Bill Anderson
There's an old saying: "If you want someone's attention, whisper."
Bill Anderson has been using that philosophy for over thirty years to capture the attention of millions of country music fans around the world, en route to becoming one of the most popular and most enduring entertainers of our time.
He's known, in fact as "Whispering Bill," a nickname hung on him years ago as a result of his breathy voice and his warm, soft approach to singing a country song. His credentials, however, shout his prominence: One of the most awarded songwriters in the history of country music, a million-selling recording artist many times over, television game show host, network soap opera star, spokesman for a nationwide restaurant chain, and a consummate on stage performer. His back-up group, The Po' Folks Band, has long been considered one of the finest instrumental and vocal groups in the business.
Bill Anderson was born in Columbia, South Carolina, but spent most of his growing-up years around Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from the University Of Georgia with a degree in journalism, having worked his way through college as a disc jockey on nearby radio stations. It was while he was still in school that he began performing and writing songs. At the age of nineteen he composed the country classic, "City Lights," and began rapidly carving his place in musical history.
He moved to Nashville, Tennessee, secured a recording contract with Decca Records and began turning out hit after hit with songs like "Po' Folks," "Mama Sang a Song," "The Tips Of My Fingers, " "8X10," and the unforgettable country and pop smash, "Still." His compositions have been recorded by such diverse musical talents as Ray Price, Porter Wagoner, Debbie Reynolds, Ivory Joe Hunter, Kitty Wells, Faron Young, Lawrence Welk, Dean Martin, Aretha Franklin, Jerry Lee Lewis, Walter Brennan, and many others.
Bill has been voted Songwriter Of The Year six times, Male Vocalist of the Year, half of the Duet Of The Year with both Jan Howard and Mary Lou Turner, has hosted and starred in the CMT Series Of The Year, seen his band voted Band Of The Year, and in 1975 was voted membership in the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame. Ten years later, the state of Georgia honored him by choosing him as only the seventh living performer inducted into the Georgia Music Hall Of Fame. In 1993, he was made a member of the Georgia Broadcasters' Hall Of Fame. In 1994, South Carolina inducted him into their Music and Entertainment Hall Of Fame.
In 1995, Billboard magazine named four Bill Anderson compositions--"City Lights," "Once A Day," "Still," and "Mama Sang A Song"--among the Top 20 Country Songs of the past 35 years. No other songwriter had as many songs listed.
An entertainer in every sense of the word, Bill Anderson was the first country artist to host a network game show, starring on ABC-TV's, The Better Sex. He also appeared for three years on ABC's Daytime soap opera, One Life To Live. For six years he hosted a country music game show on The Nashville Network called Fandango and somehow found time to be co-producer of another TNN show, You Can Be A Star. In addition, Bill has appeared frequently as a guest star on television's top variety and game shows, including The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Match Game, Family Feud, Hee Haw, and others.
Bill Anderson's autobiography, Whisperin' Bill, was published by Longstreet Press in 1989 and relates the fascinating details of his life and lengthy career in show business. Bill's second book, a humorous look at the music business titled, l Hope You're Living As High On The Hog As The Pig You Turned Out To Be, was published in late 1993.
Bill Anderson continues to paint a broad stroke across the Nashville music scene. He has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1961 and performs there regularly. In addition, he hosts the popular TNN show Opry Backstage twenty-six Saturday nights a year. Curb Records recently released both a Best Of Bill Anderson package and an inspirational album titled, Country Music Heaven, on compact disc and cassette tape. A new Bill Anderson collection for Warner Bros. Records is scheduled for an early 1998 release.
Despite his hectic schedule and the demands of his multi-faceted business enterprises, Bill has made a renewed commitment to his first love--songwriting. "I feel like I've come full circle," he smiles, "because songwriting is what got me to Nashville in the first place." Anderson songs can be heard on recent releases by Vince Gill, Steve Wariner, Lorrie Morgan, Tracy Byrd, Ricochet, Alabama, Wade Hayes, and others, serving notice that the first thirty-plus years may well have been only the beginning.
