He moved to Nashville, Tennessee, secured a recording contract with Decca Records, and began turning out hit after hit with songs like PoFolks, Mama Sang A Song, The Tips Of My Fingers, 8X10, and the unforgettable country and pop smash, Still. His compositions were recorded by such diverse musical talents as Ray Price, Porter Wagoner, James Brown, Debbie Reynolds, Ivory Joe Hunter, Kitty Wells, Faron Young, Lawrence Welk, Dean Martin, Jerry Lee Lewis, Aretha Franklin, Walter Brennan and many others. [61], Anderson's artistic directions continued expanding into the 2000s. For six years he hosted a country music game show on The Nashville Network called, Fandango, later an interview show called Opry Backstage, and somehow found time to be co-producer of another TNN Show called, You Can Be A Star. In addition, Bill has appeared frequently as a guest star on televisions top variety and game shows, including The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Match Game, Family Feud, Hee Haw and others. Filming was later moved to the General Electric Broadcasting Facility in Nashville, Tennessee. Bill Anderson, who is officially known as James William Anderson iii, is a country song musician, television personality, and songwriter. In 1965 Anderson appeared on the reality game show To Tell The Truth. He also co-produced the The Nashville Network show, You Can Be a Star!, which was hosted by fellow country singer Jim Ed Brown. [123] The pair separated in 1968 and officially divorced in 1969. "From the beginning, I liked Connie a lot personally and tried to help her", he recalled in his 2016 autobiography. Anderson was unable to have enough advertisers support his radio station, causing it to fail. He grew up in Griffin, Georgia and Decatur, Georgia. [81], Anderson also wrote material for pop artists during this time. Bill Anderson is a popular songwriter, country music singer and television personality from America. Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina, United States. [85] In a 2020 interview with American Songwriter, Anderson also explained that the country market was shifting towards crossover pop. [134] He was ranked among the "100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time" in a 2017 list compiled by Rolling Stone. Too bad most of it is so boring to listen to", Chadbourne concluded. He met his first wife, Bette (ne Rhodes), in the late 1950s through a mutual friend. Anderson's first Decca released was issued in December 1958 called "That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome". [15] The single became a major country hit after reaching number three in December 1960. . Anderson has released. He is also known as "Whisperin' Bill" due to his soft vocal style and spoken narrations. His soft-spoken singing voice was given the nickname "Whispering Bill" by music critics and writers. References^ Bill Anderson at All Music Guide ^ Bill Anderson biography at All Music ^ Bill Anderson at All Music Guide ^ Bill Anderson biography at All Music Guide ^ Bill Anderson biography at All Music Guide ^ Bill Anderson biography at All Music Guide ^ Bill Anderson at his Official Website ^ Bill Anderson biography at his official site ^ Bill Anderson biography at his official site ^ Bill Anderson biography at his official website ^ Bill Anderson biography at his official website (Bill Anderson.com) ^ Bill Anderson at His Official Website ^ Bill Anderson at GACTV.com ^ Bill Anderson biography at gactv.com Georgia Magazine, September 2006, Vol. City lights, which are a composition written by Bill during his time in WJJC-AM in Georgia, were produced and recorded by Ray Price and Mickey Gilley. 1 spot, the longest by any female Country music singer. Disney producer and board member By Variety Staff Bill Anderson, one of Walt Disney's most prolific and trusted film and TV producers and a 24-year veteran of the Disney board of directors,. Chet Flippo of Country Music Television called it "a terrific album of country and gospel songs done up with bluegrass instrumentation". His songwriting led to his first recording contract with Decca Records the same year. [19] The success of "Po' Folks" led Anderson to receive an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry cast. It was released on Varse Sarabande, which Anderson distributed music through in conjunction with his own record label, TWI. [15], Following several more hits, Anderson reached the number one position for a fifth time in May 1969 with "My Life (Throw It Away If I Want To)". [56] In 1998, Anderson was signed to Warner Bros. Records as part of a veterans artists project that included Ronnie Milsap and Connie Smith. In 1964, Connie Smith had her first major hit with his composition "Once a Day". He grew up in Griffin, Georgia and Decatur, Georgia. [6] His early Decca singles were entirely self-composed. He is also the