Page 14 - aruba-today-20220801

A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Tuesday 2 augusT 2022
Barbara Mandrell returns to the Opry for 50th anniversary

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Underwood did her sound-
Country Music Hall of Fam- check of “I Was Coun-
er and Grammy winner Bar- try When Country Wasn’t
bara Mandrell retired from Cool,” stopping to give her
music more than two de- a hug and greeting Under-
cades ago, but the Grand wood’s band members.
Ole Opry still feels like home Underwood said growing
to her. up, Mandrell’s voice was
Mandrell, 73, made a rare always around.
public appearance on “She has been such an
Saturday night at the Opry inspiration to me and so
to celebrate her 50th an- many others that stand on
niversary of being an Opry the shoulders of great fe-
member. male artists like her,” Under-
“Here we are at home wood told the Opry crowd.
again,” Mandrell told The During the Opry show,
Associated Press in an in- Mandrell enthusiastically
terview backstage at the applauded the all-female
Opry House before the artist lineup, including
long-running radio and TV CeCe Winans, Linda Davis
program. “50 years. Not and Suzy Bogguss, as they
everybody gets that bless- performed her hits.
ing.” “I already feel on top of the
Born in Texas and raised in Barbara Mandrell poses in the Grand Ole Opry House July 30, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. world.
California, Mandrell was Associated Press I feel the deepest of grati-
just 23 when she became tude and excitement be-
a member in July of 1972. Mandrell and the Mandrell showcase of her musicality, new ears to country music, cause I am such a huge
But she was already a sea- Sisters,” but also through whether she was singing to as well as gospel music. Her fan of these ladies,” said
soned entertainer by the hits like “Sleeping Single in the top of the rafters, play- musical guests were a mix- Mandrell.
time she came to Nash- a Double Bed,” “If Loving ing pedal steel, the banjo ture of R&B, pop and coun- From her seat in the mid-
ville, after her teenage You is Wrong (I Don’t Want or the saxophone. try artists. dle of the crowd, Mandrell
years were spent playing to be Right)” and “I Was “It’s called show business. “So many would say things waved and blew kisses at
steel guitar and appearing Country When Country You need to show them like, ‘I never listened to her fans, who snapped
regularly on the California- Wasn’t Cool.” something,” Mandrell said. country music, but now, photos of the country star.
based country TV show She became the first coun- “Otherwise, they could sit boy, I’m watching every Mandrell hasn’t played mu-
“Town Hall Party.” try artist to earn back-to- at home and listen to your Saturday night and I love sic or sung — other than in
Over her decades-long ca- back entertainer of the year recordings or listen to you it,’” Mandrell said. church — since she retired
reer, the actor, multi-instru- awards from the Country on the radio. You’ve got to This Saturday night, Man- in 1997. Her last concert
mentalist and singer turned Music Association, cross- give them something that drell was still a champion ever was held at the Opry
millions of fans onto coun- ing over with R&B covers entertains them.” of country music. Before House and made into TV
try music in the ‘70s and and bringing glamour and With her sisters Louise and the show began, Mandrell special called, “Barbara
‘80s, not only through her showmanship to the genre. Irlene, Mandrell used the watched Carrie Under- Mandrell and the Do-Rites:
popular TV show “Barbara Her performances were a power of television to bring wood from side stage as The Last Dance.”q

Sting warns during Warsaw concert of threats to democracy

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — gesture. stand a reference to their
British musician Sting inter- The 70-year-old delivered own country.
rupted a concert in War- his message in a country Sting drew strong applause
saw on Saturday evening that borders Ukraine, where in particular when he said
to warn his audience that Russia launched its invasion that democracy is some-
democracy is under at- on Feb. 24 that has killed thing messy and frustrating
tack worldwide and to de- tens of thousands and dis- “but it is still worth fighting
nounce the war in Ukraine placed millions. Poland for.”
as “an absurdity based has become the place of Poland’s populist govern-
upon a lie.” refuge for more Ukrainians ment is often accused by
He asked a popular Pol- than any other country. the European Union and
ish actor, Maciej Stuhr, to “The war in the Ukraine is an human rights organiza-
come onstage to translate absurdity based upon a lie. tions of eroding demo-
his warning that democ- If we swallow that lie, the lie cratic norms with its efforts
racy is “in grave danger of will eat us,” Sting said. He to tighten control over the
being lost unless we defend appeared to be referring courts and media, reduce
it.” to justifications Russia has the reproductive rights of
“The alternative to democ- tried to give for its invasion, women and engage in an-
racy is a prison, a prison of including a Russian claim ti-LGBTQ rhetoric.
the mind. The alternative to that it seeks to “de-Nazify” After his speech he per-
democracy is violence, op- Ukraine, a democracy led formed “Fragile,” whose
pression, imprisonment and by a Jewish president. lyrics include the words
Singer Sting performs during a concert with singer Shaggy, as silence,” Sting said and Those in the audience at that “nothing comes from
part of their ‘The 44/876’ tour in Panama City, Oct. 19, 2018. then ran his hand across Warsaw’s National Stadium violence and nothing ever
Associated Press his neck in a throat-cutting would have also under- could.”q