Bill Anderson (singer)
James William Anderson III (born November 1, 1937), known professionally as Bill Anderson, is an American country music singer, songwriter, and television host. His soft-spoken singing voice was given the nickname "Whispering Bill" by music critics and writers.[1] As a songwriter, his compositions have been covered by various music artists since the late 1950s, including Ray Price and George Strait.
Bill Anderson
- Singer
- songwriter
- television host
1957–present
-
Bette Rhodes(m. 1959; div. 1969)
-
Becky(m. 1970; div. 1997)
Vickie Salas (2008–2019)
3
Whispering Bill
- Decca/MCA
- Southern Tracks
- Swanee
- Po' Folks
- Curb
- Warner Bros.
- Varèse Sarabande
- Madacy
- TWI
Anderson was raised in Decatur, Georgia, and began composing songs while in high school. While enrolled in college, he wrote the song "City Lights", which later became a major hit for Ray Price in 1958. His songwriting led to his first recording contract with Decca Records the same year. Anderson began having major hits shortly thereafter. In 1963, he had released his most successful single in his recording career, "Still". The song became a major country pop crossover hit and was followed by a series of top ten hits. These songs included "I Love You Drops", "I Get the Fever" and "Wild Week-End". His songs were being notably recorded by other artists. In 1964, Connie Smith had her first major hit with his composition "Once a Day". In 1971, Cal Smith had a number one single with Anderson's "The Lord Knows I'm Drinking".
In the 1970s, Anderson continued having major hits as a recording artist as well. Songs including "Love Is a Sometimes Thing", "All the Lonely Women in the World" and "World of Make Believe" became major hits. As the decade progressed his style moved towards the polished countrypolitan genre of country music, with songs such as "I Can't Wait Any Longer". 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. Anderson began writing songs again in the early 1990s for the next generation of country performers. Collaborating with other writers, he wrote material that went on to become hits for Vince Gill, George Strait, Kenny Chesney, and Steve Wariner in the next two decades.
Anderson also continued recording into the 1990s. In 1998, he released his first major label album in over a decade, entitled Fine Wine. He continued releasing music through his own TWI record label. This included projects of gospel and bluegrass material. His most recent studio album was released in 2020. In his career as both a writer and performer, he has received awards from the Academy of Country Music, Country Music Association, Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Recording career[edit]
1958–1962: Early success[edit]
Anderson's own recording career began in 1957 after releasing two singles for the independent label, TNT. Both songs (including his own version of "City Lights") attracted little attention.[14] However, the success brought by Ray Price's version of "City Lights" led Anderson to frequent Nashville, Tennessee. In the city, he brought compositions for artists and producers to record. Owen Bradley of Decca Records was impressed by Anderson's writing and decided to sign him as a recording artist to the label. Anderson officially signed with Decca in the summer of 1958.[6] His early Decca singles were entirely self-composed. Anderson's first Decca released was issued in December 1958 called "That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome".[15] The song became a major hit the following year when it climbed to the number 12 position on the Billboard Hot Country and Western Sides chart.[16] He followed this in 1959 with the top 20 hits "Ninety Nine" and "Dead or Alive".[15]
Songwriting career[edit]
1958–1979: Breakthrough in Nashville[edit]
Anderson's writing career began during the same period as his recording career. His 1958 composition, "City Lights", ultimately led to his songwriting success. In an interview with Ken Burns, Anderson recalled writing the song on a hotel roof: "I was up there one night in 1957 – I was nineteen years old – and I managed to write the 'bright array of city lights as far as I can see'", he recalled.[6] After Anderson's own version was released, it was brought to the attention of country artist Ray Price. It was picked up by his record label and became a number one hit on the national country charts in 1958.[35][1]
Other career contributions[edit]
Film and television[edit]
Between 1965 and 1974, Anderson hosted his own national television series called The Bill Anderson Show.[111] The program also featured Jan Howard (his duet partner) and The Po' Boys (his touring band).[39] The show was first filmed in Windsor, Ontario and Charlotte, North Carolina. Filming was later moved to the General Electric Broadcasting Facility in Nashville, Tennessee. Broadcasting from Nashville made traveling easier since Anderson lived in the city.[39][112] On an average filming day, Anderson taped two thirty-minute shows in front of a live audience.[112] Around this time, he also appeared in several country music vehicle films. This included The Las Vegas Hillbillys, which featured country artists Sonny James and Connie Smith.[113] He also made appearances on several national television shows during this time, including The Today Show.[112]
Personal life[edit]
Anderson has been married twice and has had two documented long-term relationships. He met his first wife, Bette (née Rhodes), in the late 1950s through a mutual friend. The pair married in December 1959. At the time of their marriage, Bette was 19 and Bill was 22. The couple remained married for ten years. Bette gave birth to two daughters during their relationship together.[123] Bette also contributed to her husband's writing career when she co-wrote the 1965 song, "I Can't Remember". It was later recorded by Connie Smith on her 1965 studio album Cute 'n' Country.[124] The pair separated in 1968 and officially divorced in 1969. Reflecting on his divorce in 2016, Anderson believed it was difficult for Bette to understand the music business, causing them to drift apart.[125] Bette Anderson died in 2010 at the age of 69.[126]
In 1970, he married his second wife, Becky. Together the couple had one child.[127] In 1984, Becky was involved in a car accident that caused "25 percent brain impairment." The couple filed a lawsuit against the driver who had crashed into Becky's vehicle. The recovery process took several years.[128] The couple separated in the 1990s before officially divorcing in 1997.[127]
Anderson briefly dated Deborah Marlin following his second divorce. In 2003, Anderson was arrested after being accused by Marlin of hitting her with his car door. He was released from jail the same day.[129]
Anderson began dating Vickie Salas around 2008. The couple had first met years prior when she was 19 and was romantically involved with Anderson's band member. The two reconnected following Anderson's second divorce. "We never married, we never lived together, but she became my everything", Anderson later remembered.[130] In 2016, Salas was diagnosed with cancer. Three years later, the disease intensified and she began receiving hospice care. She died in January 2019.[131]
Legacy and honors[edit]
Writers and music critics have considered Anderson one of country music's most significant songwriters.[35][6][1] Steve Huey of AllMusic called him "one of the most successful songwriters in country music history".[1] Ken Burns of PBS called him an "acclaimed singer-songwriter".[6] In 2019, The Boot further commented on Anderson's legacy: "In fact, one of the most impressive things about Anderson is his versatility: He's the soft voice behind many classic country songs, but he's also the writer or co-writer of plenty of your current favorites."[132] Kevin John Coyne of Country Universe cited Anderson's songwriting as the center of his legacy: "It's been Bill Anderson's songwriting that's kept him topping the country charts for decades longer than even his most successful contemporaries."[135]
In 1975, Anderson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.[111] In 2001, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.[136] In November 2002, BMI named him its first country songwriting icon, placing him alongside R&B artists Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and James Brown as the only recipients of that award.[137] In 2018, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, along with Alan Jackson and John Mellencamp.[138] Anderson has also been placed on several lists of country music's top writers and performers. In 2008, he was ranked 27th on Country Universe's list of the "100 Greatest Men of Country Music".[135] He was ranked among the "100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time" in a 2017 list compiled by Rolling Stone.[139]