Mandy Barnett Releases Tribute To Billie Holiday | "Every Star Above"

Celebrated torch singer Mandy Barnett, critically lauded as one of the most talented vocalists in contemporary music and often referred to as "the Judy Garland of our time," releases her 8th studio album, Every Star Above. Barnett makes her grand entrance into the world of The Great American Songbook in celebration of one of the most influential albums in history, Lady in Satin, by one of the most iconic artists of all time, Billie Holiday. Recorded with a 60-piece orchestra, Every Star Above delivers lush and sparkling selections from Holiday's personally curated 1958 "Satin" track list, as interpreted by Barnett and legendary jazz maestro and arranger Sammy Nestico (Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Michael Bublé, Barbra Streisand), whose recent passing at age 96 distinguishes the album as his final work.

"Billie Holiday is among the artists I was introduced to as a young girl. And in my early twenties, Lady in Satin deeply affected me; it inspired me to become a torch singer," said Barnett. "Holiday was a fearless trailblazer whose unique vocals and phrasing on the album drip with the weight of her experiences, like she's lived the lyrics and felt the joys, the hardships, the love, and the loss - all of the ups-and-downs of life that great songs and great singers convey. Holiday revealed her heart and soul every time she sang, and she inspired me to do exactly that throughout my career."

Says Melody Place President, Fred Mollin, "Having the opportunity to make this album is a dream come true. Mandy was the perfect singer to take this on. Sammy was the perfect arranger to make it beyond the dream."

Recorded in the fall of 2019, Every Star Above was produced by Mollin (Johnny Mathis, Kris Kristofferson, Jimmy Webb) and engineered by Bill Schnee (Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston, Streisand).

Featuring classics such as "For All We Know," "The End of a Love Affair," "I'm a Fool to Want You," and "But Beautiful," all originally recorded by such icons as Sinatra, Margaret Whiting, and Dinah Washington, Every Star Above showcases the true range and depth of Barnett's sultry, silky voice. She delves into the songs with a keen interpretive sense, striking their emotional cores and rendering powerhouse performances through what the Los Angeles Times calls her "pipes of steel."

Called the "Nashville Sound Chanteuse" (Music Row) and "the Judy Garland of our time" (American Songwriter), Mandy Barnett has built a reputation for her commanding voice and unwavering devotion to classic country, R&B, and popular standards. Well known for originating the title role in one of the first "jukebox" musicals, "Always… Patsy Cline" at the legendary Ryman Auditorium, Barnett has enchanted listeners around the globe with her world-class vocals and musical chameleon qualities. A Tennessee Music Pathways historical marker in Barnett's Tennessee hometown honors her contributions in making Tennessee the "Soundtrack of America."  Barnett's music has been featured on motion picture and television soundtracks and compilation albums including the forthcoming Gershwin collection from Great American Songbook Ambassador, Michael Feinstein.  A frequent Grand Ole Opry guest, Barnett has performed at some of the most esteemed music venues in the U.S. and internationally.