Bill Anderson's Blog, page 3

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Bobby Tomberlin, Marv Green, and I were all smiles following a recent songwriting session at Sony Music Publishing. We had learned earlier in the day that Willie Nelson was looking for a new Christmas song to release this year, and we set out to try and write one for him. We wrote it on a Tuesday, and sent a copy to Willie’s producer that night. He liked it and sent it to Willie on Wednesday. On Thursday we received word that Willie loved it and wants to record it. He plans to do just that when he comes to Nashville for a concert later this month. Things don’t normally happen that fast in today’s music world. No wonder the three of us looked happy!

Steve Dorff, Brad Paisley, and I were smiling, too, after the three of us wrote a new song for Brad. Brad stays so busy it’s hard to track him down sometimes, but his producer has sent word that they’ve recorded our song and we’re waiting to learn just when and where it will be released. When we learn, you’ll be the first to know.

In conjunction with the 100th birthday celebration of the Grand Ole Opry, I was recently invited to the small town of Granville, Tennessee, to help dedicate a Tennessee Music Pathways marker to the Opry’s first performer, Uncle Jimmy Thompson, a native of that area. I was joined by WSM’s Charlie Mattos and former Opry announcer, Keith Bilbrey, for the ceremony. Keith and I both did an interview for WSM before I unveiled the marker. Later, Keith and I decided to have some fun and masquerade as Andy & Barney in the town that calls itself Tennessee’s “Mayberry.”

June 2, 2025

Hi Gang:

Well, school is out, the swimming pools are open, fireflies and mosquitos will soon be swarming, and summer can’t be far away. I hope yours is a great one!

Lots of summertime excitement in Whisperville what with the release of our Barbra Streisand-Tim McGraw duet cut on “I Love Us” coming on June 27th. Some of our more traditional country music fans are probably wondering why I’m so up in the air over a song of mine being recorded by a pop singer, but this is not just any ol’ pop singer. Barbra Streisand is beyond an icon, and her recordings have been known to sell in the many millions of copies. You may or may not agree with her outspoken social and political stances, but there’s no denying her talents as a singer. And her teaming up with Tim McGraw lends a welcome country touch to her much-anticipated new record.

Her album, titled “The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume Two,” features other superstars like Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, James Taylor and more, but ours is the only country-oriented recording among them. I’m awfully proud of it. hope you’ll like it when you hear it.

I’ve had lots of songwriting activity lately with new recordings by not only Barbra and Tim but by Brad Paisley, Willie Nelson, Jamey Johnson, the Chuck Wagon Gang and others. It’s such a blessing to be able to continue writing songs after all these years, and a gift that I would never take for granted. I still get excited when someone records a song of mine and stakes part of their career on something I have helped to create.

What else is going on? Well, July 15th is shaping up to be an especially exciting night for me at the Grand Ole Opry. That’s the night I will be the recipient of an Opry Member Salute tied to the 100th birthday of the Opry. My salute happens to coincide with my 64th anniversary as an Opry member which makes it even more special. My former singing partner and dear friend, Mary Lou Turner, will be coming in from Branson to sing with me and help us celebrate, along with some folks from the South Carolina Entertainment and Music Hall of Fame. Remember last year when they honored me with their beautiful Lifetime Achievement Award and I dropped it backstage and broke it? Well, they’ve had a shiny new crystal trophy made for me and will present it to me onstage on “my night.” I certainly didn’t expect them to do that, but they’ve done it and I’ll be thrilled to finally be able to display it.

Quite a few of you have told me you plan to come in for the festivities, and I’m looking forward to visiting with you all. Following the show, we will have a fans ‘n friends gathering backstage with refreshments and fellowship. If you’d like to join us, click on this link to get your name on the list:   (Insert Link)

CMA Fest cranks up again here in a few days, and our city will be overflowing once more with country fans from all over the world. I won’t be taking part in any of the events per se, but I do plan to be on the Opry June 3rd for two shows and again on Saturday night June 7th. We have a third Opry night this month scheduled for June 21st.

