Mandy Harvey American jazz singer and songwriter Date of Birth: 02.01.1988 Country: USA

Biography of Mandy Harvey

Mandy Harvey is an American jazz singer and songwriter. She was born on January 2, 1988 in Cincinnati, Ohio. At the age of two, her parents moved to Florida. Despite suffering from periodic deafness since birth, Mandy showed a musical and singing talent at a young age. She underwent several surgeries to address her hearing problems.

When Mandy was ten years old, her family moved to Colorado where she joined the Longmont High School's Women's Choir. She also became a member of the women's vocal group called 'Bel Canto' and the mixed choir 'Chamber Singers'. Mandy received numerous awards for her vocal abilities and was recognized as the "Best Vocalist 2006" by the choir director Adam Cave.

In the summer of 2006, Mandy applied to both Colorado State University and the University of Northern Colorado. Recognizing her potential, both universities accepted her, and she chose to attend Colorado State University to pursue a career as a music teacher. However, during her first semester, Mandy started experiencing difficulties hearing and eventually lost her hearing completely.

Devastated, Mandy left the university and returned home. She began learning American Sign Language and enrolled in a local college to become an elementary school teacher. Although she initially intended to give up singing, Mandy continued playing the guitar with her father. One day, they came across the song "Come Home" on the internet, and her father suggested she learn the lyrics. To her surprise, Mandy realized she could still sing.

A chance encounter with her former vocal teacher Cynthia Vaughn reignited Mandy's passion for music. Cynthia introduced Mandy to pianist and composer Mark Sloniker, who performed at Jay's Bistro in Fort Collins. Mandy, with her angelic voice, began performing at the cafe alongside Mark on Thursdays.

Until January 2009, Mandy had not considered recording her own album. However, after meeting Bob and Donna Visocky on her birthday, they were captivated by her rendition of the song "Smile". They shared that their daughter, who tragically passed away in a car accident, loved singing the same song. Inspired by their story, Bob and Donna suggested Mandy record a CD, and "Smile" became the title track of her album.

With the help of Mark Sloniker, Mandy found bassist Erik Applegate, drummer Mark Raynes, and saxophonist Andrew Vogt. Together, they recorded 16 songs in two eight-hour sessions, and Mandy's first album was released in October 2009. In 2010, her second album, "After You're Gone," premiered.