It all started with a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame, where an innocent afternoon wandering the exhibits and learning about her musical heroes, like Hank Williams, George Jones, Buck Owens, and Tammy Wynette, led acclaimed LA singer and songwriter Eleni Mandell on an unexpected journey of profound musical and personal self-discovery culminating in 'Dark Lights Up,' her tenth and most captivating album yet. "It was a profound experience for me," says Mandell. "Seeing all their lyrics and guitars on display made me reflect on just how deeply I'd been influenced by classic country."