Mandy Barnett comes to the Fine Arts Center Saturday, October 21. Make sure you reserve your place to hear this countrypolitan singer who is being heralded as Nashville's next great star of country. An exquisite singer with a clear bluesy voice in the Patsy Cline tradition, Barnett has already gained a reputation for her timeless styling of classic country and torch songs.

Beginning at 5 years old, Barnett sang at local affairs and churches in Crossville, Tennessee, and went on to be signed by Capitol Records at 14. After four years and no releases, they parted company and six months later she won the role of Patsy Cline in Always ... Patsy Cline, only to pack them in at the Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grande Ole Opry.

In 1997 she was signed to Sire records by Seymour Stein who encouraged her to sing what she loved. She brought in legendary producer Owen Bradley whose work she knew from such greats as Patsy Cline, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn and Kitty Wells. Although Bradley passed away halfway through production, he helped shape the sophisticated classic Nashville sound that Barnett achieved on her first record for Sire, I've Got a Right to Cry.

While reviewers invoke the names of great voices like Patsy Cline, Linda Ronstadt and kd lang, Barnett herself cites as her influences Patti Page, Loretta Lynn, Connie Francis, Bing Crosby, Perry Como, and Sarah Vaughn.

Reviewer Artie Schupbach said of her: "Mandy Barnett possesses a voice of timeless beauty, the kind of voice that dives and soars ... filling the room with its passion and grace."

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