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Bill Anderson
One of the most successful songwriters in country music history, Bill Anderson was also a hugely popular singer in his own right. Characterized distinctly mainly for his gentle, airy vocal style and occasional spoken words, Bill Anderson earned a moniker ?Whispering Bill.
He was born with the name James William Anderson III on Nov. 1, 1937, in Columbia, S.C and grew up mostly in Atlanta. Toward the end of the ?60s, Anderson recorded several duets and in the 1970s, he notched 18 more Top 10 hits, including two more No. 1?s. In addition to performing music, he published his autobiography in 1989 and a book of anecdotes in 1993.
Anderson became a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and one of the most popular, most enduring entertainers of our time. He learned the guitar at just the age of 12 and formed his own school band.
He graduated in journalism from the University of Georgia, and became a sports writer. Anderson also worked for a radio station in Commerce, Ga. Whispering Bill worked his way through school as a radio DJ, during which time he first tried his hand at songwriting and singing.
He wrote ?City Lights? when he was just 19 years old. City Lights was recorded by Ray Price in 1958 which would go all the way to the top of the country charts.
Bill Anderson has been using the philosophy ?If you want someone?s attention, Whisper!? for almost fifty years to capture the attention of millions of country music fans around the world.
After giving a big break ?City Lights?, bill took full advantage and moved to Nashville. It was around this time when landed a record contract of his own with Decca and came up with his first chart hit in 1959.
?That?s What It?s Like to Be Lonesome? and ?Tip of My Fingers? earned him mainstream popularity. Hits like ?Po? Folks? (1961), ?Mama Sang a Song? (1962), and ?8 X 10? (1963) remained among his best-known.
Anderson joined the Opry in 1961 and recorded his biggest hit and signature song, the partly spoken ballad ?Still?. The single not topped the country charts only, but crossed over the Top Ten as well. After discovering Connie Smith, he wrote a song ?Once a Day? for her, which again topped the charts for eight weeks in 1964.
That same year, Lefty Frizzell hit the top for four weeks with his ?Saginaw, Michigan?. He remained a regular visitor to the country Top Ten through the late ?70s. Anderson reached the Top Five a total of 19 times through 1978. Among the highlights were the number ones ?I Get the Fever, ?For Loving You, ?My Life?, ?World of Make Believe? and ?Sometimes?.
Anderson?s 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.
By the end of ?70s, he was working often with a new duet partner, Mary Lou Turner. Bill has been voted Songwriter Of The Year six times, Male Vocalist Of The Year and half of the Duet Of The Year with both Jan Howard and Mary Lou Turner.
He has hosted and starred in the Country Music Television Series Of The Year.The time also sae his band being voted Band Of The Year, and in 1975 he was voted membership in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Ten years later, the State of Georgia chose Bill Anderson as only the 7th living performer inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Anderson published his autobiography ?Whisperin? Bill? in 1989 and a book of anecdotes in 1993.
The same year, he was made a member of the Georgia Broadcasters? Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the South Carolina Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame following year.
In 1995, Vince Gill released a song written with Anderson, Which Bridge to Cross, Which Bridge to Burn which led Anderson to enter the Country Music Hall of Fame.
An entertainer in every sense of the word, Bill Anderson was the first country artist to host a network game show, The Better Sex?. He also starred in ?One Life to Live? for three years.
In 2001, Anderson received the ultimate honor, membership in Nashville?s prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame. In a period between November, 2005, and December, 2007, Anderson enjoyed perhaps the most fertile period of his songwriting life.
He won CMA Song of the Year honors for his and Jon Randall?s poignant ballad, ?Whiskey Lullaby?. In 2008, the Academy of Country Music honored him with their prestigious Poets Award. Bill?s compositions can be heard on recent releases by Sugarland, Kenny Chesney, Vince Gill, Sara Evans, and others.