member of the longest-running radio broadcast in the history of the United States "Grand Ole Opry" which was founded in the year 1925. [122] Bette also contributed to her husband's writing career when she co-wrote the 1965 song, "I Can't Remember". However, he was fired after playing country records over the air and was then hired at WJJC in Commerce, Georgia. The song became a major country pop crossover hit and was followed by a series of top ten hits. [27] The LP reached number ten on the Billboard country albums chart in January 1964[28] and the top 40 of the Billboard 200 in late 1963. [76] During this time, he wrote two hits for Porter Wagoner, including 1964's "I'll Go Down Swinging". The project was produced by Steve Wariner and his wife Caryn. [29], The success of "Still" further elevated Anderson's recording career. Bills second book, a humorous look at the music business titled, I Hope Youre Living As High On The Hog As The Pig You Turned Out To Be, was published in 1993. In addition, his touring band was hired as the show's stage band. His height is 1.71 m tall, and his weight is 68 kg. According to Howard, it was difficult to keep up with the busy touring schedule. Early hits like "Po' Folks" (1961), "Mama Sang a Song" (his first number one, from 1962), and "8 X 10" (number two, 1963) still remain among his best-known. [53] The album also spawned four singles that became minor hits on the country songs chart, including the title track. Hot 100 1958 "That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome" 12 - - 1960 "The Tip of My Fingers"" 7 - Country Heart Songs 1960 "Walk Out Backwards" 9 - Country Heart Songs 1961 "Po' Folks" 9 - Country Heart Songs 1962 "Mama Sang a Song" 1 89 Country Heart Songs 1962 "Get a Little Dirt on Your Hands" 14 - Still 1963 "Still"A 1 8 Still 1963 "Eight by Ten" 2 53 Bill Anderson Sings 1963 "Five Little Fingers/Easy Come, Easy Go" 5/14 - Bill Anderson Sings 1964 "Three A.M." 8 - Showcase 1965 "Certain" 12 - Showcase 1966 "Bright Lights and Country Music" 11 - Bright Lights and Country Music 1966 "I Love You Drops/Golden Guitar" 4/11 - Bright Lights and Country Music/I Love You Drops 1966 "I Know You're Married (But I Love You Still)" (w/ Jan Howard) 29 - - 1966 "I Get the Fever" 1 - I Love You Drops 1967 "Get While the Gettin's Good" 5 - Get While the Gettin's Good 1967 "No One's Gonna Hurt You Anymore" 10 - Wild Weekend 1967 "For Loving You" (w/ Jan Howard) 1 - For Loving You 1968 "Wild Weekend" 2 - Wild Weekend 1968 "Happy State of Mind" 2 - Happy State of Mind 1969 "My Life (Throw It Away If I Want To)" 1 - My Life/But You Know I Love You 1969 "But You Know I Love You" 2 - My Life/But You Know I Love You 1969 "If It's All the Same to You" (w/ Jan Howard) 2 - If It's All the Same to You 1970 "Love Is a Sometimes Thing" 5 - Love Is a Sometimes Thing 1970 "Where Have All Our Heroes Gone" 6 93 Where Have All Our Heroes Gone 1970 "Someday We'll Be Together" (w/ Jan Howard) 4 - Bill and Jan or Jan and Bill 1971 "Dis-Satisfied" (w/ Jan Howard) 4 - Bill and Jan or Jan and Bill 1971 "Always Remember" 6 - Always Remember 1971 "Quits" 3 - Greatest Hits Volume 2 1972 "All the Lonely Women in the World" 5 - All the Lonely Women in the World 1972 "Don't She Look Good" 2 - Don't She Look Good 1973 "If You Can Live With It (I Can Live Without It)" 2 - Bill 1973 "Corner of My Life" 2 - Bill 1974 "World of Make Believe" 1 - Bill 1974 "Can I Come Home to You" 24 - Whispering Bill Anderson 1974 "Every Time I Turn the Radio On" 7 - Every Time I Turn the Radio On/Talk to Me Ohio 1975 "I Still Feel the Same About You" 14 - Every Time I Turn the Radio On/Talk to Me Ohio 1975 "Country D.J." He has the sexiest voice I have ever heard. He was dropped from his record label in the early 1980s and began a brief career in television which included hosting the game shows The Better Sex and Fandango. Ten years later, the State of Georgia honored him by choosing him as only the 7th living performer inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Konc also praised 2006's "Give It Away", calling it an "instant classic". At the age of nineteen, he composed the country classic, City Lights, and began rapidly carving his place in musical history. Anderson recorded his biggest hit and signature song, the partly spoken ballad "Still," in 1963, and it not only topped the country charts, but crossed over to the pop Top Ten as well. In the city, he brought compositions for artists and producers to record. In the mid-nineties, after a ten-year self-imposed hiatus, Bill returned to his first love, songwriting, and for the second time in his life cut a wide path across the creative landscape. SinglesYear Single Peak positions Album U.S. Country U.S. The couple remained married for ten years. Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Anderson_%28singer%29" Artist descriptions on Last.fm are editable by everyone. [25] The track was also his first single to become a hit on the Billboard easy listening chart, reaching number three that June. Thank you sir, I was on fandango in the 80s & had the time of my life. He is best known by his nickname 'Whispering Bill Anderson' by music critics and writers. After this, he signed a deal with the Decca Records in Nashville, Tennessee. He continued producing country music that was a big hit in the music industry. Believing they could be a successful recording partnership, the pair approached producer Owen Bradley with the idea of recording together. [8] Anderson's strong interest in baseball continued through high school as well. The song would later be cut by George Strait. Anderson has won many awards in his illustrious career including the Chaplin Award, Academy country music awards, Jury award and others. Broadcasting from Nashville made traveling easier since Anderson lived in the city. Songs including "Love Is a Sometimes Thing", "All the Lonely Women in the World" and "World of Make Believe" became major hits. He has also appeared in other game shows. He is a country and bluegrass singer who has been featured at the Grand Ole Opry for many years. Each song on the album was written, or co-written, by Anderson. [100] Paisley's version was released as a single in 2004 and peaked at number three on the Billboard country chart that year. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); You have entered an incorrect email address! Wolff also noted that other songs exemplified "anti-establishment attitudes" while other songs focused on themes that were "desperately bleak". Born on 12th February 1920, and shadowed by a musician father, Bill's interest in music developed when he was a young boy. [116], Anderson also focused on business opportunities, many of which were unsuccessful. The two reconnected following Anderson's second divorce. The band began performing around the local area, eventually performing on local radio as "The Avondale Playboys". He co-wrote giant hits for Vince Gill (Which Bridge To Cross Which Bridge To Burn), Steve Wariner (Two Teardrops), Mark Wills (Wish You Were Here), Joe Nichols (Ill Wait For You), and Kenny Chesney (A Lot Of Things Different). The album represented a traditional country style, which Anderson called his most traditional effort yet. In his autobiography, he commented, "I've tried to become a businessman a couple of times when I should have kept right on pickin' and grinnin'. [89], In 1992, country artist Steve Wariner recorded Anderson's 1960 hit "The Tip of My Fingers". [80] Smith's career was further facilitated by Anderson, who wrote many of her follow-up hits such as "Then and Only Then", "Cincinnati, Ohio" and "I Never Once Stopped Loving You". Bill Pitman is an outstanding guitarist and the oldest country singer still alive. In 2000, his latest album, A Lot Of Things Different, received rave reviews. [102] Later that decade, Anderson collaborated with other writers to compose "Joey" for the country duo Sugarland. [115] He remained with Fandango until 1989. Bill Anderson, as a country music artist, has achieved many notable awards and nominations. In November 2002, BMI named Bill its first country songwriting Icon, placing him alongside R&B legends Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and James Brown as the only recipients of that award. She was married to country songwriter Harlan . He currently hosts Bill Anderson Visits With The Legends on XM satellite radio. His second marriage was to Bette Anderson. Anderson took full advantage of his big break, moving to Nashville and landing a record contract of his own with Decca. As the decade progressed his style moved towards the Countrypolitan sub-genre of country music, with songs such as "I Can't Wait Any Longer". View all concerts Wichita, KS, US Change location 7,216 fans get concert alerts for this artist. [1][35] The new sound was reflected in his latest albums and singles. The song crossed over to the pop chart, peaking at number eight. [6], Anderson had dabbled with journalism before enrolling in university. His follow-up album, Ladies Choice (1979), only reached number 44 on the country albums chart. [12], Anderson graduated from college in 1959. July 15, 2006 marked Anderson's 45th year as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He also hosts several television shows which also helped in increasing his net worth. [38] In the mid 1960s, he began performing duets with country artist Jan Howard, who was also on Decca Records. John David Anderson (born December 13, 1954) [2] is an American country music singer and songwriter with a successful career that has lasted more than 40 years. He was also wrote Smith's "Cincinnati, Ohio" in 1967, among others. Bill Anderson Death Fact Check Bill is alive and kicking and is currently 