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Ask Bill – August 1, 2023

1. I am a pedal steel guitar player and I love the pedal steel on your records. I believe you used Weldon Myrick and Sonny Garrish a lot, and those guys are like Gods and Heroes to me. Who else has played pedal steel for you over the years?

We seem to be getting lots of steel guitar question lately…including two last month. I hope I don’t leave anyone out, but steel players who were part of my Po’ Boys or Po’Folks Bands include the two you mentioned plus Mike Johnson, who was with me the longest of anyone, Bob Lucier, Jack Smith, Wayne Hobbs, Pat Severs, Mike Toppins, Donna Hammitt, and Eddie Lange. Others who were not band members but have played on my records include Buddy Emmons, Jimmy Day, Bobby Garrett, Pete Drake, Doyle Grisham, and most recently, Scotty Sanders. Tommy White continues to play with me from time to time on the Opry. As you can tell, I’ve worked with some of the very best.

2) My favorite album of yours is “Ladies Choice.” Will it ever be released on a CD?

I announced earlier in my August letter that UMG Records has just made another batch of my old albums available for the first time digitally, and according to my calculations, “Ladies Choice” should chronologically be the next in line. The label released seven of my earliest albums a few months ago, and the plan is for them to ultimately re-release everything I ever recorded for them. It’s a painstakingly slow process to transfer the old recordings off analog audio tape and bring them into the digital world, but I know for a fact they are hard at work on it. We just need to be patient a little bit longer.

3) Have you ever thought about writing a collection of stories on other entertainers that you have encountered over the years?

I sort of did that in my “High On The Hog” book, but that was more lighthearted and in fun than anything else. Yes, I’ve thought of it, but I’m not sure the young, book-buying generation would want to read my thoughts on Jim Reeves, Kitty Wells, and others they have either never heard of or have forgotten. Besides, I can write a whole bunch of new songs in the time it would take me to write one book. Right now that’s what I’d rather be doing.

Our Question Of The Month comes from Mark in Arkansas: I watched a video of your exhibit at the Hall of Fame and I wonder how you managed to save all that stuff. I mean most stars don’t manage to keep all their records, their suits, their boots, etc. Is it because, like me, you’re the child of Depression folks, or did you just want to hold on to the history of your career? Did you ever expect an exhibit like that?

No, I was definitely not saving things because I envisioned an exhibit someday. I started saving my recordings early in my career when my dad told me the story of a big-band artist he knew whose records were all destroyed in a fire. His career ended, and he had no record of anything he had ever done. So I hung on to copies of all my 45’s and LP’s and copies of most of the songs I wrote that were recorded by other artists. I could never bring myself to get rid of stage costumes, boots, guitars, etc., just because of their sentimental value. I guess I’ve always been a bit of a pack-rat, and although some things got away, I managed to hold on to most of them. When I’m gone, my kids and grandkids are going to have the biggest yard sale in the history of Nashville!!

Quickies: Is it possible there will ever be a collection of every song you have ever recorded? I would be first in line to buy it. Thank you. I doubt such a collection will ever exist because my music has been released on so many different labels over the years. It would be virtually impossible to pull all those various recordings and recording contracts together. When you are home alone do you sing? Is there always a song going around in your head? Yes, and sometimes it’s hard to turn them off. I sing a lot when I don’t even realize I’m doing it. Like the time I caught myself walking through the grocery store singing, “I was born a Coal Miner’s Daughter!” People looked at me like I was crazy! Is David Allen Coe a member of the Grand Ole Opry. No. Were the Maddox Brothers & Rose ever Opry members? No again. They were once part of the Louisiana Hayride, but ended up doing most of their performing on the west coast. Were you and Dolly in the studio together for the recording of “Someday…”? I’ll bet she was a hoot to work with. We were not together for the actual recording of the song, but obviously we were in the studio together for the filming of the video. And, yes, she is definitely a lot of fun to work with. Thank you for all the wonderful years of listening and dancing to your music…mostly on the car radio. Thanks, but I hope you weren’t dancing while you were driving! If so, you need to stop that stuff right now! Fasten your seat belt, sit down and behave!

I’m sorry…I couldn’t resist that. Thanks for your questions this month, and we’ll do it again right here in September. If you’re curious about something connected to me or to country music, send your question to askbill@billanderson.com and I’ll try my best to answer. If yours is chosen our Question Of The Month you’ll win a free item of your choice from our online store. See you next time.

