Bill Anderson (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bill Anderson
Anderson in 2022
Born	James William Anderson III (1937-11-01) November 1, 1937 (age 87) Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Georgia
Occupation	Singer songwriter television host
Years active	1957–present
Spouse(s)	Bette Rhodes ​ (m. 1959⁠–⁠1969)​ Becky ​ (m. 1970⁠–⁠1997)​
Partner(s)	Vickie Salas (2008–died 2019)
Children	3
Musical career
Also known as	Whispering Bill
Genres	Country Nashville Sound bluegrass gospel
Labels	Decca/MCA Southern Tracks Swanee Po' Folks Curb Warner Bros. Varèse Sarabande Madacy TWI

James William Anderson III (born November 1, 1937) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and television host. People often call him "Whispering Bill" because of his soft singing voice. He has written many songs that other famous artists have sung since the late 1950s. Some of these artists include Ray Price and George Strait.

Bill Anderson grew up in Decatur, Georgia. He started writing songs when he was in high school. While in college, he wrote "City Lights." This song became a huge hit for Ray Price in 1958. Because of his songwriting, Anderson got his first record deal with Decca Records that same year.

Soon after, Anderson started having his own big hits. In 1963, he released his most successful song, "Still." This song became a major hit on both country and pop music charts. After "Still," he had many more top ten songs. These included "I Love You Drops" and "I Get the Fever". Other artists also recorded his songs. For example, Connie Smith had her first big hit with his song "Once a Day" in 1964.

In the 1970s, Anderson continued to have many hits as a singer. Songs like "Love Is a Sometimes Thing" and "World of Make Believe" became very popular. Later in the 1970s, his music style changed to a smoother country sound called countrypolitan. In the early 1980s, he worked in television, hosting game shows. Anderson started writing songs again in the early 1990s. He wrote hits for new country stars like Vince Gill, George Strait, and Kenny Chesney.

Anderson also kept recording his own music in the 1990s. In 1998, he released Fine Wine, his first major album in over ten years. He also released gospel and bluegrass music on his own record label. His most recent album came out in 2020. Throughout his career, Bill Anderson has won many awards. These include honors from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. He is also in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Early Life and First Songs

Bill Anderson was born James William Anderson III in Columbia, South Carolina. His parents were Elizabeth and James William Anderson Jr. He was the older of two children. His sister, Elizabeth, was born two years later. His father worked as an insurance agent, and his mother was a homemaker.

The family lived in Columbia during his early childhood. When Bill was in third grade, they moved to his grandparents' home in Griffin, Georgia. Soon after, they moved to their own home in Decatur, Georgia. Bill spent the rest of his childhood there. His father opened his own insurance business in Decatur. Bill described his childhood as "average." He said his family always had enough food, even if they didn't have many fancy things.

Anderson briefly attended the University of Georgia in the late 1950s, where he studied journalism.

In school, Bill was active in 4-H and played baseball and football. But he loved music the most. His grandparents played instruments, which inspired him. He became even more interested after watching country musicians on a radio station. This station was right above his father's insurance office. Soon, Bill saved enough money to buy his own guitar. When he was ten, he wrote his first song, "Carry Me Home Texas."

In high school, Bill and his friends started a band. They won a school talent contest. The band, called "The Avondale Playboys," began playing locally. They even performed on local radio. Bill was also a good baseball pitcher in high school. The Chicago Cubs invited him to their training camp. However, Bill decided to go to college instead. He enrolled at the University of Georgia and studied journalism.

Bill had already tried journalism before college. In high school, he wrote for his school newspaper. He also covered sports for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In college, he joined the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He and some friends formed a country band called the "Classic City Playboys." They played at local events. Bill also became interested in working at radio stations. He said, "I knew that night I had to get a job as a disc jockey."

Bill graduated from college in 1959. That summer, he worked as a rock and roll DJ at WGAU in Athens, Georgia. He was fired for playing country music. But then he got a job at WJJC in Commerce, Georgia. In Commerce, Bill wrote "City Lights." This song brought him to Nashville, where his music career truly began.

Singing Career

Early Hits (1958–1962)

Bill Anderson's own singing career started in 1957. He released two songs on a small label called TNT. These songs, including his own version of "City Lights," didn't get much attention. But Ray Price's hit version of "City Lights" brought Bill to Nashville, Tennessee. There, he offered his songs to other artists and producers.

Owen Bradley from Decca Records was impressed by Bill's writing. He signed Bill as a singer in the summer of 1958. Bill wrote all of his early songs for Decca himself. His first Decca song, "That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome," came out in December 1958. It became a hit the next year, reaching number 12 on the Billboard Hot Country and Western Sides chart. In 1959, he had more top 20 hits like "Ninety Nine."

