Barbara Mandrell

American country music singer Barbara Mandrell learned to play guitar and many other instruments, including the banjo, accordion, and saxophone. She later performed for the legendary Patsy Cline before touring with Johnny Cash and George Jones at age 13. She then decided to become a country singer, so her family hired a moving company to relocate to Nashville to start her music career. Her father served as her music manager, and with his help, she signed a music contract with Columbia Records in the late 1960s.

Over the next few years, Mandrell earned a few minor hits. Within only 48 hours of performance near the Grand Ole Opry, she received multiple offers for music contracts from six record companies. She then notched her first hit, a remake of Otis Redding’s I’ve Been Loving You Too Long. While she retired from the music scene in 2000, her legacy in the world of country music remains unbeatable.