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September 5, 2023

ASK BILL!
1) I recently found an RCA record by Don Bowman with a parody of your song, “Still.” It says it’s from an album called “Whispering Country.” Can you provide any information about this record?
Don Bowman was the comedian on my syndicated television show from the late sixties into the early seventies, and he loved to tease and pick on me. He, in fact, was the first person to ever refer to me as “Whisperin’ Bill.” He came up with the concept of doing an entire album of parodies on my songs, “Still” being one of them. The album was called “Whispering Country,” and the cover photo showed Don standing over a table of my albums about to chop them to pieces with a meat cleaver. He “butchered” my songs all right, but in a funny and creative way. Don had a tremendous sense of humor and was a dear and valued friend.
2) Why are your CDs and other merchandise not shipped to the UK?
We used to ship our merchandise all over the world, but in recent years international shipping has become not only very expensive but very complicated. As you might expect, there are different rates, rules, and regulations for shipping to each country. We are not a large enough company to afford a computer program sophisticated enough to figure all the various international costs. However, if any of our overseas fans would like to order a specific item and have it shipped to you, contact judy@billanderson.com and ask for the cost of shipping to your particular address. She will manually figure the cost for you, and if you have a Pay Pal account you’ll be able to order. Sorry….I wish it were easier, but like so many things these days, it simply is not.
3) Recently we were watching the Country’s Family Reunion DVD where Jan Howard read her poem about her thoughts on growing older. Do you know of any way to get a copy of that? Yes…you have come to the right place. A man named Ron Harmon is the administrator of Jan’s website, and a free printed copy of Jan’s poem, entitled “Aging”, is available through him. The e-copies are free, and you can request one by e-mailing Ron at JanHowardWebsite@comcast.net. For those of you who might like a hard copy via snail mail, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Ron Harmon, 101 Cottage Place, Nashville, TN. 37214, and he will send you  one by return mail.
Our Question Of The Month comes from Byron in Ohio: When I was at the Opry last year, Don Schlitz was on and did a great job. I noticed that he had a notebook on a music stand which I assume contained the lyrics to his songs. He glanced at it ever so often. My thought was that he has written so many songs that it was hard for him to remember the lyrics. I know you have also written hundreds of songs, and I wonder if you remember the words to every song that you’ve written? At times do you have to refer to a “cheat sheet” if you’re singing a song you haven’t done in a while?
I don’t know anyone who remembers the words to all of their songs. People say, “You wrote it…you should remember it,” but that’s not always the case. I forget the words sometimes, and not just to songs I haven’t done in a while. Not long ago I stood on the Opry stage and couldn’t for the life of me remember second verse of “Wherever She Is,” a song I do quite often on the show. One of the background singers finally had to clue me in. I don’t have a notebook like Don, but I will occasionally ask the Opry staff to put the lyrics to one of my songs on the teleprompter. And there have been other times where I’ve simply re-written the song as I sang it. I laugh and tell the audience, “Well, I wrote it the first time, I guess I can write it again if I want to!”
Quickies: Do you have any news on Helen Cornelius? I know she has had a few health challenges and is basically retired. I would love to hear that she is doing well. We would like to hear that, too, but unfortunately I’m afraid that’s not the case. We all need to keep Helen in our thoughts and prayers. I see you are performing frequently at the Opry. Do you have plans to go back on the road anytime soon? I try to never say never, but I really don’t. With my songwriting, recording, Opry appearances, and the time I enjoy spending with my friends and family, climbing back on a tour bus right now is not high on my list of priorities. I miss the shows and miss being with the fans, but it’s awfully nice to sleep in my own bed every night. My favorite gospel group has always been the Happy Goodman Family. I know your former steel guitar player, Jack Smith, was at one time married to Howard and Vestal Goodman’s daughter. I am curious as to what years he played with you. My memory is not good enough to remember the exact dates, but Jack came with me somewhere in the mid-seventies and stayed until the early eighties. He left Nashville a few years ago and sadly was killed in a car wreck in Arizona not long afterward.
Thanks again for your questions this month, although I didn’t receive as many as I usually do. Don’t be shy…if you have something to do with me or country music that you’d like to know about, write me at askbill@billanderson.com and I’ll try to satisfy your curiosity. If yours is chosen our Question Of The Month you’ll win any item of your choice from our online store absolutely free. See you back here again next month.
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Ask Bill – July 3, 2023

1) I remember watching The Bill Anderson Show every week when I was about 12-years old. I wouldn’t miss it for anything. Is there any chance of ever seeing reruns? I’ve been a fan for over 50-years.