On a personal note, I’m awfully proud of my granddaughter, Hallie, who is not only writing songs and ushering at the Opry House, but who has been elected by her classmates to serve as president of the student body at her high school for 2025-26. She will be a senior, and this is quite a way for her to top off her final year.

span>Before I go, let me wish all the dads out there a Happy Father’s Day on June 15th. May you spend “your” day with those closest to you. Hopefully, I’ll get to be with my kids and as many of my grandkids as possible. Of all the things I might be, being  Dad and PawPaw is my favorite of all.

Have a good rest of your month and we’ll see you back here in July. Thanks for everything…

May 1, 2025

Hi Gang:

And welcome to our fan club newsletter for the merry, merry month of May. I hope it’s an especially merry one for each of you wherever you are.

I’m writing this month’s letter from the 9th floor of a beachfront condo overlooking the Gulf of Mexico…the Gulf of America, or whatever it may be called today. I was finally able to schedule a short vacation in and amongst my songwriting appointments, Opry appearances, etc., and at the moment I’m thinking it was worth the wait. There’s nothing I love more than watching the sun rise over the water in the morning followed by a spectacular sunset at the end of day. The time in between ain’t too bad either!

We got my grandson, Blake, and his fiance, Lauren, all legally hitched and betrothed before I left, and while I’m staring at the Gulf, they are on board a cruise ship honeymooning in the Pacific. It was a beautiful wedding, and they make a very handsome couple. I’ll try to find a picture or two to share with you in our photo section.

I’m also looking to post a picture you might not have seen from the Tennessee Songwriters Association gala last month when they presented me with their Lifetime Achievement Award. That, too, was a special night that I got to share with friends and fellow songwriters. Nothing like spending time with folks who speak the same language as I do. Thanks, TSAI, for the beautiful trophy and the tremendous honor.

The May issue of Real Country Music News should be arriving in your mailboxes shortly, if not already, with the second installment of their interview with me inside. Thanks for all your kind comments about the first part of the interview which ran in April. I’m glad you enjoyed it, and hope you’ll enjoy this issue as well.

The last time I wrote about Barbra Streisand and Tim McGraw’s recording of my and Steve Dorff’s song, “I Love Us,” I told you it would be coming out in May. Well, I lied. It is now scheduled for release the last week in June in an album titled, “The Secret Of Life: Partners II.” Barbra had a legendary duet album called simply “Partners,” in 2014, so this is somewhat of a belated follow-up. I just hope the second edition goes over as well as the first one did!

Several of you have written lately that you’ve been missing my appearances on the Grand Ole Opry….saying that you’ve tuned in at our usual 8:15 Central time slot and we weren’t there. Well, that’s because I’ve asked the Opry folks to let me start appearing within the first hour of the show whenever they can, and they have graciously obliged. Before you go making cracks about my needing my beauty sleep, it mostly has to do with my not being as comfortable driving late at night as I used to be. I’m sure more than a few of you can relate!

Our Opry dates this month will be on Mother’s Day weekend, May 10th, and again on Saturday May 24th. In early June, we will appear on both shows June 3rd and on June 7th during CMA Fest.

Here’s wishing all you moms a very happy and blessed Mother’s Day again this year. I hope you get to spend it with the people you love the most. Thanks once more for what you do to make ALL my days as special as they are, and I’ll look forward to seeing each of you back here again in June.

“Still” & “Forevermore….”

Ask Bill – May1, 2025

1) I enjoyed watching the TV special celebrating the Opry’s 100th birthday, but was surprised that you and Jeannie Seely had such brief appearances considering that you both have been members for so many years. Who decided which singers should participate?

Mostly the programming executives at the TV network, NBC. And they were focused on presenting artists who appeal to the 18-35 year old viewer because that’s who the sponsors want to attract. Obviously, my and Jeannie’s fan bases are a bit older than that. The Opry saw to it that both of us were included on the show, for which we were grateful, but if you noticed, none of the older Opry acts had a major role.

