Bill Anderson's Blog, page 18
July 1, 2022
Ask Bill – July 1, 2022
I looked it up, and found that song on a 1965 Greatest Hits collection from Mercury Records. I was not able to find any session credits, however, but I am assuming it was either Pete Drake or perhaps Doyle Grisham. Pete, who just became the first steel player inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, developed much of his signature sound playing on Roy’s early Decca records…songs like “Another” and “Anymore.” And Doyle, who is still active today as part of Jimmy Buffet’s band, was once a regular with Roy in one of his early groups. Either way you’re right. It’s some good pickin’.2) I have been enjoying one of Charley Pride’s last albums which had some great new songs. Did he ever record any songs that you wrote?I never had a hit with Charley, but he cut an old song of mine in his last album called, “You Lied To Me.” Earlier in his career, he covered one I had put in one of my own albums called, “You’re Still The Only One I’ll Ever Love,” but it was never a single. His biggest hit, “Kiss An Angel Good Morning,” was actually written for me, but that’s another story for another time.3) Of all the items you placed in the Hall of Fame Museum was there any particular item that had so much meaning to you that it was hard for you to let it go? If so, what was it and why?No, because I didn’t GIVE my items to the Museum. They are only on loan. Any of them that I’d like to have back will be returned to me after the exhibit closes next year.
4) FROM THE U.K. – I have been to Nashville 11 times in the past 11 years, and I’ve seen several country artists in the bars and some do a song or two. Do you ever wander downtown and have a pint and sing a song?No, because I can never find a parking place!Question Of The Month from Jaxie in Michigan: You have always had excellent band members, and I wonder how you found them. Did your manager find and hire them? Or did you find them through the musicians union? Did you hear them play with another artist or at a club? In my opinion, you have always had the best of the best on stage with you…and you still do.Thank you. I’m prejudiced, but I have to agree. I have never had any one set way of hiring musicians, and over the years have hired them in every way you describe except one: Nobody ever hired them for me. I chose each and every one myself. In the beginning, my band members just sort of “fell in” together, but by the late sixties, I had a waiting list of players wanting to join my band. In those days, I was touring steadily, I had my own syndicated TV show, I played frequently at the Grand Ole Opry, my band members were recording with me and as a group for a major label, and as a result, our gig was one of the more prestigious and better paying gigs in town. I tried to hire people who were not only good musicians and good performers, but good traveling mates as well. I didn’t hit the jackpot every single time, but I had a pretty good track record. The fact that so many of my musicians stayed with me for long periods of time is probably the thing I am the proudest of.
Quickies: Did you have a hand in selecting which older songs went on your new CD? No, I could have, but the label seemed to have its own vision for the project, and I tried to stay out of their way. I think they did a great job of choosing. Thank you for including “Sometimes” on your new album. Is it your biggest duet hit ever? Both “Sometimes ” with Mary Lou Turner and “For Loving You” with Jan Howard were #1 records, and I’m not sure just which one was the biggest. Regardless, I’m glad you like it. What song did you write that was supposedly “Too Country?” “When A Man Can’t Get A Woman Off His Mind,” which was recently very successful for Gene Watson, and has also been recorded by yours truly and by Craig Morgan. Does a singer/songwriter get paid every time their song is played or sung? The songwriter does, yes, but in the U.S., traditionally the singer has not. Many of those old rules are being revised, however, and are in the process of being made more equitable and fair for everyone.Thanks for sending some great questions my way this month…so many, in fact, that I’ll be holding some over for next month. If you’re wondering about something related to me or to country music in general, send your question to askbill@billanderson.com and I’ll get to it as soon as I can. Thanks and stay curious….
July 1, 2022
Hi Gang:
Well, I guess if we’re going to start off a new month with a problem this is a good problem to have:
We have sold completely out of my new CD!!
By the time you read this our supply should be replenished, but for the past several days we’ve been jumping through every hoop we could find trying to locate some copies to fill the orders backing up in our office. The label has been struggling, too, as even their pre-orders out distanced anything any of us envisioned. Like I say, it’s a nice problem to have, but it’s a problem just the same.
Thanks so much for your incredible response and for your patience. As soon as a new supply comes in our front door, I’ll be autographing them and Judy will be shipping them out the back. Above all, don’t stop ordering. This is only temporary!
Also by the time you read this our new video featuring Dolly Parton should be just about ready for viewing as well, and I sure hope you like it. The editing process has taken a bit longer than we planned, but last I heard it was 98% finished. The song, “Someday It’ll All Make Sense,” is already playing on quite a few radio stations around the country and the response has been extremely positive. I’m hearing reports of it not only being played on the classic country stations but on some gospel and some bluegrass channels as well. People are telling me that it’s a message that needs to be heard during these crazy times, and I hope it speaks to each of you in a positive way.