Thank you. Sadly, most of those old shows, which I hosted for nine years, have been erased or the tapes have been destroyed. There are about 25 of the programs that have managed to survive, however, and I would like nothing better than to make them available to our fans. But….there are multitudes of legal issues surrounding payment to the musicians and guest stars who appeared on those shows, and I’ve been advised to not try and release them at this time. Maybe someday.

2) I just read your comment in the last newsletter about the song, “At The Time.” How come and why did you mention Big Spring, Texas? I was born and raised and still live there, and wonder why you mentioned it in your song.

Weldon Myrick, one of the greatest steel guitar players of all time, was in my band years ago and he was from Big Spring. (He used to get mad when people added an “s” and called it Big Springs!) When I was writing the song, I needed the name of a town that was a complete opposite in character to Paris, France…and one whose name was four syllables in length. I remembered Weldon and Big Spring and it just seemed to check all the boxes ….even if Johnny Carson didn’t like it!

3) When your exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame ends in September, what happens to all the items after that? Will they not still be on display or what?

I did not GIVE my memorabilia to the Hall of Fame. I only LOANED it to them. So, technically I can ask for it back when the exhibit closes. Frankly, I plan to let them keep many of the items to use as they see fit, although I would like my guitars and a few of the more personal things returned to me. Some of the items will be taken back Commerce, Georgia, where they will be on display outside the entrance to the Bill Anderson Performing Arts Center there. Other items belong to the University of Georgia special libraries collection and will be moved back there. It’s been such an honor to have had the exhibit open for almost the past two years, and I’m so happy to know that over a million people have seen it. I’m sure I’ll feel a twinge of sadness when it comes down.

4) Our Question Of The Month comes from Kenneth in Utah and is a good one: Since you are an amazing songwriter, which of the following qualifications are required in order to be a solid songwriter: 1) Extremely high IQ; 2) An excellent vocabulary; 3) A gift from God; 4) A special talent for writing; 5) A great imagination; 6) A college degree or other formal training; 7) All of the above???

Whoa….let me think about this for a minute. I’m not sure any of the qualifications you mentioned are “required,” although to a certain degree I guess all of them would help. The vocabulary and imagination would be great assets particularly in lyric writing. I don’t know that a songwriter has to have an “extremely” high IQ although it probably wouldn’t hurt. The college degree or other formal training is not all that important even though it might come in handy. I’ve often said my songs are a “gift from God”  (“I held the pencil but He wrote this song”), and I’ve felt that He has smiled on my creative career from the get-go. Qualifications you didn’t mention would include determination…desire…and the ability to handle rejection.  A songwriter hears “no” a whole lot more than he hears “yes”!

Quickies: Who played steel guitar on your recording of “Wild Weekend.” Sonny Garrish, and I credit his great picking for much of the success that record enjoyed. And while we’re on the subject of steel guitars: Did Weldon Myrick play steel on “Bright Lights & Country Music? And when did Donna Hammit start playing for you? Yes, “Bright Lights” was the last record of mine that Weldon played on. Donna played steel in my band from January, 1996, until December, 2003. If you could do only one thing for the rest of your career would you pick songwriting or performing? Songwriting. Is Stonewall Jackson still living? No. He died December 4, 2021. Is the song “The Dream Never Dies” on any of your albums or CD’s? I don’t think so. It was only released on a 45rpm single and was a well-kept secret. What was the name of the group that came to Fan Fair every year at the fairgrounds and provided a meal for the fans? It was a group called the Odessa Chuck Wagon Gang from Odessa, Texas, and they were wonderful. Have you ever written a book about your life? Yes, two of them. You mentioned that you did a duet with Dolly Parton and David Allen Coe. What was the name of the song? No, you misunderstood what I said. I said that I had recorded duets with people as diverse as Dolly (Someday It’ll All Make Sense) and David (Get A Little Dirt On Your Hands.) I don’t think the world is ready for a record by Dolly, David, and Whisperin’ Bill!

So many good questions this month, and I hope you’ll keep ’em coming. If you’re curious about anything related to me or to country music let me know and I’ll try to answer any questions you might have. Write me at askbill@billanderson.com, and remember if you submit our Question Of The Month you’ll get any item you’d like from our online store free of charge. I’ll look forward to hearing from you, and I’ll see you back here in August.