2) There have been a lot of great country bands with cool names like The Drifting Cowboys, The Bluegrass Boys, The Buckaroos, The Wagonmasters, and many others. Discounting your own band, who do you think was the best country backing band that you’ve seen and heard in your career?

Trying to answer this question would be like trying to compare apples to oranges because each band was designed to fit the needs and styles of each individual artist. In other words, the Bluegrass Boys were great for Bill Monroe, but would have not fit Buck Owens at all. Likewise, the Buckaroos would have been a total misfit for Mr. Monroe. There is no definitive answer to your question, but your letter made me realize how much I miss the days when the artists dressed their bands in matching outfits and gave them unique names built around the artist’s name or the name of one of their hit songs. Unfortunately, I don’t see those days coming back anytime soon.

3) In your latest newsletter, you told us of your granddaughter’s songwriting session with you, but you didn’t say the name of the song or whether it was a song that would be recorded. It would be wonderful if both you and Hallie could record it and sing it together.

I’ve always been superstitious about revealing the names of my new songs before they are recorded and set for release….so I don’t. There are many steps to go through before a song makes it from the pen to the ear. I do plan to record a simple, acoustical demonstration record on my and Hallie’s (and Bobby Tomberlin’s) song just to see how it lays and how it sounds. If anything happens beyond that you’ll be the first to know.

4) Our Question Of The Month comes from Charlie in Alabama: If you were just starting your career now, would it be easier or harder to be successful?

I get asked this question quite often and, obviously, again there’s no definitive answer. On the one hand, there is so much more opportunity for exposure today what with the internet and streaming and all kinds of digital distribution for recorded material than there was when I came along. The counterpoint to that is that there are so many more artists vying for that exposure today compared to the relatively few artists trying to break into the business back in my day. The rewards are greater now as well, but so are the demands on an artist’s talents and time. I’ve often said that I feel I got into the music business at the perfect time. The late fifties and early sixties were the end of what I call the “hillbilly” era and the beginning of the modern era of country music. I travelled the road in cars and station wagons on two-lane highways long before busses and interstates. I had a two-piece band because that’s all I could afford. The young artists would laugh at that today. The entertainment business has never been “easy”, but I’m glad I came along when I did. I would not want to be starting out today.

Quickies: My husband and I have visited the Opry several times, and we’re thinking about going again this year. He is mostly into bluegrass. I go to see you. Are you scheduled to do any bluegrass shows? I love bluegrass music but, no, I’m not scheduled for any bluegrass shows. But y’all come on and see us again anyway. You’re always welcome! I am a 15-year old country singer from Nova Scotia, Canada. Do you have any tips for young singer/songwriters, especially from Canada where the country music industry hasn’t supported us as much? My only advice is to keep doing what you’re doing as much and as often as you can. There is no substitute for experience. Play your songs anywhere there’s someone to listen and create new material as often as you can. And don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to anyone connected to the music industry in any way. You can never know too many people. Good luck. You are left-handed. Why do you play the guitar right handed? Because when I was trying to learn, I had nobody to show me how to do it left-handed. I could find no instruction books with left-handed instruction guides or southpaw chord charts. I finally figured if I were going to learn to play at all I’d have to turn my guitar around and try to play like everybody else. Playing the guitar is the only thing I do right-handed. Is Pete Fisher still around? People come and go and we never hear of them anymore. Yes, Pete, the former Opry general manager, is alive and well. I saw him backstage at the Opry100 telecast back in March. He is working as a manager/consultant to several young country artists these days including his own daughter-in-law, Jessica Willis Fisher, who made her debut appearance on the Opry a few weeks back. Have you ever wanted to do something the opposite of what you do as an artist? Like jump out of an airplane at 10,000-feet? No. Not at all. Next question. The last show I was playing with my band, the audience was clapping to the song out of time. Can you give me some advice on how to maintain the song with this distraction? I guess you and your guys just have to play louder than the out-of-time clappers. And be thankful they are clapping and not booing!!
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I think with those last two questions it’s time for me to ride off into the sunset! Thanks for all the questions you sent my way this month. We’ll do it again the first of June, so if you’ve got anything on your mind regarding me or country music in general, drop me a line and ask about it. Our address is askbill@billanderson.com. If you submit our Question Of The Month, you’ll receive any item from our online store absolutely free of charge. Stay curious, and I’ll look forward to hearing from you.

