CROSSVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development honored Crossville native and powerhouse vocalist Mandy Barnett with the unveiling of a “Tennessee Music Pathways” marker at the historic downtown square in her hometown. Local leaders and Barnett’s family were on hand to mark the special commemoration on Barnett’s birthday. She even blew out the candles on her birthday cake with a handheld fan, followed by an intimate performance at the Palace Theatre. The celebration was an emotional and full circle journey for Barnett, who started performing at 5-years-old and opened the Cumberland County Fair each year.
“I’m forever grateful to Crossville for the love, cultivation, and support I received all those many years ago and continue to receive, said Barnett. “I’m a proud Crossvillian and Tennessean. To be honored with a Tennessee Music Pathways marker in my hometown is absolutely thrilling.”
A frequent guest on the Grand Ole Opry, Barnett has been called “a song’s best friend” and she demonstrates why with her recently released A Nashville Songbook, a multi-genre, multi-generational celebration of songs that helped solidify Nashville’s reputation as “Music City.” Barnett brings her trademark emotional depth and interpretive skills to 13 country and pop gems from the poignant Skeeter Davis cut “The End of the World,” to the Kris Kristofferson-penned “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” and the soaring Elvis Presley international smash “It’s Now Or Never.”
At the age of 12, following a performance on WSM’s venerated “Midnite Jamboree,” Barnett’s mother secured the rising star a recording deal with Capitol Records and for four years, Barnett commuted between Crossville and Nashville to record and perform, eventually moving to Music City when she was 17. Since her debut as Patsy Cline in the “Always…Patsy Cline” production at 18 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Barnett built a reputation for her commanding voice and unwavering devotion to classic country, R&B and popular standards. Barnett has released critically acclaimed albums, appeared on countless television shows, graced the most esteemed music halls in the U.S. and toured internationally in Ireland, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland. Barnett is a passionate advocate for music she loves around the globe.
The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development launched the Tennessee Music Pathways in 2018. The statewide program features hundreds of landmarks and attractions connecting fans to the people, places and seven genres of music that make Tennessee the “Soundtrack of America,” including: blues, bluegrass, country, gospel, soul, rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll. Places tell the stories of musical pioneers and legends from the smallest communities to the largest cities. Historians identified more than 300 points of interest so far, with additional markers to be installed for years to come. Join the conversation on social using #TNmusicpathways.