The Voice Behind the Legends

A Voice That Shaped Hits

Liana Manis has been in the country music world for the last four decades with her incredible harmonies and distinct sound. She was raised in the mountains of East Tennessee on gospel choir singing and old-time country radio. Liana would sing in her bedroom growing up to legends like Reba, Linda Ronstadt, and Olivia Newton-John. She eventually moved to Nashville in 1984 to fulfill her dream of being a singer.

Rising in Nashville

After a few months of being in Nashville, she was asked to go on the road with Whispering Bill Anderson. By the early 1990s, Liana was one of Nashville's leading session singers. In 1988, she was asked to be on George Strait's If You Ain't Lovin' You Ain't Livin', and went on to a decades-long career and many chart-topping records. With her natural ear for music and harmonies, Liana was a studio favorite Music Row.

Award-Winning Excellence

In 2000, MusicRow magazine honored Liana Manis for her unmatched vocals as Background Vocalist of the Year. It's a title she shared with fellow background singer, John Wesley Ryles. The award stated that she's one of the most respected and recorded voices in Nashville, and a cornerstone of the country sound that dominated the charts through the '90s and 2000s.

Streaming Achievements

Liana Manis's voice has helped shape some of the most enduring hits in classic country music. She sang on George Strait's number one single from 1995, "Check Yes or No." It has since gotten over 318 million streams on Spotify, which makes it one of George's most streamed songs ever. She also sang on Strait's 1999 hit, "Write This Down," which has been streamed more than 208 million times on Spotify. These numbers not only speak to Strait and his talent, but also to the underrated harmonies that Liana gave for these recordings.

Notable Albums

Liana Manis has sung on some of the most successful and enduring country albums of the last four decades. These standout records achieved massive commercial success, many earning Platinum record, and continue to rack up hundreds of millions of streams today:

George Strait, Strait Out of the Box (1995), Blue Clear Sky (1996), Always Never the Same (1999):
Liana's harmony vocals are featured on several of George Strait's most iconic recordings. The 8× Platinum Strait Out of the Box includes "Check Yes or No" (over 318 million streams), while Blue Clear Sky (3× Platinum) delivered hits like "Carried Away" and the title track. Always Never the Same features "Write This Down", a Platinum-certified single with over 208 million streams. Her vocal contributions helped shape the warm, melodic style that defined Strait's sound through the '90s and early 2000s.

Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift (2006):
Swift's debut album went 7× Platinum in the U.S. and introduced her to the world. Liana contributed background vocals to tracks such as "The Outside." The album includes hits like "Our Song" (400+ million streams) and "Teardrops on My Guitar" (200+ million).

Josh Turner, Your Man (2006):
This 3× Platinum album includes Liana's harmonies on songs like "No Rush." The title track "Your Man" has over 400 million streams, and "Would You Go With Me" has more than 275 million.

Trace Adkins, Songs About Me (2005):
Adkins' best-selling album went 2× Platinum and includes "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" (approx. 80 million streams) and the emotional ballad "Songs About Me." Liana's background vocals helped define the record's polished, radio-ready sound.

Jason Aldean, Jason Aldean (2005):
Aldean's Platinum-certified debut album features Liana's vocal support on key tracks. "Amarillo Sky" has nearly 90 million Spotify streams, and the #1 hit "Why" helped launch Aldean into country stardom.

David Lee Murphy, Out With a Bang (1994):
The best-selling debut album by a new country artist in 1995, this Platinum record includes the #1 hit "Dust on the Bottle," which now has over 260 million Spotify streams. Liana's harmony vocals helped give the album its energetic, memorable sound.

Joe Nichols, Man with a Memory (2002):
A Platinum-certified album that established Nichols as a leading traditionalist voice. Liana sang background vocals on multiple tracks, including the #1 hit "Brokenheartsville," which has nearly 90 million streams.

Reba McEntire, So Good Together (1999):
This Platinum album features Liana's vocals supporting Reba's return to crossover success. "What Do You Say" became a Top 3 hit and marked a significant commercial moment in Reba's late '90s catalog.

Voice Behind the Magic

Liana Manis' incredible voice has elevated hundreds of tracks over the years. People like award winning pianist, Randy Hart, and platinum artist, Mark Wills, have stated that Liana is widely known as the "go-to harmony singer" in Nashville, praised for her ability to blend well with any artist. Her vocal spans from traditional country, to gospel, and to country-rock, and her presence has been quiet but consistent across decades of recorded music. She has been recognized in multiple MusicRow reader polls, saying she is consistent and excellent in the studio.

Legacy of Harmony

With a career spanning over 30 years, Liana is still defining what background vocals can accomplish. As a MusicRow-recognized vocalist and beloved vocalist to many country icons, her voice remains a staple in the industry. Liana leaves such a legacy in country music and her voice will continue to be heard for decades.