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Ask Bill – June 1, 2023

1) When they make shows or movies about country artists such as George & Tammy, Hank Williams Sr., and Johnny Cash, do you watch them? Or is it hard because you knew them in real life and maybe have a sense of what is real and what is fiction when it comes to their stories?

I do try to watch most of them, but sometimes it’s a bit difficult to swallow the Hollywood version of what I know really took place. Admittedly, some stick closer to the facts than others. I recall asking Hank Williams’ longtime steel guitar player, Don Helms, what he thought of the first movie about his former boss, “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” when it initially came out back in the sixties. He replied, “It’s all right if you like fiction.” In a way that pretty much sums up the overall genre for me.

2) Do you ever visit the cemetery to pay respect to some of your friends from the music business?

I don’t make a habit of hanging out in cemeteries, but, yes, I do visit the final resting places of some of my friends from time to time. It’s a bit difficult, though, because many of them are not buried in Nashville. And even among those who are, they are not interred in any one specific location. You can spend an entire day driving from one cemetery to another and still not get to them all.

3) In the 80’s there was a PBS series that used your recording, “Ride Off In The Sunset,” at the beginning and end of each episode. Do you know if the song was written specifically for that program or was it just chosen as the theme?

I never knew exactly how that particular recording got selected as the theme song to the series, “Six Gun Heroes,” but I’m glad that it did. I couldn’t believe the tremendous reaction I got from it. People who never heard of Bill Anderson became acquainted with me through those programs. Curly Putman and Bobby Braddock didn’t write the song specifically for the show, but it was a stroke of good fortune for us all when it was chosen.

4) Our Question Of The Month comes from Dave in California: One night during the Stump The Band segment of his show, Johnny Carson called the song you wrote for Jean Shepard in 1974 called, “At The Time,” the worst song he had ever heard. Did you ever get an apology from him? Or did you consider it a backhanded compliment that you got mentioned on his show?

I was a big Johnny Carson fan, and I happened to be watching the night someone in his audience tried to stump the band with my song. The man chose one of the “comparison” lines in the song…”If you’ve never had filet mignon..peanut butter tastes just fine”….or “If you’ve never been to Paris, France…Big Spring, Texas will suit you fine”….and Johnny went ballistic. He screamed, “That’s the worst song I have EVER heard!” as the audience roared. I got a big kick out of it and never asked for, nor did I expect, an apology. He didn’t mention my name, but I wouldn’t have cared. I don’t embarrass easily. Hey, I wrote “Peel Me A ‘Nanner,” too, remember??

Quickies: Do you have any plans to return to Commerce, Georgia, anytime soon? We love you here! And I love Commerce, too. I call it my “adopted hometown,” and I try to get back there as often as I can. Hopefully, I can arrange another visit sometime soon. Many years ago I had the pleasure of meeting you at a PoFolks Restaurant in San Diego. Do you know whatever happened to that wonderful chain of restaurants? Sadly, the chain filed for bankrupcty protection back in the mid-90’s. Only a few of the stores remain open, mostly in the panhandle area of Florida. I’d love to bite into one of those big fluffy biscuits ‘n cream gravy right about now! You and Jeannie Seely often appear on the Grand Ole Opry on the same nights. Have you ever considered doing some of the duets each of you has recorded at some time? I assume you mean the duets Jeannie sang with Jack Greene and the ones I recorded with Jan Howard and Mary Lou Turner. We’ve never talked about it, but it might be fun to try sometime. Why did you only record one record with the Swanee label, and why is the picture on the back of your new CD different from the back of the original LP? Swanee didn’t stay in business long enough for me to do more than the one album. We couldn’t find the negative from the original picture on the back cover, so we used the closest thing we could find. And before I sign off here, I was wrong last month when I wrote that my recording of “Suppertime” was never released on a compact disc. A label in the U.K. called Fat Boy Records released it on a CD titled, “I Wonder If God Likes Country Music.” Thanks to several of you for pointing that out.

And thanks, too, for sending in lots of interesting questions this month. If you’re curious about something connected my career or to country music in general you can ask me about it at AskBill@BillAnderson.com and I’ll do my best to answer. Submit our Question of the Month and win free merchandise from our online store. See you back here again in July.