A publicity image of Anderson from his time at Decca Records

In 1960, "The Tip of My Fingers" became his first top ten hit. It reached number seven on the country chart. Many other artists later recorded this song and had hits with it. In 1961, "Po' Folks" reached number nine. Because of this success, Bill was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry cast. He joined that same year. Then came his first number-one hit, "Mama Sang a Song." This song also appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. His early hits were not on albums at first. Decca put them on a collection called Bill Anderson Sings Country Heart Songs in 1962.

"Still" and More Success (1963–1976)

By 1963, Bill Anderson was touring a lot and making many public appearances. He wrote his 1963 song, "Still," after seeing an old girlfriend. He wrote the lyrics late at night on a typewriter. "Still" became the biggest song of his career. In April 1963, it reached number one on the Billboard country chart. It also became a big pop hit, reaching number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was also a hit on the easy listening chart.

The success of "Still" made Bill even more famous. He appeared on national TV shows like American Bandstand. He won awards from music magazines like Billboard and Cashbox. He started doing more concerts and earned more money. Decca Records began releasing his albums more often. His second album, Bill Anderson Sings (1964), reached the top ten on the country albums chart. His 1966 album, I Love You Drops, reached number one. More hit songs like "Bright Lights and Country Music" helped sell these albums.

A promotional single for Anderson in Billboard, 1970

His hits continued through the 1960s, and he wrote many of them himself. "I Love You Drops" (1966) was inspired by a Chuck Berry song. His next self-written song, "I Get the Fever," also became a number-one hit. He had more top ten hits like "Get While the Gettin's Good." During this time, Bill formed his touring band, "The Po' Boys." He also started his own TV show, The Bill Anderson Show.

In the mid-1960s, he began singing duets with country artist Jan Howard. They thought they could be a good singing team. Their producer agreed, and they released their first song in 1965. In 1968, they had their first big hit together, "For Loving You." This song became a number-one hit and led to many more successful duets.

After more hits, Bill reached number one for the fifth time in May 1969 with "My Life (Throw It Away If I Want To)." He also released a gospel album, I Can Do Nothing Alone, in 1967, and a Christmas album in 1969. A collection of his greatest hits also sold well. He continued releasing country albums, sometimes three a year in the early 1970s. These albums had a mix of his own songs and covers of other artists' songs. He had many top ten hits in the early 1970s, including "Love Is a Sometimes Thing" and "The Corner of My Life." In February 1974, he had his first number-one hit in five years with "World of Make Believe."

Later Career and New Directions (1977–Present)

By 1977, Bill Anderson's career saw some changes. His duet partner, Jan Howard, left his record label. She was replaced by Mary Lou Turner. In 1976, Bill and Mary Lou had a number-one hit with "Sometimes." His record label, Decca, also changed its name to MCA Records. Bill's music style changed from soft ballads to more upbeat Countrypolitan songs. This new sound was heard in his albums and songs. In 1977, he had hits with "Head to Toe" and "Still the One." The next year, he had a big hit with the disco-influenced "I Can't Wait Any Longer." This song reached number four on the country chart and also appeared on the pop chart.

In the mid-1980s, Bill focused on other things. He had a short career in television in California. But he still recorded music sometimes. On an independent label, he released Southern Fried in 1983. This album had four songs that became minor hits. In 1986, he released A Place in the Country. This album also had songs that became minor country hits.

Anderson performing at the Grand Ole Opry, 2006

In the early 1990s, Bill focused more on writing songs for others. But he still recorded his own music. His first album of the 1990s was Country Music Heaven (1992). It was a collection of gospel songs, inspired by his grandfather, who was a preacher. In 1998, he signed with Warner Bros. Records. He released his 36th album, Fine Wine. He then started trying new artistic styles. His 2001 album, A Lot of Things Different, had a traditional country sound. Bill said it was his most traditional album yet.

Bill's artistic journey continued in the 2000s. He released a gospel album, Softly & Tenderly, in 2004. A year later, he released a contemporary country album, The Way I Feel. This album included his version of Brad Paisley's "Whiskey Lullaby." In 2007, Bill released his first bluegrass music album, Whisperin' Bluegrass. It featured collaborations with Vince Gill and Dolly Parton.

In 2010 and 2014, Bill released two more albums: Songwriter and Life!. In 2018, his 44th album, Anderson, came out, with a song featuring Jamey Johnson. His 45th album, The Hits Re-Imagined, was released in 2020. It had new versions of his old hits. In June 2022, a collection of his best songs was released. It included a new song with Dolly Parton.

Songwriting Career

Early Success in Nashville (1958–1979)

Bill Anderson's songwriting career started at the same time as his singing career. His song "City Lights" (1958) led to his success as a writer. Bill remembered writing the song on a hotel roof when he was 19. After Bill's own version was released, Ray Price heard it. Price's record label picked it up, and it became a number one country hit in 1958.

