grand Old Opry as she is at the prestigious Manhattan club that welcomed her with open arms. “Few singers have the gifts inhabiting the soul of Mandy Barrett,” says Feinstein, who recorded a duet with her on his upcoming album of country-inflected Gershwin standards. “Her blessed voice connects to the truth of every song she sings.”
Will Friedwald, an author and critic who wrote liner notes for “Every Star Above,” is equally effusive: “Barnett’s new recording properly captures the spirit of the original without any direct imitation of either the singer or the musical director. It’s Ms. Barnett’s own story that she’s telling, her own tears that are falling. The results are properly respectful to the 1958 classic, but when all is said and done, it’s a new lady in a whole new satin wardrobe.”
During the week before the release of “Every Star Above,” I asked Barnett about her new album, the challenges of revisiting a masterpiece, and a career that has established her as one of Nashville’s most beloved singers:
JG: What was the genesis of “Every Star Above”?
MB: When I was in my early 20s, my good friend and mentor Harold Bradley [legendary guitarist and Country Music Hall of Fame member] gave me “Lady in Satin.” There was something special about the album that he wanted to share with me — in terms of the emotional poignance of both the songs and Billie’s voice. Harold told me that maybe when I’m older and have more life experiences that I’ll consider doing something like “Lady in Satin” with an orchestra. So, it’s an album I’ve loved ever since, and it inspired me to become a torch singer. Billie revealed her heart and soul every time she sang, and she inspired me to do exactly that throughout my career.
In 2019, Fred Mollin and I started talking about working together as he launched his BMG-distributed label, Melody Place. Fred said that he wanted to do a “concept” album and asked me if I ever thought about reworking the songs from “Lady in Satin.” Fred brought Sammy Nestico onboard to do the orchestral arrangements. So by chance, here was the opportunity that Harold Bradley had suggested years back. It was never our intention to emulate “Lady in Satin.” “Lady in Satin” is a beautiful collection of songs curated by Billie herself and no one can touch what she did vocally and where she was in her life when she recorded the album with the weight of her experiences that she brought to the table. We wanted to celebrate, not imitate, an iconic album and artist that we loved — and these wonderful, enduring melodies and lyrics that attracted not only Billie, but Frank Sinatra and others before her. It was very important to honor Billie and her great album but also to do our own take on it. Sammy’s original orchestrations were instrumental in achieving that. These were songs from his day so he had his own relationship with them through the different artists he worked with through the years, and he was quite attuned to the qualities of my own voice as he worked.
JG: What was it like working with Sammy Nestico?
MB: Goodness, the thought of collaborating with the amazing Sammy Nestico — how intimidating and scary! But Sammy wasn’t intimidating or scary at all as a person. He was warm, delightful, and sweet as he could be, but his legacy is renowned and enormous, and I didn’t know what to expect. I thought, what an interesting combination — an artist from East Tennessee known for singing classic country and on the Opry recording an album of Great American Songbook standards with one of the most legendary arrangers of all time. Working with Sammy was a tremendous experience that I took very seriously. I wanted to match vocally the beauty and splendor of his arrangements. I studied his arrangements, all of their colors and nuances, so that I knew precisely where to come in and out and how to delve into myself to strike the right emotions for them and the lyrics, so that by the time we recorded in the studio, I could just relax and sing. A high point in my life was going to California to meet Sammy and his wife, Shirley, at his home. He was so thrilled with the recording. He kept saying how happy he was about the project and thanked me for doing my homework, and he said that he wanted to work with me again. What a compliment! Of course, as it turned out, “Every Star Above” is Sammy’s final project, as he passed away earlier this year at age 96.
JG: A critic once wrote that “Mandy Barnett is a song’s best friend.” How does that friendship begin?
MB: I think it begins with your experiences and how you can personally relate to a song. I’ve never been afraid of singing all types of music that personally spoke to me or otherwise caught my attention — whether in the country, pop, R&B, or other genres. I grew up listening to an eclectic variety of music, including traditional pop standards. And I always admired the artists who so brilliantly interpreted those songs, even though they didn’t write them. I have never bought into the concept that all artists have to write their own songs. Sometimes the interpretive skills are magical. If a vocalist can make you feel something by singing a song and really focus in on what the lyrics are saying and be moved, that’s what it’s all about, regardless of who wrote the song. To me, there’s nothing better than a memorable, beautiful melody combined with lyrics that speak to you. And that’s where the personal spark comes in — where you can fuse your experiences into the familiar melody and lyrics. Phrasing has a lot to do with it. Phrasing can be underrated, but for me it’s key to making any song special. Phrasing is acting. You have to dig deep to act and be willing to be vulnerable. So that’s what I want to bring to familiar songs, especially ballads. I’m very vulnerable when I sing. I’m basically revealing the most sensitive, even wounded, parts of me.
JG: Fred Mollin is a legendary music producer and an accomplished television and film composer. How would you describe his impact on your career? You’ve worked with iconic producers, like Owen Bradley. How does the experience of recording “Every Star Above” and “A Nashville Songbook” compare to that?
MB: I’m so pleased to have worked with Fred on these two albums, which have both been released during these pandemic times, when listening to music has provided solace to so many. It’s been nice helping launch Fred’s nascent label and concentrating on creating music when we’ve all been challenged by the surrounding circumstances. I appreciate Fred and his label partner, Leigh Shockey, providing the opportunity for these projects. Fred has great instincts and the ability to wrangle all the right people to make good stuff happen.
