Connie Smith
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Connie Smith | ||
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 Connie Smith publicity photo
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Constance June Meador | |
| Born | August 14, 1941 | |
| Origin | Elkhart, Indiana | |
| Genre(s) | country music | |
| Occupation(s) | country singer/songwriter | |
| Years active | 1964-Present | |
| Label(s) | RCA Records, Monument Records, Warner Brothers Records | |
| Associated acts |
Loretta Lynn, Skeeter Davis, Dottie West, Dolly Parton, Marty Stuart | |
Connie Smith (born August 14, 1941), born Constance Meador in Elkhart, Indiana, USA, is a country singer, best known for her 1964 hit song "Once a Day", and often hailed by music critics as one of the finest voices in Country Music.
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[edit] Rise to Fame
She was discovered by Bill Anderson who took her to producer Bob Ferguson to sign a recording contract with RCA in 1963. In 1964, she hit first place on the country charts with her debuting single "Once a Day" (written by Bill Anderson). This made her the first debuting female country star to reach no. 1 with the first single. "Once a Day" spent 8 weeks at #1, the biggest hit by a female vocalist ever on the Billboard country chart and the biggest country record of 1964.
[edit] The Success After "Once a Day"
Overnight she became a country music queen on a level with the biggest female names in the business: Kitty Wells, Loretta Lynn, Skeeter Davis, and Jean Shepard (Patsy Cline had died the previous year). Connie's major 1960's hits include "Then and Only Then" (1965), "Ain't Had No Lovin'" (1966), and "Cincinnati, Ohio" (1967). Three of her albums hit number one on Billboard's country album chart. In all, she placed 31 albums on the Billboard country chart between 1965 and 1976 and had 39 top 40 country hits between 1964 and 1978, 20 of them making the top ten. Her last record to make the national charts was "A Far Cry From You" in 1985.
Connie Smith has been nominated three times for the Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year award and earned 10 various Grammy nominations but regrettably has yet to earn either award. Smith has also occasionally dabbled in songwriting, penning over 30 songs and earning a BMI award for her hit "I'll Come Running". Another Smith-penned hit "You've Got Me Right Where You Want Me" was later recorded by Reba McEntire. Connie Smith is also known for having a "big voice" but receives little credit for the honor.
[edit] Later Career
Smith remained at the top of the country field into the 1970's, switching to the Columbia label in 1973. She moved on to Monument Records in 1977 with less chart success and decided in 1980 to go into semi-retirement to spend more time with her children, singing only gospel songs in her appearances at the Grand Ole Opry. Renowned in the country music industry for her strong religious convictions, she has recorded gospel music throughout her career; nevertheless, her personal life has seen its ups and downs, including three unsuccessful marriages.
[edit] Life Today
Since 1997 she has been married to Marty Stuart, a country star 17 years her junior. Stuart produced Smith's 1998 comeback album on the Warner Brothers Records label. The duo frequently tour together and both remain popular acts on the Opry. In fact, Opry audiences still wildly applaud Smith when she takes the stage or sings one of her signature hits.
[edit] Trivia
- Opry announcer Eddie Stubbs often introduces Smith to audiences at The Grand Ole Opry as "The Rolls Royce of Country Music"
- The CMT Channel named Connie Smith the #9 Female Artist of Country Music on its 2001 program "The 40 Greatest Women of Country Music." Mother Maybelle Carter was #8, #10 was Trisha Yearwood and #1 was Patsy Cline.
- George Jones credits Smith as his favorite female Country Music singer in his book "I Lived To Tell It All."
- She has 4 children
- Dolly Parton once said "There’s only three real female singers: Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt and Connie Smith. The rest of us are only pretending."
- Connie and Marty actually met back in the 60's when as a kid he went to see her in concert. On the way home he reportedly told his mother "One day I'll marry her!" Many years later, he did!
[edit] Discography
[edit] Hit Singles
| Year | Single | U.S. Country | Album | |
| 1964 | "Once a Day" | #1 | Connie Smith | |
| 1965 | "Then and Only Then" | 4 | Connie Smith | |
| 1965 | "If I Talk to Him" | 4 | Miss Smith Goes to Nashville | |
| 1965 | "I Can't Remember" | 9 | Cute 'n' Country | |
| 1966 | "Ain't Had No Lovin'" | 2 | Born To Sing | |
| 1966 | "Nobody But a Fool (Would Love You)" | 4 | Miss Smith Goes to Nashville | |
| 1966 | "The Hurtin's All Over" | 3 | Downtown Country | |
| 1967 | "I'll Come Running" | 10 | The Best Of... | |
| 1967 | "Cincinnati, Ohio" | 4 | Sings Bill Anderson | |
| 1967 | "Burning a Hole In My Mind | 5 | I Love Charley Brown | |
| 1968 | "Baby's Back Again" | 7 | I Love Charley Brown | |
| 1968 | "Run Away Little Tears" | 10 | I Love Charley Brown | |
| 1969 | "Ribbon Of Darkness" | 13 | Connie's Country | |
| 1969 | "You And Your Sweet Love" | 6 | The Best Of... Vol. 2 | |
| 1970 | "I Never Once Stopped Loving You" | 5 | I Never Once Stopped Loving You | |
| 1970 | "Louisiana Man" | 14 | I Never Once Stopped Loving You | |
| 1970 | "Where Is My Castle" | 11 | Where Is My Castle | |
| 1971 | "Just One Time" | 2 | Just One Time | |
| 1972 | "If It Ain't Love (Let's Leave It Alone)" | 7 | If It Ain't Love | |
| 1972 | "Just For What I Am" | 5 | Ain't We Havin' Us a Good Time | |
| 1972 | "Love Is The Look You're Looking For" | 8 | Love Is The Look You're Looking For | |
| 1973 | "Ain't Love a Good Thing" | 10 | That's the Way Love Goes | |
| 1974 | "I Never Knew (What That Song Meant Before)" | 13 | I Never Knew (What That Song Meant Before) | |
| 1974 | "I've Got My Baby On My Mind" | 13 | I Got a Lot Of Hurtin' Done Today | |
| 1976 | "(Till) I Kissed You" | 10 | The Song We Fell In Love To | |
| 1976 | "I Don't Wanna Talk It Over Anymore" | 13 | I Don't Wanna Talk It Over Anymore | |
| 1977 | "I Just Want to Be Your Everything" | 14 | New Horizons |
[edit] External links
- Connie Smith on All Music Guide
- Annotated discography
- Discography to the left: scroll down to 'S' and 'SMITH Connie' (this discography is quite complete w/ original picture sleeves, chart positions and lyrics)
- Connie at CMT.com