Speaking of gospel radio, I got a very pleasant surprise last week when the gospel song I co-wrote with Jerry Salley, “Go Spread The Gospel,” showed up as the #1 bluegrass gospel song of the week in the Bluegrass Today popularity charts. I told you a couple of months back that the reigning Bluegrass Entertainers of the Year, Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers, had recorded it and I’m thrilled with the success it is enjoying. If you haven’t heard it check it out here.
It sure was fun having so many of you in town last month for CMA Fest, and the day I spent signing my new record at the Universal Music booth was one of the true highlights for me. I saw many of you that I hadn’t seen in years, and enjoyed renewing old friendships and making some new ones. I’m told we had one of the longest autograph lines in the building…my aching hand told me that if nothing else! To all of you who took the time to stop by, thank you.
I was on the Opry three consecutive nights…Thursday, Friday, and Saturday…and after the Friday show, Universal Records and the Opry co-hosted a meet ‘n greet backstage with me and Bill Cody. Folks who bought the new CD from the Opry gift shop that night were invited to join us, and we had a ball. Fans came forward and asked questions, Bill Cody was his usual warm and wonderful self, and I didn’t want to stop when our time was up. In fact, I didn’t…I kept saying “Let me tell just one more story.” Somebody finally had to turn the power off!
From the personal corner of my world, I had a wonderful Father’s Day with my three children and a few days later was able to celebrate my son, Jamey’s, forty-fourth birthday. Where did the years go?
We’re scheduled to be on the Opry the 2nd, 12th, and 16th of this month. Tune us in or come see us if you can. I hope those of you in America will join me in celebrating Independence Day with a grateful heart, and that we’ll see you back here again in August. Stay cool.
June 17, 2022
REVIEW: “Someday It’ll All Make Sense” | Music Row
BILL ANDERSON & DOLLY PARTON / “Someday It’ll All Make Sense”
Writers: Bill Anderson/Bobby Tomberlin/Ryan Larkins; Producers: Bill Anderson/Thom Jutz; Label: MCA Nashville
–An instant classic. Produced with crystalline acoustic perfection, the ballad is a country-gospel jewel and the two legends harmonize exquisitely. We are so blessed to have these gifted living legends among us.
Robert K Oermann is a longtime contributor to MusicRow. He is a respected music critic, author and historian.
June 10, 2022
Someday It Will All Make Sense
Recorded By:
Bill Anderson and Dolly Parton
Release date: June 2022
As Far as I Can See: the Best Of
AS FAR AS I CAN SEE: THE BEST OF TRACKLISTING:
1. “City Lights” (1961)
2. “Walk Out Backwards” (1961)
3. “Three AM” (1964)
4. “Still” (1963)
5. “The Tip of My Fingers” (1961)
6. “I Love You Drops” (1964)
7. “I Get The Fever” (1966)
8. “Po’ Folks” (1961)
9. “Wild Week-End” (1967)
10. “Happy State Of Mind” (1968)
11. “My Life (Throw It Away If I Want To)” (1969)
12. “Sometimes” featuring Mary Lou Turner (1975)
13. “If You Can Live With It (I Can Live Without It) (1972)
14. “The Corner Of My Life” (1973)
15. If It Is All The Same To You” (circa 1964)
16. “Someday It’ll All Make Sense” featuring Dolly Parton (2022)
AVAILABLE NOW: BILL ANDERSON RELEASES NEW ALBUM AS FAR AS I CAN SEE: THE BEST OF
FEATURING CLASSIC HITS AND NEW TRACK WITH FRIEND DOLLY PARTON
Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Anderson releases a new album of some of the famed singer/songwriter’s hits, As Far As I Can See: The Best Of, available today. To stream or download, click HERE. The collection of 16 songs shares its name with the current exhibition at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Bill Anderson: As Far As I Can See, and comes from the opening line of one of the first songs he ever wrote, “City Lights,” the country classic that was a hit for Ray Price in 1958. In addition to such beloved songs as “City Lights,” “Still,” Po’ Folks,” The Tip Of My Fingers,” and “Sometimes,” the album features a new song with country icon Dolly Parton, “Someday It’ll All Make Sense.” The newly recorded duet is joined by Anderson and Parton’s first-ever collaboration, an incredibly rare demo of “If It Is All The Same To You,” recorded in 1964 and eventually released as a duet with Jan Howard on Anderson’s chart-topping 1969 album of the same name. As Far As I Can See: The Best Of, is being released by MCA Nashville/UMe, which has been Anderson’s label home for most of his seven-decade long career. The new project is released in conjunction with the first-time digital release of seven of Anderson’s albums from the 1960s, available HERE.
