Ask Bill – October 1, 2020

1) I enjoy watching old episodes of “Family Feud” when Richard Dawson was the host. I notice he always mentions you whenever he has a family from Nashville. I’m wondering if you stayed in touch with him after “Family Feud” ended and before Mr. Dawson died?

Richard and I became good friends during his days on Family Feud and my days as co-host of The Better Sex at ABC-TV. We recorded our shows in the same studio, shared similar dressing rooms and even some staff members. We also worked together on Match Game at CBS, and he had me as his guest when he hosted The Tonight Show at NBC. We couldn’t have been more opposite…his being from England and me from Tennessee…but somehow we managed to find common ground. He loved the Tennessee country hams I sent him at Christmas. It was very kind of him to mention me to his contestants from Nashville. I treasure the memory of our friendship, and am so glad I got to know him as I did.

 2) When you are on a game show do you ask them or do they ask you to be a contestant? By the way, you did very well.

Thank you. Those were some great days. My manager opened all the doors to the game show world for me back in the seventies, and I imagine he had to do some pleading to get me on the shows to begin with. As time went by, though, the shows began reaching out to him and asking for my availabilities. I always considered it an honor to be asked because back in those days there weren’t many country artists doing those kinds of shows, and I enjoyed them.

3) I was wondering if your display will still be at the Country Music Hall of Fame this year?

No, not in 2020. The Hall just reopened in September following a six-month COVID-related shutdown, and for now they will continue with the exhibits that were open prior to their having to close. The last word I heard from them was that my exhibit would open in November, 2021, and run until early 2023. Those kinds of things are always subject to change, though, so stay tuned.

Quickies: When someone writes a song how would they go about getting an artist to record it? What keeps the song from getting stolen?  As always, I suggest you direct your songwriting-related questions to the folks at the Nashville Songwriters Association, International. Their address is www.nashvillesongwriters.com. They are in a much better position to help you than I am. Since your album “Ladies Choice” is not available on CD, have you ever thought of maybe doing a love songs cover album? No, but the record I was working on when the quarantine hit was going to be an album of mostly love songs. They were new songs, though, and not covers. I hope to be able to continue with it sometime soon.  Are you going to sing at Rae & Zach’s wedding or just be a doting PawPaw? Have they set a wedding date? I don’t sing at weddings or funerals. I’ll just be a proud PawPaw. No, they have not set a date as yet. Are you planning on doing any shows in Ontario, Canada, next year? Like everybody else right now my plans for next year are up in the air. I’ve always enjoyed my trips to Ontario, but right now I simply do not know. Again, stay tuned.

Thanks for all your questions, but don’t stop now. Send yours to me at askbill@billanderson.com or to my attention at P.O. Box 888, Hermitage, TN. 37076. I’ll see you back here again next month.