Latest Photos

I had a wonderful Easter Sunday and hope you did as well. Notice I dressed for the occasion at dinner…my shirt matched both the napkins and the eggs on the table. I ate too much, but what else is new?

Part of the fun in winning an award or gaining recognition for an accomplishment in your life is savoring the moment with your friends. Here I’m backstage sharing my Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tennessee Songwriters Association with two of my buddies and co-writers, Danny Wells (L) and Bobby Tomberlin. Bobby surprised me by singing a medley of several of my hits prior to the award presentation, and he did a great job. (Ask him to sing “Still” for you sometime!) This was a great night, and once again my thanks to TSAI. 

The official pictures from my grandson, Blake’s, wedding won’t be ready for about a month, but I thought you might like to see an “unofficial” one taken at his and Lauren’s reception. It followed a beautiful religious ceremony held outdoors on a picture perfect Sunday afternoon. I’m guessing there were about 175 friends and family members in attendance. Blake’s younger brother, Gabe, served as his best man, while sisters Hallie and Sophie were among Lauren’s bridesmaids. The newlyweds flew to California and left onboard a cruise the following day. I know you join me in wishing them nothing but the best and a long, happy lifetime together.

The music venue with its own Post Office | United States Post Office

Every member of the Grand Ole Opry has a mailbox to receive letters from fans

Check out this article from the USPS where Bill Anderson talks about this very special post office at the Grand Ole Opry.

 

 

The music venue with its own Post Office

Mail will take center stage in Nashville next week when the National Postal Forum – the mailing and shipping industry’s largest annual conference – gets underway at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center on Sunday, April 27. At the nearby Grand Ole Opry, country music icons not only grace the stage but pick up their mail there, too.

Bill Anderson Receives TSAI Lifetime Achievement Award

Bill Anderson Receives TSAI Lifetime Achievement Award

Bill Anderson received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tennessee Songwriters […]

April 1, 2025

Hi Gang:

Well, the old saying came true one more time. The month of March came in like a lamb and went out like a lion…and that’s no April Fools Day joke! Lots of storms across our area, but we were fortunate to have escaped any damage here in Whisperville, and for that I am prayerfully grateful.

In the world of music, I’d say judging from your e-mails, text messages, and your good ol’ fashioned cards and letters, that a whole bunch of you watched the Opry100 NBC-TV special back on March 19th. And I’d say a good 98% of you enjoyed the show, loved the “country” music, and felt it was three hours well spent. I did too.

Thanks for all your nice comments about my (brief) part on camera and the great job Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss did on my and Jon Randall’s song, “Whiskey Lullaby.” Several of you mentioned that you hadn’t heard the song in quite awhile and had forgotten just how powerful a story it tells. Thank you. Songwriters never get tired of people being touched by things we’ve written.

And speaking of the Opry, just because the TV special is over don’t make the mistake of thinking the 100Year celebration is over, too, because it’s not. It will go on through the end of 2025. Each current Opry performer will have a night dedicated to them, and my night will be Tuesday July 15th which marks the date I joined the show 64-years ago. I’m not sure just what all will take place that night, but it promises to be exciting. I’d love for as many of you as possible to be here, but if you can’t be, I hope you’ll make plans to be listening. I’ll tell you more as the time approaches.

I guess by now some of you are beginning to see the April edition of True Country Music News with my picture on the cover. In case you haven’t seen it, you can reach out to Renae and the folks there by calling 615-586-4044 or writing them at www.truecountrymusicnews.com. My interview is titled, “Bill Anderson – STILL Adding To His Legacy,” and it will be a 2-part article spread across the April and May issues. I’m very proud of it, and hope you will enjoy reading it.