“Needless to say I am thrilled over my new association with UMG. Not only do they have 23 years’ worth of my back catalog ready to introduce to the digital world, but I am reuniting with Dolly Parton on this project,” says Anderson. “Dolly sang some demos for me (and with me) back in the early sixties when she was new in town. One was a duet called, ‘If It’s All The Same To You,’ which had gone missing for years. UMG has recovered it and included it along with my and Dolly’s new duet in this package. That’s called connecting the dots across more than fifty years. How cool is that?”
AS FAR AS I CAN SEE: THE BEST OF TRACKLISTING:
1. “City Lights” (1961)
2. “Walk Out Backwards” (1961)
3. “Three AM” (1964)
4. “Still” (1963)
5. “The Tip of My Fingers” (1961)
6. “I Love You Drops” (1964)
7. “I Get The Fever” (1966)
8. “Po’ Folks” (1961)
9. “Wild Week-End” (1967)
10. “Happy State Of Mind” (1968)
11. “My Life (Throw It Away If I Want To)” (1969)
12. “Sometimes” featuring Mary Lou Turner (1975)
13. “If You Can Live With It (I Can Live Without It) (1972)
14. “The Corner Of My Life” (1973)
15. If It Is All The Same To You” (circa 1964)
16. “Someday It’ll All Make Sense” featuring Dolly Parton (2022)
BILL ANDERSON’S ALBUMS AVAILABLE DIGITALLY NOW HERE.
Sings Country Heart Songs (1962)
Still (1963)
Bill Anderson Sings (1964)
Bill Anderson Showcase (1964)
Bright Lights And Country Music (1965)
I Love You Drops (1966)
Get While The Gettin’s Good (1967)
For more information on Bill Anderson visit BillAnderson.com or follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
June 2, 2022
Ask Bill – June 2, 2022
I don’t know if I’m the youngest one ever, but I was definitely younger than Lorrie and Ricky when I joined! I became an Opry member in July, 1961, and I didn’t turn 24 until November of that year. I am not the oldest member there today, but I have been a member the longest amount of time…something for which I am extremely grateful and thankful.2) Why do you think it’s harder for 2nd and 3rd generations of kids of country singers to break in and make a name for themselves in the business?I don’t know that it’s any harder for second and third generation country music children to succeed than it is for second and third generation athletes, media personalities, attorneys, doctors, or used car salesmen to succeed. Not everybody possesses the same talents or the same attributes as their parents. Plus, you don’t have to look any farther than Hank Williams Jr., Lorrie Morgan, Justin Tubb and others to know that it can be done in country music. And I’m sure it will be done again…and probably again and again…in the years to come.3) What do you do when some amateur asks you to critique a song he or she wrote? Before you answer that, will you critique my great song?I don’t know if you have a future as a songwriter, but you definitely have one as a comedian! I wish I could critique every song that was sent to me and offer advice and encouragement to every aspiring writer, but I simply cannot. There was a time earlier in my career when I tried, but I finally realized it was either these people’s songs or my own. Since I like to eat every day and put gasoline in my car, I figured I’d be better off putting my time and effort into my own creations. The Nashville Songwriters Association, International, has people who work with up and coming writers. I suggest you and other hopeful writers contact them.Our Question Of The Month comes from Dennis in Missouri: In the March newsletter, you mentioned that you did not write the song, “But You Know I Love You.” However, you did record it, as did Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. All three of you had hits with it even though the tempos and phrasing are different. I’m wondering who makes the decision about tempo and phrasing? I am fascinated by how a song could be interpreted in so many different ways and still come out sounding great every time.What an insightful question! Let me say first that neither Kenny, Dolly, or I wrote the song. It was written by Mike Settle, who was a member of Kenny Roger’s First Edition band, the first artists to record the song back in the mid-60’s. I’m sure Kenny’s version reflected the way Mike intended for it to sound. In those days, Kenny’s records were not being played on country radio, though, and I told my producer, Owen Bradley, that I felt this was a country song. He agreed, changed the tempo, simplified the chord structure, and my version went to #2 on the charts in 1969. Dolly didn’t cut it until 1981, not doing either my version nor Kenny’s, although hers was closer to his than to mine. She did it her own way, and it topped out at #1. Each of us tried to do the song in the style that we felt suited us best. And, fortunately, each of us succeeded.