85 years old. January 3, 2021 Primal Information Bill Anderson Biography Bill Anderson born James William Anderson III, is an American country music singer, songwriter and television personality. I saw Bill Anderson at a place in Jennersville PA. Bill Anderson was born on November 1, 1937 and is 85 years old now. [114] Anderson was then invited to join the cast of the TNN competition program You Can Be a Star. In 2003, Anderson was arrested after being accused by Marlin of hitting her with his car door. Bill Anderson Marriages Bill Anderson Relationships, Zina Bash Biography, Age, Husband, Children, Alt-Right, Net Worth, Immigration and Twitter, Eleanor Carol Leavell Barr Wiki, Age, Suicide, Andy Barr Wife, Children, Family, Net Worth, Lauren Zima Wiki, Age, Boyfriend, Husband, Images, Salary, Net Worth, Instagram, Tyler Braden Wikipedia, Age, Bio, Wife, Married, Parents, Songs, Height, American Song Contest, Net Worth, Instagram, God is Great, God is Good: Over 40 Gospel Favorites, Whispering Bill Andersons Greatest Hits II, Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow (Double Record Set), Bill Anderson Hosts Backstage At The Grand Ole Opry, Billy Boy & Mary Lou (Duet with Mary Lou Turner), Gentle On My Mind (Pickwick Label-Canada), The Bill Anderson Story, His Greatest Hits (Re-issue), Its All The Same To You (Duet w/Jan Howard), The Bill Anderson Story (Double record album), Bill Andersons Country Style (Vocalion label). He even became a DJ in the WGAU and started songwriting and performing. In 2002, Broadcast Music, Inc. named Anderson its first country music songwriting Icon, placing him alongside R&B legends Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and James Brown as the only recipients of that prestigious award. [95] The song was also nominated for a Grammy award. [60] He began taking new artistic directions with his next studio release, A Lot of Things Different (2001). For that reason, he found it difficult to write material for other artists. The song ultimately led to a successful songwriting career in country music. In another case, Bill Anderson might be a stranger, fortunately for you we have compiled all you need to know about Bill Andersons biography-wiki, his personal life, todays net worth as of 2023, his age, height, weight, career, professional life, and more facts. His parents are Elizabeth Smith and James William Anderson Jr. Bill attended the University of Georgia to pursue a bachelors degree in Journalism. In his 2016 autobiography, Anderson described his childhood as "average", recalling that he "never went to bed hungry" even though the family did not have many material possessions. This net worth has been amassed from his work as a songwriter, singer, and television personality. The album "Still" also peaked at No. He grew up in different areas of Georgia. I love you Bill, Still. [35] Steve Huey of Allmusic called his voice "airy" and "gentle". He won Song Of The Year honors in both 2005 and 2007 for helping to write Whiskey Lullaby for Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss and Give It Away for George Strait. Bill Anderson was patient when it comes to real success in Country music. Here's everything you need to know By age five, Pitman had mastered how to play piano, trumpet, and guitar. Bill Anderson or James William Anderson III was born on November 1, 1937, in Columbia, South Carolina to James William Anderson and Elizabeth Smith. He has also been a stage performer in Nashville, Tennessee, for the past over five decades. Later he attended Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication where he earned his degree in journalism. "I was totally disillusioned by something I love", he wrote in 2016. [32] His 1966 studio release reached number one on the same chart. [15] After the release of his final MCA album in 1980, he was dropped from the label. [35] Anderson had discovered Smith after hearing her perform in a talent contest near Columbus, Ohio. This included The Las Vegas Hillbillys, which featured country artists Sonny James and Connie Smith. He managed his way through college as a DJ on radio stations. Well, if your all set, here is what I know. Connect your Spotify account to your Last.fm account and scrobble everything you listen to, from any Spotify app on any device or platform. [11] He and several students formed a country band called the "Classic City Playboys" and began playing local events. On his 1971 release, Always Remember, Greg Adams of Allmusic commented that it "confounds expectations" for delivering original vocal performances of songs first cut by Kris Kristofferson and Kenny Rogers. "Still" was Anderson's second number one on the country chart, staying at the top spot for seven non-consecutive weeks. [67][68] In 2018, his 44th studio effort, Anderson, was issued and featured a collaboration with Jamey Johnson.