You’ll notice there are only two dates listed for my Opry appearances this month which is a bit fewer than usual. In case you have forgotten, my oldest
Anderson grandson, Blake, is getting married April 27th, and I think it might be best if I attend the ceremony. Actually, I’m looking very much forward to being in attendance when he and his fiance, Lauren Knight, tie the knot. It’s going to be a super-special weekend, and I’m sure the Opry can survive without me.

I WILL be on the Opry Saturday April 12th and Tuesday the 22nd however, and we’ll be posting our May-June dates as soon as they are confirmed. I’ve got quite a few songwriting sessions coming up as well, so I won’t be sitting around twiddling my thumbs!

Oh, before I go, several of you have asked for an update on Gail Johnson, our fiddle player who collapsed onstage at the Opry recently. The doctors determined that her problem was a combination of heart and blood pressure issues, and they feel they have things under control. Gail was back at the Opry last week, sitting on a stool, and playing just as great as ever. I know she appreciates your concern.

Have a good April and thanks for everything…now and “Forevermore”….

Ask Bill – April 1, 2025

1) I watch a lot of old game shows on TV, and I’ve seen you on “Match Game” and “Tattletales.” How did you have the opportunity to be on those shows? Did you enjoy the experience?

My manager in those days…late 70s and early 80s….was a man from New York named Bobby Brenner. Bobby had lots of friends who worked in the game show business, and he approached them about the possibility of my appearing on some of their shows. I guess some of the producers must have liked me, because I ended up making several appearances on the two shows you mentioned plus “Password,” “Hollywood Squares,” “Family Feud,” and others. I even ended up hosting a couple of game shows myself. I enjoyed the experiences very much, and treasure the friends I made within the game show business.

2) From a scale of 1 to 10, what would you rate the guitar playing skills of most lead country singers??? And to name two or three, who do you think are the best lead singer/guitar players in the history of country music?

Most country singers from my era only learned to strum a few open chords on the guitar because that’s all the big stars like Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb, Faron Young, Webb Pierce, Carl Smith and many others did back then. Our guitar playing skills probably would rate no higher than a one, two, or three on your scale. Exceptions to that rule would include great pickers and singers like Roy Clark, Vince Gill, Steve Wariner, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Billy Grammer, and Joe Maphis. Lots of the newer artists are good guitar players too. I’m jealous, but it’s a little late to go back and take lessons now!

3) What was your inspiration for writing the song “Five Little Fingers?” I think this is an absolutely beautiful song.

Thank you. The song, which depicts a father being consoled by his young daughter following the death of his wife, was originally written about a divorce. My wife and I were having some struggles, and my young daughter placed her tiny hand on top of mine one afternoon as if to say, “Daddy, everything is going to be all right.” I was deeply moved by her sensitivity to the situation, and began putting my feelings down on paper. As I pieced together the story, I thought the song would be stronger if it were written about a parent who had passed away rather than divorced. I’ve had people tell me some amazing stories down through the years as to how that song has touched their lives. And it’s provided a very special bond between me and my daughter for over sixty years. 

4) Our Question Of The Month comes from Rick in New York who asks: “In credits for a song, who gets top billing and who writes what?  For example, in the song, “Saginaw, Michigan,” which parts did you write??”

There is really no such thing as “top billing” between co-writers on a song. If more than one person helps to write the song, everybody who has been invited into the room is credited equally regardless of who wrote which part or how much. The story of “Saginaw,” is a bit different, however, in that Don Wayne had the idea and created the first half of the song by himself. He was having trouble coming up with an ending, though, and asked me to get involved. I wrote the majority of the lyric to the last two verses and the final chorus. At first, I wasn’t going to ask for any part of the songwriting credit because I intended to record the song myself. After Lefty Frizzell cut it, however, it became a different situation, and Don agreed that I should be added as his co-writer.

