Sandra Mason Theoret (December 18, 1939 – April 1, 2015) was an American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

singer-songwriter and musician. Apart from her numerous songwriting credits, she was also a pianist and guitarist, and provided backing vocals for other artists. In 1967, her single "There You Go" reached No. 64 on the '' Billboard'' country chart. Mason gained biggest success as a songwriter. In 1979, the song "

When I Dream ''When I Dream'' is the fifth studio album by American country music singer Crystal Gayle. It was released on June 2, 1978 at the height of her career. It was her second consecutive #2 country album on the ''Billboard'' charts. Two singles from t ...

" written for Crystal Gayle, reached No. 3 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. In 1998, the song "

Two Piña Coladas "Two Piña Coladas" is a song recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released in March 1998 as the third single from his album '' Sevens''. It hit No. 1 on the Billboard Country Charts in 1998. A concert version is availa ...

" recorded by Garth Brooks reached No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs.

Early life and career

Sandy Mason was born in

Tarentum, Pennsylvania Tarentum is a borough in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh, along the Allegheny River. Tarentum was an industrial center where plate glass and bottles were manufactured; bricks, lumber, ...

in 1939. As a child, she performed on the Pittsburgh radio and TV. In 1965, she started her own local television show on WTAE. In 1966, she was signed to

Hickory Records Hickory Records is an American record label founded in 1954 by Acuff-Rose Music, which operated the label up to 1979. Sony Music Publishing (then Sony/ATV) revived the label in 2007. Originally based in Nashville, and functioning as an independe ...

. The song "There You Go", recorded on the label, was her lone chart success as a recording artist. Mason provided backing vocals for other artists, Crystal Gayle: 1976 studio album ''

Crystal A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macro ...

'' (top 10 on the ''Billboard''

Top Country Albums Top Country Albums is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The 50-position chart lists the most popular country music albums in the country, calculated weekly by Broadcast Data Systems based on physical sales ...

), 1977 studio album '' We Must Believe in Magic''; and Johnny Cash: 1982 studio album '' The Adventures of Johnny Cash''.

Songwriting

The song "All I Wanna Do in Life", co-written with

Allen Reynolds Allen Reynolds (born August 18, 1938) is an American record producer and songwriter who specializes in country music. He has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. Biography Ear ...

, was recorded by

Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...

and included on her studio album '' Dreamin' My Dreams'' (1976). The song was also recorded by Crystal Gayle (for her 1977 studio album '' We Must Believe in Magic'') and

George Jones George Glenn Jones (September 12, 1931 – April 26, 2013) was an American country musician, singer, and songwriter. He achieved international fame for his long list of hit records, including his best-known song " He Stopped Loving Her Today", ...

(for his 1984 album '' Ladies' Choice''). Mason's other songwriting credits include "Only Love", co-written with Roger Cook and

John Prine John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...

. It was recorded by Johnny Cash (for his 1982 studio album '' The Adventures of Johnny Cash''),

Don Williams Donald Ray Williams (May 27, 1939 – September 8, 2017) was an American country singer, songwriter, and 2010 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He began his solo career in 1971, singing popular ballads and amassing seventeen number ...

(for his 1982 studio album '' Listen to the Radio''), and Prine's version appeared on his studio album '' Aimless Love'' (1984). Australian singer

Colleen Hewett Colleen Hewett (born 16 April 1950) is an Australian singer and actress. Hewett's top 40 singles on the Kent Music Report include " Super Star", " Day by Day" (both 1971), " Carry That Weight" (1972), "Dreaming My Dreams with You" (1980) ...

, recorded Mason-written songs "Since I Loved Like That" and "When I Dream" for her studio album '' Colleen'' (1983). "When I Dream" was also recorded by Helen Reddy for her studio album '' Play Me Out'' (1981),

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album '' Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of '' Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (1 ...

for his studio album '' Partners'' (1986), and

Nanci Griffith Nanci Caroline Griffith (July 6, 1953 – August 13, 2021) was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She appeared many times on the PBS music program ''Austin City Limits'' starting in 1985 (season 10). In 1994 she won a Grammy Award f ...

for her studio album '' Ruby's Torch'' (2006). Her other songwriting credits include songs recorded by

Dottie West Dorothy Marie Marsh West (October 11, 1932 – September 4, 1991) was an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with her friends and fellow recording artists Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, she is considered one of the genre's most in ...

: "I Heard Our Song" (from the 1969 album '' Makin' Memories''), "You Take Me Home, Honey" (from the 1973 album '' Country Sunshine''); Crystal Gayle: "What You've Done for Me" (from the 1975 studio album '' Somebody Loves You''; top 20 on the ''Billboard''

), "You'll Be Loved Someday" (from the 1979 album '' We Should Be Together''), "Hands" (from the 1981 album '' A Woman's Heart'');

Debby Boone Deborah Anne Boone (born September 22, 1956) is an American singer, author, and actress. She is best known for her 1977 hit, " You Light Up My Life", which spent ten weeks at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and led to her winning the ...

: "I'd Even Let You Go" (from the 1980 album '' Love Has No Reason''); Johnny Cash: "After All" (recorded during the 1980s sessions, was released on his 2014 posthumous album '' Out Among the Stars'').

Death

Mason died in

Ormond Beach, Florida Ormond Beach is a city in central Florida in Volusia County. The population was 43,080 at the 2020 census. Ormond Beach lies directly north of Daytona Beach and is a principal city of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach, FL Metropolita ...

, of complications from pancreatic cancer on April 1, 2015. She was 75.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mason, Sandy 1939 births 2015 deaths American country singer-songwriters American women country singers American women songwriters Singers from Pennsylvania Songwriters from Pennsylvania 20th-century American women writers Guitarists from Pennsylvania American women pianists 20th-century American pianists 20th-century American guitarists American country pianists American country guitarists