Mandy Barnett embodies voice and look of Patsy Cline
This Wednesday, April 15 marks the long-awaited return of the hit jukebox musical, Always, Patsy Cline to Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium. I recently spoke to my sweet friend Mandy Barnett about her return to the role that made Music City stand up and take notice of her amazing vocal talent.
A Tennessee native, Mandy has spent most of her life on-stage. She began singing in church at age five, released a gospel favorites recording at age nine, won an all-ages talent competition at Dollywood at age 10. Two years later, she performed her first Patsy Cline song, Crazy, as part of a tribute to Ernest Tubb at the Grand Ole Opry. She signed a development deal with renown producer Jimmy Bowen following him from MCA to Capitol where she remained until she was 18. She asked to be released from her development deal after six years and no release date in sight. It wasn't six months before Mandy learned about auditions for the then unknown Always, Patsy Cline musical. "I've been enamored by Patsy and her music since I was about 8," Mandy recalled during a promotional stop by radio station AM 650, famed home of the Grand Ole Opry just yesterday. "I just took it upon myself to learn all her songs."
While it's been 15 years since Mandy first played Patsy Cline, she's been a frequent guest onstage at the Mother Church. Mandy is the go-to girl when the Opry needs a guest performer, and just last year she shared the bill with Ray Price. Returning along side Mandy is her co-star, Tere Myers, who plays Louise Seger, a fan who befriended Cline after seeing her perform at a honky tonk in Texas in 1961. When asked who all is returning for this run, Mandy replied, "Well, me of course, Tere, Ted Swindley (writer/director), our musical director Jeff Taylor...really lots of the same people, including our stage hands and crew."
Mandy Barnett onstage at The Mother Church
Audiences are in for some changes in the staging as well as in the star herself. In the years since she last played Patsy, she has grown as an artist and woman. "I've definitely matured, since when I started the role I was only 18." Mandy continued, "I'm very focused on what I'm doing and I see this as a tremendous opportunity. I'm very grateful for it."
When asked if her appreciation of Patsy's legacy has changed, Mandy admitted, "I feel I have a responsibility to be as authentic as I can be. I feel that since Patsy can't perform live, that I am doing something for her that she cannot do for herself and that is an awesome responsibility, but one I am ready for." This reminded me of an interesting bit of trivia. Patsy's career lasted only 6 brief years, having come to a devastating end in 1963 when she died during a tragic plane crash. Mandy has now been performing Patsy's songs twice as long as the legend herself. Mandy revealed her favorite part of the show to me during our conversation saying, "I love the Esquire Ballroom scene," she also shared that due to some reworking of the story, "Louise and Patsy interact more."
There have also been some changes to the songs performed in the show. There are now more songs than ever before, but of the songs that have never been included, Mandy told me Patsy's lesser-known So Wrong was a personal favorite. So Wrong, while reaching a top 20 spot on the country charts, failed to garner the popularity of her previous pop crossover hits peaking on the pop chart at #85. I've had the pleasure of hearing Mandy perform this song at one of her own shows, and her chilling rendition is absolutely breathtaking.
Don't misunderstand though, yes Mandy has gained notoriety for her portrayal of Patsy, but she is definitely much more than that. In between runs of Always, Mandy has had great success with her own original recordings. It was while working on a project after she had already been seen in productions of Always that Mandy had the opportunity to work with famed Music Row producers Owen and Harold Bradley. Owen had also produced a majority of Patsy Cline's sessions, with brother Harold providing acoustic guitar. Owen also worked with actress Jessica Lange when she played Patsy in the 1985 film, Sweet Dreams.
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Mandy Barnett with the Nshville Jazz Orchestra
Of what Bradley shared about the actress and the original, Mandy said, "Jessica Lange is a great actress and did a great job portraying Patsy. From what Bradley told her, "The real Patsy as everyone knows had a heart of gold, but was very strong and she let everyone know it," she continued. "Harold told me that after Patsy had been in a car wreck, she came into the studio and Jimmy Dean asked, 'Well, is everything working?' and Patsy replied, 'You'd better believe it is Hoss,'" Mandy remembered with a laugh.
Patsy of course died years before Mandy was born, but some of the legend's family and friends have had the chance to see Mandy in the role. "Her family has always been very complimentary," she smiled. "I was told by her mother's close friend that I was her favorite portrayal," admitted Mandy.
With opening night only hours away, Nashville audiences are about to get the opportunity to rediscover the music of Patsy Cline, and perhaps discover for the first time something I've known for years---Mandy Barnett is a class act whose talent and spectacular voice serves to not only honor the legend that is Patsy Cline, but to thrill listeners and expose them to one of Nashville's richest treasures. This is a show not to be missed. As an added treat, an exhibit of Patsy memorabilia is currently on display at the famed auditorium.
Always, Patsy Cline opens tonight, April 15-April 29 and May 6-23 at the Ryman Auditorium. Tickets are $36.50 to $29.50, and if you've ever been to a show at the Ryman, you already know, there's not a bad seat in the house!
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