Fans – Bill Anderson

FROM BILL

Hi Gang:

The calendar says that summer won’t arrive for another three weeks, but you can’t prove it here in Whisperville. It’s hot and dry, and to quote singer Con Hunley from back in the 80’s, there’s “No Relief In Sight.” Oh well, I’ll just sing “Southern Fried” and keep on truckin’!

We’ve got a busy month coming up with nine concert dates between June 13th and June 30th, plus a night at the Bluebird Cafe for me and Vince Gill and Bobby Tomberlin on the 19th. Check out our full schedule later in the newsletter or at wwwbillanderson.com online. With all the travelling we’ll be doing, I just hope there’s a big ol’ comfortable bed in the back of our tour bus!

I had a lot of fun last month, in particular going back to my adopted hometown of Commerce, Georgia, and presenting the Bill Anderson Scholarship Award at Commerce High School. We’ve been giving out these scholarships since 2012, but as I told you earlier, this was the first time I got to actually go and hand them out myself. Our winners were both thrilled, each planning to pursue music in college. I wish them all the best.

They’ve started something new at the Grand Ole Opry that I got to try out for the first time last week. It’s called the Circle Room Experience, and it’s an add-on opportunity for our fans. It allows purchasers pre-show access to the brand new Circle Room (the former Opry Shop) where you can relax, enjoy food and drink, and receive a brief visit from an artist scheduled later on the show. People have told me for years that they wish they could visit the artists up-close when they come to the Opry, and now is your chance. We only had a few participants the night I was there, but I think when the word spreads that more and more people will show up. The Opry plans to rotate the artists, of course, but I hope I get to do it again soon and often. It was fun.

I’ve got a couple of new songs I’ve had a part in writing being recorded this month, but I’m afraid I’ll jinx them if I tell you too much this far ahead. I’ll tell you more when the time is right. People ask me if I’m still writing and I am. In fact, I just signed the 14th consecutive renewal of my co-publishing agreement with Sony-ATV Publishing. And I’m enjoying writing as much as ever.

I hope to see lots of you during the big CMA Music Fest which kicks off this week, although I’m not participating in it as fully as some years in the past. It’s fun to welcome you to Music City, but don’t be floored if you don’t recognize much of it. I’ve never seen a town grow so fast and change so much in my life. Advice: Bring cool clothes, an umbrella, and all the patience you can muster. The lines are hot and long.

Thanks for continuing to follow us on social media and through our fan club. If you have friends who like our style of country music, encourage them to sign up. As always you can’t beat the price…It’s FREE!

Thanks for everything, and Happy Fathers’ Day coming up to all the dads. I’ll see you back here again next month.

LATEST NEWS

Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Anderson visits Good Day Atlanta

The Write Stuff – “City Lights” | Opry

BILL ANDERSON GUESTS ON “COUNTRY GOLD WITH TERRI CLARK” THIS WEEKEND

ASK BILL

1) As a child I had a stack of used 45-rpm records, among them many of yours. I was particularly taken with one called, “Country Music Died Today.” Now a lot of my friends and I are getting in arguments as to the validity of the song. I’d be interested in knowing if the song actually existed or if I was hallucinating back then.

I can’t say whether you were hallucinating back then or not, but, yes, the song did actually exist. It was written by Curly Putman, Ron Hellard, and Bucky Jones , and I recorded in on an album called, “Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow,” released on the Swanee label. It was the story of someone who thought country music had died, but woke up to realize he had only been dreaming. Hmmmm….???

2) Is there a way I can hear the song, “I Held The Pencil, But He Wrote This Song?”

That is not a song title, but rather a line from inside a song called, “I Can Do Nothing Alone.” That song is on several different releases of mine, including our Double-CD gospel package called, “God Is Great – God Is Good.” You can order it through our website at www.billanderson.com.

3) Are members required to perform so many dates a year at the Grand Ole Opry? And has anyone ever turned down a membership request?

The rules have changed from time to time over the years, but the current rule at the Opry is that a member is required to perform a minimum of ten times per year. I’m not sure how strictly that rule is enforced, nor am I aware of anyone ever turning down a membership offer from the Opry. Rumor has it that It may have happened over the years, but if it has, I’m not able to verify it.

4) How do you hook up with the people you co-write songs with? I find some of the collaborations you have been involved with quite interesting.

So do I. There is no set way that I hook up with my co-writers, most of the time it just “happens.” I’ll run into another writer at the Opry or on Music Row and one of us will say, “Let’s write together sometime,” and oft-times it happens. Other writers will reach out to me, and sometimes our various publishers will put us with people with whom they think we’d be successful. I’ve really enjoyed co-writing over the past 25-years or so, and I’ve managed to be in on the creation of some successful songs plus make some wonderful and long-lasting friendships in the process.

5) Have you ever heard a song by Elton Britt called, “There’s A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere?”

Of course I have. It was a million-seller back during the Second World War. And it’s good to be reminded of the sentiment in that song here in the days between Memorial Day and the 4th Of July.

And thank you for this month’s questions. Stay curious, and send your questions to me in care of askbill@billanderson.com or via snail mail at P.O. Box 888, Hermitage, TN. 37076. See you back here next time.

LATEST PHOTOS

These are the two winners of the Bill Anderson Scholarship at Commerce High School, Sean Mullins and Chantel Dixon. Both plan to study music in college. While I was in Georgia, I stopped by Channel 5 in Atlanta and their Good Day Atlanta show. The anchor, Alyse Eady, talked to me about my career and my growing-up years around Atlanta. I came home to my grandson, Nick Robeson’s, high school graduation and a rare visit with all four Robeson grandkids…L. to R. – Rae, Caroline, Nick, and Greta. Nick cut his eyes away from the camera just as this picture was taken, looking perhaps into his future which will include college to study Media Arts with a focus on videography this fall.

LATEST JOURNAL

I was extremely saddened by the news of Mac Wiseman’s passing over the weekend. My relationship with him went all the way back into the late fifties when he was an executive with Dot Records and called me at WJJC in Commerce wanting to buy my master recording of “City Lights” for his label. When I told him Ray Price had just covered it for Columbia Records, he laughed and said, “Well, never mind!” I worked with Mac when he ran the Wheeling Jamboree, toured with him on many occasions, and welcomed him several times to the circle on Country’s Family Reunion. He probably knew more songs than anyone in country music, and he loved to share them with his friends. He was truly a gentleman in every sense of the word. We’ll miss you, Mac. Thanks for blessing us with your music…and for allowing me to be a small part of your world.