Quickies: Is Stringbean’s killer still alive today? Two men were convicted in String’s murder. One died in prison and the other was paroled. Last I heard he was employed by the Cornerstone Church in Madison, Tennessee. Is Mike Snider still an active part of the Grand Ole Opry family? Yes, most definitely. He did not appear on the show much during 2020 and ’21, but he has begun coming back to see us recently. And the Opry House is a brighter place when he’s in the building! One of my favorite songs of yours is “A Death In The Family.” Is it a true song? How did you come up with the idea? It is based on a true story, yes. I was going through a divorce when I wrote it. I only had to look inside my heart to come up with the idea to write it. When are you coming to Melbourne, Australia? To Las Vegas? To England? To Texas and Oklahoma? Obviously, these are the same question from different folks in different locations, and my answer is the same to them all: I do not know. I appreciate your wanting me to perform in your part of the world, but right now I’m staying close to home and not touring. When that changes, you’ll be the first to know.Thanks for a good set of questions this month. We’re open for yours anytime you’d like to send us one. Just address it to askbill@billanderson.com and be watching for an answer. And remember if yours is chosen our Question Of The Month you’ll receive any item of your choice from our online store absolutely free. Stay curious, and we’ll see you back here in July.
June 2, 2022
I can only say that everyone should have the experience of working with Dolly, the consummate professional in everything that she does. She has mastered the art of being serious when need be and being loose, and wacky, and funny anytime she can. Like during the filming when our award-winning director, Trey Fanjoy, was calling out instructions to us across the studio. Dolly interrupted her by yelling, “Speak louder, Trey. Bill is hard of hearing and I’m hard of listening.” Dolly takes her work seriously, but never seems to take herself too seriously. I don’t have the words to describe my love and admiration for this incredibly special woman. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy the video when you see it.May was a special month in Whisperville any way you slice it. Not only did I jump headfirst into working to promote my new record, but I got to help shine the spotlight on my friend, Jamey Johnson, when I inducted him into the membership of the Grand Ole Opry on May 14th. By now I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures and heard the soundtracks, but suffice it to say I was almost as excited as Jamey was. He and I have been friends, fellow recording artists, and songwriting partners for 25-years or so, and I’ve known the entire time how badly he wanted to be an Opry member. I’m happy for him, and I’m equally happy for the Opry. They just gained a wonderful new member.
Going back to speaking of Talk Shop Live, I had a great time spending an hour there with my buddy, Bill Cody, back on May 25th. We talked about my upcoming record, laughed a lot, took messages from viewers (they told us folks were watching all around the world), laughed some more, and hopefully sold a few copies of the new album. If you have pre-ordered your copy, thank you very much. I hope you will enjoy it. And in answer to many questions, yes, we will have them for sale through our office beginning on June 10th.
Lots of you seem to be finding music from my very first albums in the digital world these days as well. As I told you earlier this year, Universal has uncovered 31 of my records that have never been released on Spodify, YouTube, Pandora, Tidal, and other streaming formats, and they are making them available a few at a time. The first four are out now, and I’ve seen some awfully nice comments that you’ve left for me on the various sites. Thank you…I appreciate your kind words very much.
May was also a sad month on several musical fronts with the passing of Naomi Judd, Mickey Gilley, and arranger and keyboard maestro, Bill Walker. I had the pleasure of working with each of them over the years, and they will all be missed.
On the personal side, I guess many of you have heard that my grandson, Gabe’s, cancer is finally in remission, and he was able to go with his family on a week’s vacation in California. So many of you have lifted Gabe and the family up in your prayers, and those prayers are definitely being answered. This is not the end of Gabe’s journey, though, so don’t stop now. Thank you so much and God bless.I’ll be on the Opry June 9th, 10th, and 11th during CMA Music Fest, and will be signing autographs in the Universal/UMG Fan Fair X booth the afternoon of the 10th. Come see us if you’re planning to be in Nashville.
Thanks for everything, have a great month, stay cool, and we’ll see you back here again in July.
Latest Photos
The video for my and Dolly Parton’s duet of “Someday It’ll All Make Sense” centers around the two of us driving an old vintage car from a place of darkness into a place of light…just as the lyric of the song portrays. We used a 1936 Aero 30 convertible, made in Czechoslovakia I’m told, and loaned to us by the same folks who own the automobile museum where Jamey Johnson and I filmed our “21” video a few years ago, the Lane Auto Museum. There are worse things in this world than being cramped inside a small car with Dolly!! It’s a serious song, of course, but as you can tell, we had a few laughs along the way. In the bottom photo, you get the backstage view of my being introduced onstage at the Grand Ole Opry. There’s no thrill in show business quite like the thrill of heading for that special Opry circle. And even as many times as I’ve done it, it never gets old.
