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EspañolCONNIE SMITH
'Connie Smith' (born 'Constance June Meador' 14 August, 1941, in Elkhart, Indiana) is an American country music singer. She is best known for her 1964 hit song "Once a Day", which spent 8 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Country music charts, the longest of any female country music artist in history. This was Smith's only single to reach the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Charts.
"Once a Day" launched Connie Smith straight to the top of the country music industry and she was one of the top female stars in the genre during the 1960s. Her other charting singles include "Then and Only Then", "If I Talk to Him", "Ain't Had No Lovin'", "The Hurtin's All Over", and "I'll Come Runnin". Although she never achieved the level of commercial success as some of her contemporaries, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Lynn Anderson and Dolly Parton, she is often hailed by music critics as one of the finest voices in country music, voted in 2001 by fellow artists and members of the Country Music industry as #9 of the 40 Greatest Women of Country Music of all time (CMT).
Early Life & Rise to Fame
Connie Smith was born Constance June Meador in 1941 in Elkhart, Indiana. Although she was born in Indiana, she spent much of her early years in West Virginia and later in Ohio. As a child, Smith's father was abusive to her, which caused Smith to have a mental breakdown as a teenager. In West Virginia, she began to start singing locally. She was soon married and became a housewife and had children. By the early 1960s, Smith had already become a married woman with a four-month old son, living in Marietta, Ohio. During this time, Smith started singing locally again and appeared on local TV shows around her hometown area. While singing near Columbus, Ohio in August 1963, she was discovered by country singer Bill Anderson after winning a talent show contest. He recognized Smith's talents and offered his help into getting Smith a recording contract, Smith accepted his offer. A few months later, she was signed onto RCA Records, where she worked with legendary RCA producer Chet Atkins.
==The Success of "Once a Day"==
Here at RCA, Bill wrote a song especially for Connie, which he called "Once a Day." The song was then released in late 1964 and became an immediate #1 hit for her. "Once a Day" became the most successful debut single by a female country artist, spending 8 weeks at #1. "Once a Day" became one of the biggest songs of the year and made Connie Smith a popular name in the country music world.
Connie's follow-up, "Then and Only Then," was a Top 5 Country hit and the flip side of the single ("Tiny Blue Transistor Radio") made the Top 25 in 1965. Smith soon became one of the most successful country music artists of the 1960s, selling albums and concert tickets. Her success continued more into 1965 with two more Top 10 hits called "I Can't Remember" and "If I Talk to Him." During the mid-60s, it seemed she was achieving equal success to counterparts Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette. On the Country charts, Smith had three No. 1 Billboard albums, which were, ''Connie Smith'', ''Cute' n Country'', and ''Born to Sing''. Although she remained very popular in country music during the 60s, after "Once a Day", she never achieved another Billboard No.1 hit single. However, some songs did come close such as 1966's "Ain't Had No Lovin'", which reached the No. 2 spot, as well as "The Hurtin's All Over" which peaked at No. 3.
Her success as a Country Music artist, kept on coming for the rest of the 1960s, with other hits like "The Hurtin's All Over" and "Cincinnati, Ohio". Smith's recordings through much of the '60s were of the Nashville Sound genre (also known as "countrypolitan") which had orchestral arrangements in the background. Violins can be heard in the background of Smith's 1966 hit "Ain't Had No Lovin'." In 1968 she recorded "Cry Cry Cry" which was not the same song as the 1954 Johnny Cash hit.
In 1969, Smith did a cover version of Marty Robbins' 1965 #1 hit "Ribbon Of Darkness," that made it to #13 on the Country singles chart. That same year, she recorded a duet album with Nat Stuckey entitled ''Young Love''. A single also called "Young Love", which was originally a hit for Sonny James in 1956, only made it to #20 for Smith. Connie and Nat also did a gospel album in 1970 called ''Sunday Morning With Connie and Nat'' -- later re-released in 2001 under the title ''God Will''. She was a top draw in country music concert venues and even branched into minor movie stardom, appearing in such films as ''Las Vegas Hillbillys'' (1966) with Ferlin Husky and Jayne Mansfield, and "Hell's Angels on Wheels" (1967) with Marty Robbins. Nevertheless, Smith did not give her career 100 percent like many of her contemporaries, touring considerably less, stating her main priority was being a wife and mother.
The Edge of Suicide & Re-Entering Country Music In the 70s
The pressure of the music business was beginning to take a toll on the Smith, bringing her to the edge of suicide in 1968. According to Smith, it was her Christian faith that saved her, and by the 1970s, Smith was balancing time between chart success and family life. She even recorded several more gospel albums, like ''Connie Smith Sings Hank Williams Gospel'' and ''God Is Abundant''. She included one or two gospel songs on her country albums as well.
