Comments on: Country Music Hall of Fame Names Three New Members

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:59:41 +0000

I’m rather surprised, too, to see people say Barbara isn’t quite deserving as others to get into the Hall of Fame. She was an international superstar in the early 80s, thanks to her tv show. She was about the only female touring that was selling out 10,000 seat arenas. She had an extended period of huge chart hits from 1978 to 1984 where she notched 6 Billboard #1s and 11 Cashbox #1s. Just about everything MCA released was a guaranteed top 5 hit during that time. She reached tens of millions in their homes with her tv show each week. And, as someone mentioned already, she had many traditional country hits, not just the pop-leaning sound of some of her biggest songs (which was standard for most artists of the era). Barbara is clearly deserving of being inducted and I’m surprised she had to wait as long as she did, considering she had a peforming career that lasted nearly 40 years.

By: Siturir

Siturir — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:14:22 +0000

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By: Steve from Boston

Steve from Boston — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:16:51 +0000

I used to watch Barbara Mandrell’s TV show in amazement, as I witnessed her incredible instrumental versatility and virtuosity.

By: Razor X

Razor X — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:51:45 +0000

Mandrell’s music isn’t thoroughly traditional, but if you scratch beneath the surface of her catalog, there is a lot of solid country material there — “The Midnight Oil”, “Standing Room Only”, “Midnight Angel”, “Tonight My Baby’s Coming Home”, her entire 1988 album “I’ll Be Your Jukebox Tonight”.

I can understand that her music might not be to everybody’s taste, but I’m a little surprised that anyone would say that she’s undeserving of inclusion in the Hall of Fame. I agree with Blake; she is throughly deserving.

By: Blake Boldt

Blake Boldt — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:01:42 +0000

Mandrell is thoroughly deserving of the honor, though I would have loved to see Jean Shepard and Connie Smith in ahead of her. She’s a world-class entertainer and, as many forget, she’s a terrific instrumentalist as well. Her music isn’t thoroughly traditional, but her catalog is considerable enough, and she brought country music to a wider audience. Classy all the way.

By: Sheldon

Sheldon — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 02:47:32 +0000

Congrats to all three…would have been great to see Dottie get in, but I’m sure she will in time. Barbara really is a class act. I remember reading that after her Sept. 11th (!) 1984 car accident that she received more mail than any other private individual in Nashville – the get well cards poured in by the truckload – she was (and is) loved by millions thanks to her NBC show. Back then, with only 3 networks, a huge amount of people would tune in to see her and her sisters – along with some big-name guests. I remember forcing my baby-sitter to watch it when she wanted to watch Lawrence Welk instead!! heh heh…

By: Kevin J. Coyne

Kevin J. Coyne — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:38:51 +0000

I’m mostly shocked that the Hall has inducted a woman for two years in a row, after eight consecutive years without any of them.

Clark and Mandrell both played a major role in exposing country music through their television shows. Great ambassadors for the format.

But collectively, this is an underwhelming year. It almost feels like there’s no marquee act this time around.

By: Fred Said

Fred Said — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:26:01 +0000

Roy Clark and Charlie McCoy are solid and deserving choices for the honor.

Barbara Mandrell … not so much. She’s an extremely nice and classy person with considerable talent; and she has her place in Country Music history. But she was always more “Pop” than “Country” (which made rich irony when she recorded “When Country Wasn’t Cool”). Plus she had a rather brief “reign” as a top-of-the-charts performer, etc.

Happy for her and her family — but not sure she was an appropriate choice.

By: Leeann Ward

Leeann Ward — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:54:11 +0000

I’ve never appreciated Barbara Mandrell, but I’m not at all surprised that she’s being inducted. Roy Clark seems like an obvious/good choice.