I always have to put Owen Bradley in his own category. Working with him was other-worldly. I can’t compare anyone I’ve worked with to him. Owen and I were close, and I still miss him.
JG: The Tennessee Department of Tourism Development has honored you with a “Tennessee Music Pathways” marker in your hometown of Crosstown, Tenn. Beyond the personal honor, how does that connect with the preservationist work you’ve done — an almost evangelical commitment to keeping country’s musical roots alive?
MB: I’m incredibly proud of that marker, both as a personal distinction and as a validation, really, of my life’s work. I’m forever grateful to the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development for celebrating my achievements in such a meaningful way that recognizes my career as part of Tennessee’s musical fabric like so many artists I have long-loved and admired. I’ve spent much of my career trying to honor and preserve classic country music. My affection for and adoration of people like Owen and Harold Bradley and so many of the other iconic songwriters, producers, musicians, and artists I’ve met is based on connecting with them through the lens of their musical legacies. I’m fortunate that I moved to Nashville as a teenager when a lot of these illustrious creators were still alive. And every time I take to the Grand Ole Opry stage, I feel their spirits alongside me. I think people are still hungry to hear classic country music. Again, I go back to having an appreciation for songs with memorable melodies and relatable lyrics; the best classic country songs have both, and so can appeal to all different types of music fans. I think that this digital era makes it easier for new generations to discover this music, appreciate it, introduce their friends to it, and therefore keep it alive — which we also do by recording it and performing it for audiences.
JG: Your musical career has touched on so many styles. Has this been an easy path, or have you encountered obstacles in a music business that’s addicted to the tried and true?
MB: The versatility has been a blessing and a curse — more of a blessing, though, I like to think. I think the tendency is to want to put artists into a box — to categorize them, to perhaps simplify them. And by doing that, you kind of always know what you’re going to get, and maybe that’s how an artist can become more easily recognizable. But I come by the versatility naturally. My mother had me singing different styles when I was a young girl, and I do believe being exposed to various types of music and trying diverse styles makes you a better singer. I’m always trying to get better. There are things I love about my voice and hate about it, but I’m always coming from an honest place. I welcome growth. I love it….so I personally think all of those genres are connected, and it makes complete sense to me to try things as long as I can be authentic. It’s not necessarily been an easy path, but it’s certainly been an authentic one.
JG: How and when did your life as a singer begin?
MB: As a child, I sang around my hometown, Crossville, Tenn., quite a bit at church, political rallies (bipartisan!), funerals, and other places. I opened the local fair every year with “God Bless America.” I made a gospel recording when I was 9 — a cassette, no less! That was my first recording. I won a talent competition at age 10 at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and after a while made my way to Nashville to work with Billy Strange and Jimmy Bowen. I commuted between Crossville and Nashville to record and perform, eventually moving to Nashville when I was 17. A year later, I was cast as the original star in one of the first “jukebox” musicals, Always…Patsy Cline, at Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium, and I also recorded the original cast album. I’ve been performing, recording, and producing ever since.
JG: How would you assess the state of your career — and what might be the next stage?
MB: I’ve had some really incredible experiences and memories. I’ve worked with a lot of my musical heroes, and I’ve sung songs I believed in. I never followed trends, and I have always tried to handle my career in an artistic way. I love performing for and connecting with audiences, and I also love the process of recording. I don’t know specifically what might be the next stage, but I do know that I’m grateful for the career I’ve had so far, and I’m always looking toward a future filled with possibilities.
JG: Your actual New York City debut came in 1999, at the age of 23, when you played Madison Square Garden. What have you learned since then — about yourself and the business?
MB: That was an interesting show. Odetta and Judy Collins and Phoebe Snow were on the bill. They were wonderful, so sweet and welcoming. I brought my band of legends — many of the great studio musicians like Hal Rugg, Harold Bradley, and Buddy Harman. We got a terrific audience and critical response. We were different from anyone else on the bill and stood out a bit that way. We kept it real, and we were good. That’s what I have always tried to maintain, whether back then or now. That whatever I’m doing, I’m striving to do it at the highest level I can and as honestly as I can possibly be. I know that the music business has its ups and downs, but I’ve aimed to hold a steady course.
JG: Billie Holiday was at a tragic crossroads when “Lady in Satin” was released. How has her experience impacted you, personally and as an artist?
MB: I’ve definitely read much about Billie Holiday’s life and its often tragic circumstances, especially during the time that she was recording and releasing “Lady in Satin.” But as much as I’ve read, there is, of course, no way that I could actually experience what she lived during those times — enduring relentless racism, sexism, and abuse, and long-standing addiction and other struggles. I can, though, relate to Billie as a woman, as a singer, as someone who inspired me — both musically and in trying to conquer personal demons and detrimental habits — and as someone who aspired to love and artistic heights. Her aching, emotional delivery on “Lady in Satin” impacted me, as did her honesty in her phrasing. You can hear in her voice the hardships she had endured and the weariness and wariness that resulted from them. There are those who would hear her voice and judge her because she didn’t sound as polished and strong as she did in her younger days and her voice cracked, and there are those who can hear the sound of her soul pouring and shining through her vocals. The latter are my kind of people.
