Back in the day before TV and electronics, some kids with exceptional skills were given musical instruments.......and excelled. There were many.....but as examples.........two come to mind.

First up is Barbara Mandrell. Those back in the era might remember her for "sleeping single in a double bed" or "eating crackers in bed", but how many know about all the rest? Lets see Taylor Swift cover this..........



And who remembers she and her two sisters also had a one hour variety show on TV? The two sisters were equally talented.

And then there is Ricky Skaggs............he got off to an early start too.




Anybody else?

The Barbara Mandrell Show was on the regular watch schedule. That youngest sister, well I still remember the crush.

And for good reason.........

As for Mandrell, if you can believe what you read, she was performing in music shows in Las Vegas when she was 11, and was touring with Johnny Cash and Pasty Cline as a musician when she was 13.

Some others from the era that got similar starts was Dolly Parton. The story behind George Jones is so messed up as to be unbelievable. Parents don't raise kids like that today. If they did they would be thrown in jail.

Another along this line that you don't hear much about is Rhonda Vincent from Greentop, MO. From an era where they all went to somebodies house on Sat night..... rolled up the carpets and played into the night. As musicians......she and the guys in her band can absolutely tear it up............two of which are her son in laws.

Allison Krauss would be another.