American country artist Ray Price was the first to record an Anderson composition.

The success of "City Lights" helped Bill get a contract with the Tree Writing music publishing company in Nashville. This contract allowed him to write songs for himself and for other artists. One of his next hits as a writer was "I Missed Me," sung by Jim Reeves. This song became a major country hit in 1960. Another hit was "I Don't Love You Anymore," recorded by Charlie Louvin in 1964. It became Louvin's biggest solo hit.

That same year, Lefty Frizzell recorded Bill's "Saginaw, Michigan." This song became Frizzell's first number one hit since 1952. Bill also wrote two hits for Porter Wagoner. He wrote "I'll Go Down Swinging" after hearing the song title on a Hank Snow record. Bill also wrote solo hits for his duet partner, Jan Howard. She had major hits with his songs like "Count Your Blessings, Woman" and "Bad Seed."

Bill also wrote several hits for Connie Smith. He even helped her get her first record deal. Bill discovered Connie after hearing her sing in a talent contest. He helped her come to Nashville, where she recorded demo tapes. These tapes were heard by producers at RCA Victor Records. In 1964, Connie signed with the label. Bill's song "Once a Day" was recorded by Connie in 1964. It was her first song and spent eight weeks at number one. This made it his most successful song as a writer at that time. Bill continued to help Connie's career by writing many of her next hits. He also helped her become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Bill also wrote songs for pop artists. In the 1960s, Brenda Lee recorded his song "My Whole World Is Falling Down." This song reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. Other pop artists like James Brown and Aretha Franklin also recorded his songs. However, his most successful songs were recorded by country artists. In 1973, Jean Shepard recorded Bill's "Slippin Away." This song became Shepard's first top-ten hit in four years. Later that decade, Conway Twitty had a number-one hit with Bill's song "I May Never Get to Heaven."

Return to Songwriting (1992–Present)

In 1992, country artist Steve Wariner recorded Bill Anderson's 1960 hit "The Tip of My Fingers." This song became a top-five hit that year. It inspired Bill to start writing again. Bill said, "Steve's version of 'Tips' showed that words, melodies, and emotions can last for decades."

One of his next songs was "Which Bridge to Cross (Which Bridge to Burn)," which he wrote with Vince Gill. They wrote it during a "writing appointment." This is when songwriters meet to create music together. "Which Bridge to Cross" was released by Gill in 1994 and became a major hit. Bill said this song's success helped him gain respect from younger songwriters in Nashville. He started getting calls from other writers and singers who wanted to work with him. Bill wasn't used to writing with others, but he learned to adapt his style.

When Anderson relaunched his songwriting career, his compositions became major hits for artists such as Brad Paisley (left) and George Strait (right).

Bill started co-writing more often in the 1990s. Steve Wariner had another hit in 1999 with Bill's song "Two Teardrops." This song reached number two on the country chart and was nominated for a Grammy award. Around the same time, he worked with Skip Ewing and Debbie Moore on "Wish You Were Here." Mark Wills released this song, and it became a number one hit in 1999. Bill later said this song's success helped him with money problems he had during that time.

He then wrote "A Lot of Things Different" with Dean Dillon. They wrote the song while having breakfast. Kenny Chesney later recorded this song, and his version reached number six in 2003.

Chesney's song was followed by "Whiskey Lullaby," recorded by Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss. Bill wrote this song with Jon Randall. Randall wasn't sure about recording a demo of the song. But Bill believed it could be a hit, so they recorded it late one night. Paisley's version was released in 2004 and reached number three on the country chart. In 2005, "Whiskey Lullaby" won "Song of the Year" at the Country Music Association Awards. Bill remembered jumping up and hugging Brad Paisley when they won.

In 2006, Bill co-wrote "Give It Away" with Jamey Johnson and Buddy Cannon. George Strait later recorded this song. The song was inspired by Johnson's divorce and included a spoken part, which was unusual for country songs at the time. Strait's version was released in 2006 and reached number one. The song later won "Song of the Year" from the CMA Awards. This was Bill's third award from the CMA in three years. Later, Bill worked with other writers to create "Joey" for the duo Sugarland. This song reached the top 20 in 2009. In 2014, Bill co-wrote Mo Pitney's hit "Country."

On July 22, 2023, Bill Anderson was honored as the Grand Ole Opry's longest-serving member. He has been a member for 62 years since 1961.

Other Activities

Television Work

From 1965 to 1974, Bill Anderson hosted his own national TV show, The Bill Anderson Show. His duet partner, Jan Howard, and his band, The Po' Boys, were also on the show. The show was filmed in Canada and North Carolina at first. Later, filming moved to Nashville, Tennessee, which was easier for Bill since he lived there. He would film two thirty-minute shows in front of a live audience on a typical day.

