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Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson
Studio album by Connie Smith
Released	May 1967
Recorded	October 24, 1966 – February 27, 1967
Studio	RCA Studio A (Nashville, Tennessee)
Genre	Country
Label	RCA Victor
Producer	Bob Ferguson
Connie Smith chronology
Connie in the Country (1967) Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson (1967) The Best of Connie Smith (1967)
Singles from Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson
"Cincinnati, Ohio" Released: June 1967

Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson is the eighth studio album by American country singer Connie Smith. It was released in May 1967 by RCA Victor and featured 12 tracks. The album was dedicated to her mentor, Bill Anderson. It contained several songs made popular by Anderson himself, along with several tracks made popular by other performers. It also included the newly-recorded "Cincinnati, Ohio". Smith released her version as a single, which climbed into the top five of the American country songs charts. The album received favorable reviews following its release.

Background

Connie Smith reached peak career success several years prior with her 1964 debut single titled "Once a Day". Spending eight weeks at the top of the country songs chart, the song launched her career and set forth a series of top ten singles during the decade. Smith had previously recorded seven studio albums released by the RCA Victor and Camden labels between 1965 and 1967. Most of these projects were recorded at RCA Studio B, where she recorded in a traditional country style.

Smith started recording at RCA Studio A in 1966 as the label encouraged her to record more "middle of the road" pop material. Studio A allowed for more string and orchestral instrumentation. Although Smith disliked the new studio, she did favor an album project cut there, which would later be titled Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson. Bill Anderson had discovered Smith and helped her sign a recording contract with RCA in 1964. Anderson also wrote many of her early singles. Her professional relationship with Anderson prompted the album's creation. Smith later commented that, "It was an honor, not favor" to make the project.

Recording and content

Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson was recorded in sessions held between October 24, 1966 and February 27, 1967. The recording sessions were produced by Bob Ferguson and were held at RCA Studio A in Nashville, Tennessee. A total of 12 tracks comprised the collection, all of which were self-penned by Bill Anderson. One exception was the track "My Whole World Is Falling Down", which was co-written by Anderson and Jerry Crutchfield. Four of the album's songs had been hit singles by Anderson himself: "That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome", "Walk Out Backwards", "Easy Come – Easy Go" and "I Love You Drops". Anderson had first sung "I Love You Drops" to Smith. She had originally asked Anderson to release her own version as a single, but he declined and instead made his own single version.

Two tracks on the album had been made commercially-successful for other artists. Ray Price had originally reached number one on the country chart in 1958 with "City Lights". Brenda Lee had reached the top 30 of the Hot 100 in 1963 with "My Whole World Is Falling Down". Two of the album's cuts had previously appeared on Anderson's own projects. "In Case You Ever Change Your Mind" and "Cincinnati, Ohio" first appeared on Anderson's 1964 Showcase LP. "On and On and On", "It Comes and Goes" and "It's Not the End of Everything" were new recordings. "That's What Lonesome Is" was first pitched to Jean Shepard.

Release and reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson was originally released in May 1967 on the RCA Victor label. It was first distributed as a vinyl LP, containing six songs on either side of the record. Decades later, the album was re-issued to digital and streaming sites including Apple Music. The disc spent 17 weeks on America's Billboard Top Country Albums chart, climbing to the number 11 position by August 1967. It was Smith's second LP to chart outside the top ten. The record received positive reception from Billboard magazine in June 1967: "Connie Smith honors Bill Anderson's songs and her renditions do them honor." The magazine concluded by stating that Smith has an "imitable style" while keeping "Anderson's lyric intent". Years later, AllMusic rated the album three out of five stars. The project's only single was Smith's version of "Cincinnati, Ohio", which was released by RCA Victor in June 1967. It became Smith's ninth top ten single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, climbing to the number four position by August 1967.

Track listings

All songs composed by Bill Anderson, except where noted.

Vinyl version

Digital version

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson and the biography booklet by Colin Escott titled Born to Sing.

Chart performance

Release history

References

Footnotes

1. ^ "Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson: Connie Smith: Songs, reviews, credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
2. ^ Bush, John. "Connie Smith: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
3. Escott 2001, p. 15-24.
4. Escott 2001, p. 22-24.
5. ^ Escott 2001, p. 24.
6. ^ Escott 2001, p. 42-44.
7. ^ Smith, Connie (May 1967). "Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson (LP Liner Notes and Album Information)". RCA Victor. PM-3768.
8. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 128.
9. Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-188-8.
10. Anderson, Bill (November 1964). "Showcase (Liner Notes and Album Information)". Decca Records.
11. Allmusic review
12. ^ "Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson by Connie Smith". Apple Music. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
13. "Connie Smith chart history (Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
14. "Album Reviews: Country Spotlight". Billboard. Vol. 79, no. 23. June 10, 1967. p. 82. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
15. Smith, Connie (June 1967). ""Cincinnati, Ohio"/"Don't Feel Sorry for Me" (7" vinyl single)". RCA Victor. 47-9214.
16. "Connie Smith chart history (Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
17. "Connie Smith Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2022.

Books

• Escott, Colin (May 8, 2001). Born to Sing (Box Set Biography). Bear Family Records. ISBN 3-89795-770-1.

• 1967 albums
• 1960s tribute albums
• Albums produced by Bob Ferguson (music)
• Bill Anderson tribute albums
• Connie Smith albums
• RCA Victor albums