Heather Mandich

Vocals, Mandolin



Age 6
Heather was only 5 years old the first time she set foot on a stage to perform before a crowd. She was at a local country music club and she sang "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" She can't be too sure how good it sounded but it must have been cute to watch! Anyway she loved it! She knew right away that one thing was for sure, she wanted to do it again and again. So she did! and she's still doing it today!
Very young

She spent the next 10 years on the Country Music Awards Circuit in NZ with her family. In that time she managed to take out various regional titles including Overall Junior, Overall Intermediate, Song writing and Senior Group. She also had the privilege of winning a spot in The New Zealand Country Music Entertainer of the Year 3 times.

She fondly remembers those times as some of the best years of her life. It was during this time she picked up the nickname "Dixie". She can't recall why but it stuck. Friends back home still call her Dixie when they catch up. Her parents Les and Pam Parkinson believed in and encouraged her desire to perform. In doing so they gave her a love of the stage and a deep respect for the many and talented Singers, Musicians and Song Writers she has met along the way.

In 1998 she made the big move and came to live in Australia. It was at that time she started to attend church (The Potters House Christian Fellowship) and began to be involved in music ministry. Shortly after this she started to focus on song writing again. Gospel music and song writing are still her first love.

Age 10
Gospel and country music led her on to Blue Grass. In late 2005 she met Peter, Paul and Gary and found out they were looking for a lead singer. She jumped at the chance and "Avalanche" was born. A few months later they were joined by Wen Tjen. Mid 2006 she decided to take up the mandolin and so they now had a full line up of traditional bluegrass instruments.
Age 14

Although always first and foremost a singer, she has loved the challenge of learning different instruments. Over the years she has learnt to play the guitar, mandolin, Irish whistles, bongos, bodhran and lately she's taken to torturing her husband John with a fiddle.