In 1971, Smith recorded her biggest hit of the 1970s called "Just One Time", which just missed topping the Billboard Country Music charts. She still managed to record Top 10 country hits in the 1970s, like "I Never Once Stopped Loving You," "Just For What I Am," "If It Ain't Love (Let's Leave It Alone)," "Love Is The Look You're Looking For" and "Ain't Love A Good Thing." Her last Top 10 hit came in 1976 with "Til' I Kissed You," yet she still managed to score Top 20 hits up until 1978, such as "I've Got My Baby Off My Mind," "I Never Knew What That Song Meant Before," "Why Don't You Love Me," "I Don't Wanna Talk It Over Anymore" and "I Just Want To Be Your Everything." Although Smith was still remaining successful on the country charts during this time, her popularity was slowly declining.
Her 1978 single "I Just Want to Be Your Everything" was Smith's last significant hit on the country music charts, making it to #14. As for her other singles released between 1978 and 1979 (most notably, "Smooth Sailin'" and "Ten Thousand and One"), they failed to become hits. These singles were more twangy than her previous work, while country music in the 1970s and 1980s was not as countrypolitan. This new form of country music was more pop-sounding and most country singers from this era also sounded more pop. Such singers had their songs crossover from the country charts into to the pop charts, which the became hits on both sides. Such circumstances left older, more traditional country singers' careers fade away, Smith being chief among them.
Smith was nominated three times for the Country Music Association "Female Vocalist of the Year" award and earned 10 various Grammy nominations but has won neither. Smith has also occasionally dabbled in songwriting, penning over 30 songs and earning a Broadcast Music Incorporated award for her 1967 hit "I'll Come Running." Another Smith-penned hit "You've Got Me Right Where You Want Me" was later recorded by Reba McEntire.
Later Career & Life Today
Smith switched to Columbia Records in 1973, and then to Monument Records in 1977, albeit with less chart success. She decided to go into semi-retirement in 1980, singing only gospel songs in her appearances at the Grand Ole Opry. In the early 1980's she resumed her secular career and briefly returned to the country music charts via Epic Records in 1985, with her last charting single being "A Far Cry From You".
Smith continued to record albums through much of the 1990s. In 1992, she released her first album in many years called ''The Wayward Wind''. The following year, Smith did a live album entitled ''Live In Branson, Missouri, USA''. 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 Bros. Records label, simply entitled ''Connie Smith''. The duo frequently tour together and both remain popular acts on the Opry. In 2003, Connie Smith released a Christian album with Barbara Fairchild and Sharon White (from the country group The Whites) entitled ''Love Never Fails''.
In 2003, Smith and Stuart both attended the funeral of June Carter Cash. Most recently country singer Martina McBride recorded a cover version of Smith's signature tune "Once a Day" and was put in McBride's 2005 album, ''Timeless''. Smith continues to be a regular member of the Grand Ole Opry, and when not on the Opry, she does occasional dates with her husband.
Trivia
★ Opry announcer Eddie Stubbs often introduces Smith to audiences at The Grand Ole Opry as "The Rolls Royce of Country Music".
★ Connie Smith ranked #9 on ''CMT's 40 Greatest Women of Country Music.''
★ George Jones credits Smith as his favorite female country music singer in his book "I Lived To Tell It All."
★ Smith has 5 children and 5 grandchildren.
★ 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!"
★ Jeffrey Walker, the bass guitarist and singer best known for his work with the death metal/grindcore band Carcass, recently, recorded a solo album - ''Welcome to Carcass Cuntry'' - which was released on 9th May 2006 on Fractured Transmitter Records. The album includes of a cover of "Once a Day".
★ Mike Ness, lead guitarist and singer for Social Distortion, covered "Once a Day" on his 1999 solo album ''Under the Influences''.
