From a musical family, Barbara Mandrell began singing and playing a variety of musical instruments in early childhood and by age ten was performing on television. By the early 1970s she had begun to make a name for herself and for nearly a decade she was one of the most prominent personalities in country music with a string of No. 1 hits and multimillion record sales worldwide.

In 1979 and 1981, she was voted the Country Music Association's "Female Vocalist of the Year." In 1980 and 81, Mandrell became the first artist to ever win the Association's most prestigious award as "Entertainer of the Year Award" two years running. From 1980 to 1982 she hosted her own television variety show called Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters. In 1983, she won the Grammy Award for Best Inspirational Performance for her album He Set My Life to Music and the following year earned another Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus for her recording with Bobby Jones of "I'm So Glad I'm Standing Here Today".

She is one of only five solo women (others include Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Dolly Parton, and Loretta Lynn), to win the Country Music Association's highest honor, "Entertainer Of The Year."

A serious automobile accident in 1984 almost cost Mandrell her life and she required nearly a year and a half to heal from the injuries. She returned to live performing in 1986 and in 1990 published her autobiography, Get to the Heart: My Story. In the late 1990s, she appeared in a few motion pictures.

Her sisters Louise Mandrell and Irlene Mandrell have had minor solo success as performers.