Quickies: What is your absolute favorite song to sing and why? What is your favorite gospel song to sing and why? As I’ve said many times in this column, I have a hard time naming my “favorite” anything. But among my own songs I enjoy singing the ballads like “A Lot Of Things Different,” “The Last One I’ll Forget,” and “Papaw’s Sunday Boots” the best. Why? Because those are story songs, and story songs have always been my favorites. My favorite gospel song to sing is, “Standing On The Promises” because it was my grandpapa’s favorite.  If a movie was being made about your life, who do you think would be best to play you? I am not a big movie buff, and I honestly do not know many of the leading actors in the business today. I guess it’s a little late to get John Wayne for the role, huh?  Do you do a lot of cooking? If so, what would be your specialty? I can scramble a mean egg, whip up a really good peanut butter & jelly sandwich, and when I put my mind to it, I can grill or bake or broil a really tasty piece of salmon. I cook quite a bit but only because I have this overwhelming desire to eat two or three times a day. What was your favorite part about being on the road while touring? Ask that question to any touring entertainer, and he or she will tell you their favorite part of doing what they do is the show itself. We put up with the travel, the bad food, and the sleepless nights just so we can stand on that stage for a few minutes each night and do our best to entertain you. That’s what we love. The rest we just endure. I have noticed several times that songs are released around the same time with related subjects. As an example, “Little Rock” by Reba and “A Little Past Little Rock” by Leeann Womack. Is this planned by the artists? Not hardly. And you left out “Little Rock” by Colin Raye. Reba’s record was a #1 hit in 1986, Colin’s a #2 hit in 1994, and Leeann’s also a #2 in 1998. There was a 12-year difference between the first one and the third one. Obviously, there was no “Little Rock” conspiracy going on. It was simply a coincidence. Is there any chance I can come to Nashville and sing for you? My dream is to sing on the Opry stage where Patsy, Loretta, and so many others sang. I wish I had time to listen to you and to the hundreds of other people who write me similar letters nearly every day, but I don’t. Patsy and Loretta and all the others didn’t do it that way either. They came here and struggled and put in the time and hard work that it takes before they were able to walk onto the Opry stage. If you’re really serious about it, you’ll need to do it in a similar way yourself. I wish you the best of luck.

Thanks for another month’s worth of fun and interesting questions. Once again you’ve made me put on the ol’ thinking cap, but as always, I enjoy it. We’ll do it one more time in May, so if you’re curious about something related to me or to country music in general, let me hear from you. Send your questions to askbill@billanderson.com and I’ll do my best to respond. Provide us with our Question Of The Month and you’ll win any item of your choice from our online store absolutely free. Thanks, and I’ll see you back here next time.

Latest Photos

The Grand Ole Opry’s 100th birthday celebration turned into an NBC-TV special on Wednesday night March 19th. I walked the red carpet (which was actually gray) and did lots of media interviews prior to the telecast. The Opry100 logo you see behind me was everywhere!

Part of the fun in having a big celebration like this is catching up with folks you haven’t seen in a long time. Barbara Mandrell and I fit into that category, and we started the night off with a big ol’ country hug!

Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss hadn’t sung “Whiskey Lullaby” together in a long time, but they didn’t miss a beat or a note when they sang it on stage at the Ryman. I’m glad I could be there to introduce them to the audience and to visit awhile backstage.

What a gathering in Opry manager Dan Rogers’ office! Randy Travis and Ronnie Milsap (seated) with Clint Black and me looking over their shoulders. Those kinds of get-togethers don’t happen every day!

I did more last month than just celebrate at the Opry. My 16-year old granddaugher, Hallie, was on Spring break from school, and I was able to keep a long standing promise to her…that someday we would write a song together! I challenged her to come to the writing session with at least three song ideas of her own and, along with Bobby Tomberlin, we wrote the first idea she presented to us. Hallie is really into songwriting, and plans to study it in college. She has the creative gene (wonder where she got it from?), and I’m awfully proud of her and the promise she shows. Hopefully, this song was just the first of many.