Discography
Singles
| 'Year' | 'Single' | 'US Country' | 'Album' |
| 1964 | "Once a Day" | '#1' '(8 weeks)' | ''Connie Smith'' |
| 1965 | "Tiny Blue Transistor Radio" | #25 | ''Connie Smith'' |
| 1965 | "Then and Only Then" | #4 | ''Connie Smith'' |
| 1965 | "I Can't Remember" | #9 | ''Cute 'n' Country'' |
| 1965 | "If I Talk to Him" | #4 | ''Miss Smith Goes to Nashville'' |
| 1966 | "Nobody But a Fool (Would Love You)" | #4 | ''Miss Smith Goes to Nashville'' |
| 1966 | "Ain't Had No Lovin'" | #2 | ''Born to Sing'' |
| 1966 | "The Hurtin's All Over" | #3 | ''Downtown Country'' |
| 1967 | "Burning a Hole In My Mind" | #5 | ''I Love Charlie Brown'' |
| 1967 | "Cincinnati, Ohio" | #4 | ''Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson'' |
| 1967 | "I'll Come Runnin'" | #10 | ''Greatest Hits Vol. 1'' |
| 1968 | "Baby's Back Again" | #7 | ''I Love Charlie Brown'' |
| 1968 | "Run Away Little Tears" | #10 | ''I Love Charlie Brown'' |
| 1968 | "Cry, Cry, Cry" | #20 | ''Connie in the Country'' |
| 1969 | "Ribbon of Darkness" | #13 | ''Connie's Country'' |
| 1969 | "Young Love" (with Nat Stuckey) | #20 | ''Young Love'' |
| 1969 | "You and Your Sweet Love" | #6 | ''I Never Once Stopped Loving You'' |
| 1970 | "I Never Once Stopped Loving You" | #5 | ''I Never Once Stopped Loving You'' |
| 1970 | "Lousiana Man" | #14 | ''I Never Once Stopped Loving You'' |
| 1970 | "If God is Dead (Who's This Living In My Soul)" (with Nat Stuckey) | #59 | ''Sunday Morning with Connie Smith and Nat Stuckey'' |
| 1971 | "Just One Time" | #2 | ''Just One Time'' |
| 1971 | "Where is My Castle" | #11 | ''Where Is My Castle'' |
| 1972 | "If It Ain't Love (Let's Leave It Alone)" | #7 | ''If it Ain't Love (And Other Great Dallas Frazier Songs)'' |
| 1972 | "Just For What I Am" | #5 | ''Ain't We Havin' Us a Good Time'' |
| 1973 | "Love is the Look You're Looking For" | #8 | ''Love Is the Look You're Looking For'' |
| 1973 | "Dream Painter" | #23 | ''Dream Painter'' |
| 1973 | "You've Got Me (Right Where You Want Me)" | #21 | ''A Lady Named Smith'' |
| 1974 | "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)'' |
| 1975 | "The Song We Fell In Love To" | #29 | ''The Song We Fell In Love To'' |
| 1975 | "I've Got a Lot of Hurtin' Done Today" | #30 | ''I've Got A Lot Of Hurtin' Done Today'' |
| 1975 | "I've Got My Baby Off My Mind" | #13 | ''I Never Knew (What That Song Meant Before)'' |
| 1975 | "Why Don't You Love Me" | #15 | ''I've Got A Lot Of Hurtin' Done Today'' |
| 1976 | "Til' I Kissed You" | #10 | ''The Song We Fell In Love To'' |
| 1976 | "I Don't Wanna Talk It Over Anymore" | #13 | ''I Don't Want to Talk It Over Anymore'' |
| 1976 | "So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)" | #31 | ''I Don't Want to Talk It Over Anymore'' |
| 1977 | "The Latest Shade Of Blue" | #42 | ''I Don't Want to Talk It Over Anymore'' |
| 1977 | "Coming Around" | #58 | ''Pure Connie Smith'' |
| 1978 | "I Just Want to Be Your Everything" | #14 | ''New Horizons'' |
| 1978 | "Lovin' You Baby" | #34 | ''New Horizons'' |
| 1978 | "Smooth Sailin' | #68 | ''New Horizons'' |
| 1978 | "There'll Never Be Another For Me" | #68 | ''New Horizons'' |
| 1979 | "Lovin' You Lovin' Me" | #88 | ''Greatest Hits on Monument'' |
| 1979 | "Ten Thousand And One" | #88 | ''Greatest Hits on Monument'' |
| 1979 | "Don't Say Love" | #93 | ''Greatest Hits on Monument'' |
| 1985 | "A Far Cry From You" | #71 | (Single Only) |
Selected Albums
| 'Year' | 'Album' | 'US Country Albums' |
| 1965 | ''Connie Smith'' A | '#1' |
| 1965 | ''Cute 'n' Country'' | '#1' |
| 1966 | ''Born to Sing'' | '#1' |
| 1966 | ''Connie Smith Sings Great Sacred Songs'' | #19 |
| 1966 | ''Miss Smith Goes to Nashville'' | #2 |
| 1967 | ''Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson'' | #11 |
| 1967 | ''Downtown Country'' | #5 |
| 1967 | ''The Best of Connie Smith'' | #22 |
| 1968 | ''I Love Charlie Brown'' | #14 |
| 1968 | ''Soul of Country Music'' | #7 |