Around this time, he also appeared in some country music movies. These included The Las Vegas Hillbillys, which featured other country artists. He also appeared on national TV shows like The Today Show.

Anderson became a spokesperson for the Po' Folks fast-food company. The company was later bought out by the Krystal hamburger chain (pictured above).

Bill got more involved in television in the late 1970s. From 1977 to 1978, he co-hosted the ABC game show The Better Sex. In 1980, he appeared on two episodes of the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. He played a version of himself. In the 1980s, Bill also hosted Backstage at the Grand Ole Opry and the game show Fandango. Both shows aired on the former Nashville Network (TNN). Bill stayed with Fandango until 1989. He was then invited to join the cast of the TNN competition show You Can Be a Star. Bill helped create the scoring system for the show. His touring band was even hired as the show's stage band.

Bill Anderson also appeared as himself on the TV show To Tell the Truth in 1965.

Business Ventures

Bill Anderson also tried some business ventures. In his autobiography, he said he tried to be a businessman when he should have just stuck to music. In 1975, he bought a radio station in Provo, Utah. But he couldn't get enough advertisers, and the station failed. Six years later, he sold it. He said he was "totally disappointed" by something he loved.

In the 1980s, Bill was a spokesperson for the Po' Folks restaurant chain. The restaurant's name came from his 1961 hit song. Bill signed a three-year contract to appear in their radio and TV commercials. He also allowed them to use his photos and signature. He partnered with the company's vice president to help open more restaurants. Country artist Conway Twitty also joined as a partner. However, some restaurants had money problems. Bill had to pay legal fees. The company was also bought by the larger Krystal fast-food chain. Bill had to pay back money he owed, which almost made him go bankrupt. But with Conway Twitty's help, Bill paid off the company's debts. He later said that his try at the restaurant business "wiped out a large chunk of my life's savings."

Personal Life

Bill Anderson has been married twice. He also had two long-term relationships. He met his first wife, Bette Rhodes, in the late 1950s. They married in December 1959. Bette was 19 and Bill was 22. They were married for ten years. Bette had two daughters during their marriage. Bette also helped Bill with his writing. She co-wrote the 1965 song, "I Can't Remember." This song was later recorded by Connie Smith. Bill and Bette separated in 1968 and their marriage ended in 1969. Bill felt it was hard for Bette to understand the music business, which caused them to grow apart. Bette Anderson passed away in 2010.

In 1970, Bill married his second wife, Becky. They had one child together. In 1984, Becky was in a car accident. The recovery process took several years. Bill and Becky separated in the 1990s and their marriage ended in 1997.

Bill began dating Vickie Salas around 2008. They had met years before when she was 19. Bill and Vickie reconnected after his second marriage ended. Bill said, "We never married, we never lived together, but she became my everything." In 2016, Vickie was diagnosed with cancer. She passed away in January 2019.

Musical Style

As a songwriter, Bill Anderson has created many different kinds of songs. Some writers have called his early songs "cute and sentimental." Examples include "Po' Folks" and "I Love You Drops." Other songs showed "anti-establishment attitudes" or focused on sad themes. For example, "Whiskey Lullaby" (2004) is about "heartbreak and loss." "Give It Away" (2006) is called an "instant classic." In an interview, Bill said he loves how country music tells stories and makes you feel emotions. He hopes future generations will find his lyrics "clever."

Anderson and Arkansas Congressman Rick Crawford, 2017

Bill Anderson also has a unique singing style. After signing with Decca Records, he was nicknamed "Whisperin' Bill Anderson." This is because of his soft, quiet way of singing. Many of his songs include both singing and spoken parts. One writer described his voice as "airy" and "gentle." Even today, Bill's vocal style remains soft and calm.

Awards and Honors

Many writers and music critics consider Bill Anderson one of country music's most important songwriters. He has been called "one of the most successful songwriters in country music history." He is also known as an "acclaimed singer-songwriter." The Boot magazine praised his versatility, saying he is the soft voice behind many classic country songs, and also the writer of many current hits.

In 1975, Bill Anderson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2001, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2002, BMI named him its first country songwriting icon. In 2018, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Bill has also been included on lists of top country writers and performers. In 2008, he was ranked 27th on Country Universe's list of the "100 Greatest Men of Country Music." Rolling Stone magazine also included him in their "100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time" list in 2017.

Discography

Bill Anderson has released many studio albums throughout his career. Here are some of them:

Filmography

Bill Anderson has appeared in various films and television shows.

Awards and Nominations

Bill Anderson has received many awards and nominations for his work in country music.