| 1969 | ''Back in Baby's Arms'' | #12 |
| 1969 | ''Connie's Country'' | #14 |
| 1969 | ''Young Love'' (duet album with Nat Stuckey) | #29 |
| 1969 | ''Sunshine and Rain'' | #32 |
| 1970 | ''I Never Once Stopped Loving You'' | #15 |
| 1970 | ''The Best of Connie Smith Vol. 2'' | #26 |
| 1971 | ''Just One Time'' | #20 |
| 1971 | ''Where is My Castle'' | #39 |
| 1972 | ''If It Ain't Love (And Other Great Dallas Frazier Songs)'' | #14 |
| 1972 | ''Ain't We Havin' Us a Good Time'' | #25 |
| 1974 | ''God Is Abundant'' | #20 |
| 1973 | ''Love Is The Look You're Looking For'' | #24 |
| 1973 | ''A Lady Named Smith'' | #31 |
| 1973 | ''Dream Painter'' | #39 |
| 1974 | ''I Never Knew (What That Song Meant Before)'' | #22 |
| 1974 | ''Now'' | #40 |
| 1974 | ''That's the Way Love Goes'' | #41 |
| 1975 | ''Connie Smith Sings Hank Williams Gospel'' | #47 |
| 1976 | ''I Don't Want to Talk it Over Anymore'' | #33 |
| 1976 | ''The Song We Fell In Love To'' | #34 |
| 1978 | ''New Horizons'' | - |
| 1992 | ''The Wayward Wind'' | - |
| 1993 | ''Live In Branson, Missouri, USA'' | - |
| 1993 | ''Greatest Hits on Monument'' | - |
| 1996 | ''The Essential Connie Smith'' | - |
| 1997 | ''Super Hits'' | - |
| 1998 | ''Connie Smith'' | - |
| 2001 | ''God Will'' (with Nat Stuckey) | - |
| 2003 | ''Love Never Fails'' | - |
AThe 1965 album "Connie Smith" reached #104 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
Awards & Nominations
| 'Year' | 'Award Program' | 'Award' | 'Result' |
| 1964 | Grammy Awards | ''Best Female Country Vocal'', "Once a Day" | Nominated |
| 1964 | Grammy Awards | ''Best New Country Artist'' | Nominated |
| 1964 | Grammy Awards | ''Best Country & Western Single'', "Once A Day" | Nominated |
| 1966 | Grammy Awards | ''Best Female Country Vocal'', "Ain't Had No Lovin'" | Nominated |
| 1966 | Grammy Awards | ''Best Sacred Recording'', "Connie Smith Sings Great Sacred Songs" | Nominated |
| 1967 | Grammy Awards | ''Best Female Country Vocal'', "Cincinnati, Ohio" | Nominated |
| 1967 | CMA Awards | ''Female Vocalist of the Year'' | Nominated |
| 1969 | Grammy Awards | ''Best Female Country Vocal'', "Ribbon Of Darkness" | Nominated |
| 1969 | Grammy Awards | ''Best Sacred Performance'', "Whispering Hope" with Nat Stuckey | Nominated |
| 1970 | CMA Awards | ''Female Vocalist of the Year'' | Nominated |
| 1972 | CMA Awards | ''Female Vocalist of the Year'' | Nominated |
| 1972 | Music City News | ''Top Female Vocalist'' | Nominated |
| 1973 | Grammy Awards | ''Best Inspirational Performance'', "All the Praises" | Nominated |
| 1974 | Music City News | ''Top Female Vocalist'' | Nominated |
| 1975 | Music City News | ''Top Female Vocalist'' | Nominated |
| 1975 | Grammy Awards | ''Best Gospel Performance (Other Than Soul Gospel)'', "Connie Smith Sings Hank Williams Gospel" | Nominated |
| 1979 | Music City News | ''Gospel Group/Act of the Year'' | Won |
DVD Releases featuring Connie Smith
★ 1966 Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar (performs "Once a Day"). Time Life, 2006. See review of the movie on this URL: In the Balcony - Latest DVD Views.
★ 1966 The Las Vegas Hillbillys (performs "Nobody But a Fool (Would Love You)"). VCI Home Video, 2000. URL: VCI Entertainment
★ 1967 Road to Nashville (performs "I'll Never Get Over Loving You", "Nobody But a Fool (Would Love You)"). Rhino, 2000. URL:Rhino.
★ 1967 Hell on Wheels (performs 2 songs). Rhino, 2000.
Reference
★ Cooper, Daniel. (1998). "Connie Smith". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 490-1.
External links
★ Connie Smith at CMT.com
★ Connie Smith at Opry.com
★ Connie Smith at All Music Guide
★ Connie Smith Brief Biography & Annotated discography
★ Connie Smith at LP Discography to the left: scroll down to 'S' and to 'SMITH Connie' (this discography is quite complete w/ original picture sleeves, chart positions and lyrics)
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