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Biography
good articleInfobox musical artist| name = Connie Smith| image = Connie Smith Opry 2.jpg| caption = Connie Smith at the Grand Ole Opry in 2007.| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Constance June Meador| birth_date = birth date and age|mf=yes|1941|08|14 Elkhart, Indiana , United States|U.S. | instrument = Singing|Vocals , Guitar | genre = Country music|Country , Gospel music|Gospel | occupation = Singing|Singer , Songwriter | years_active = 1963present| label = RCA Records|RCA , Columbia Records|Columbia , Monument Records|Monument , Epic Records|Epic , Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros. , Daywind, Sugar Hill Records|Sugar Hill | associated_acts = Bill Anderson (singer)|Bill Anderson , Dallas Frazier , Nat Stuckey , Marty Stuart | website = http://conniesmithmusic.com/ Official Website Connie Smith (born Constance June Meador ; August 14, 1941) is an American country music artist. Active since 1964, Smith is widely considered to be one of the genre's best female vocalists. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards|Grammy award nominations, twenty top ten Billboard Magazine|Billboard country singles, and thirty one charting albums, three of which have hit number one. In 2012 Smith became the twelfth solo female vocalist and nineteenth woman to be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame .
Despite her success, Smith is often considered of the most underrated vocalists in country music history due to the decision not to pursue super stardom with the non-country general media market like such contemporaries as Loretta Lynn , Dolly Parton , and Tammy Wynette .cite web|last=Bush|first=John|title=Connie Smith > Biography|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p2398|pure_url=yes|publisher= Allmusic |accessdate=12 August 2010 Artists such as Parton,Escott, Born to Sing , p. 1. George Jones ,cite web|last=Gray|first=Michael|title=Connie Smith: Back Where She Belongs|url= http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1473577/connie-smith-back-where-she-belongs.jhtml|publisher= Country Music Television |accessdate=12 August 2010 and Chely Wright cite web|title=Chely Wright Comes Out|url= http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Country-Music-Star-Chely-Wright-Comes-Out/1|publisher= Oprah Winfrey!Oprah.com |accessdate=12 August 2010 have cited Smith as either one of the best vocalists in the music industry or their favorite female artist.
Early life
Constance June Meador was born in Elkhart, Indiana , the daughter of Hobart and Wilma Meador. Her parents were originally from West Virginia , and when Smith was five months old, the family returned there. They would later move to Dungannon, Ohio.Escott, Born to Sing , p. 4. Her father was abusive when she was a child, which would eventually cause her to suffer a mental breakdown when she was a teenager. When she was seven, her mother divorced her father and remarried Tom Clark, who had eight children, along with the five additional children Smith's mother previously had. The couple would eventually have two more children together, which in total added up to fourteen children, including Smith. As a child, Smith was surrounded by music. Her stepfather played mandolin , while her brother played fiddle , and her other brother played guitar . On Saturday nights Smith would listen to the Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast. While she was a teenager, Smith was injured in a lawnmower accident, which nearly cut her leg off. While in the hospital recovering, she was given a guitar and learned how to play different chords. Following the recovery, she began to perform in various local talent contests.cite web|last=Sexton|first=Scott|title=Legend's Corner Connie Smith|url= http://countrymusic.about.com/od/legendscorner/a/LC_ConnieSmith.htm|publisher= about.com |accessdate=13 August 2010 In 1959, Smith graduated from Salem-Liberty High School as the class salutatorian .Escott, Born to Sing , p. 5.
In August 1963, she entered a talent contest at the Frontier Ranch country music park near Columbus, Ohio . Performing Jean Shepard 's "I Thought of You", Smith won the talent contest and five Dollar coin (United States)|silver dollars .cite web|title=Connie Smith Biography|url= http://conniesmithmusic.com/|publisher=Connie Smith Music.com|accessdate=13 August 2010 That day at the park, country artist Bill Anderson (singer)|Bill Anderson heard Smith perform and was impressed by her voice. In January 1964, Smith ran into Anderson again at a country music package concert, where he invited her to perform with him on Ernest Tubb 's Midnight Jamboree program in Nashville, Tennessee .cite journal|title=Interview with Connie Smith for Ralph Emery Live on RFD-TV |accessdate=13 August 2010 After performing on the program, Smith returned to Nashville that May to record demos by Anderson that he planned on pitching to other country artists. Anderson's manager Hubert Long brought the demo recording to RCA Victor Records , where producer Chet Atkins heard it. Also impressed by her vocals, Atkins offered Smith a recording contract, and she eventually signed with the label on June 24, 1964.
Musical career
19641967: Breakthrough
Because Chet Atkins found himself too busy with other artists, Bob Ferguson (music)|Bob Ferguson acted as Smith's producer on her first sessions and would continue to work as her producer until her departure from RCA. Smith's first session took place on July 16, 1964, where she recorded four songs, three of which were written by Bill Anderson (singer)|Bill Anderson .Escott, Born to Sing , p. 38. One of the four songs recorded during the session entitled " Once a Day " (written by Anderson especially for Smith) was chosen to be Smith's debut single. The song was rush-released as a single on August 1, 1964 and became Smith's breakout single, reaching #1 on the Billboard Magazine Hot Country Singles chart on November 28 and remained at the number one position for eight weeks.
"Once a Day" became the first debut single by a female country artist to reach number one. To date, "Once a Day" holds the record for the most weeks spent at number one on the Billboard country chart by a female artist.cite web|last=White|first=Dan|title=Terri Gibbs, The Singer Who Happens to be Blind|url= http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php? id=105182|publisher=Faith Writers|accessdate=13 August 2010 RCA released Smith's Connie Smith (album)|self-titled debut album in March 1965 which also reached #1, spending seven weeks at the top of the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, and spending thirty weeks on the chart overall.Escott, Born to Sing , p. 17. In addition, the album also peaked at #105 on the Billboard 200 albums chart around the same time.cite web|title= Connie Smith > album charts|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r123098|pure_url=yes|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=13 August 2010 Dan Cooper of Allmusic called the production of the album to sound as if she was "a down-home Barbra Streisand|Streisand fronting The Lennon Sisters ."cite web|last=Cooper|first=Dan|title= Connie Smith > Overview|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r123098|pure_url=yes|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=13 August 2010 During this time, Anderson wrote a series of singles that would jump-start Smith's career in the country music industry.cite book|last=Wolff|first=Kurt|title= Country Music: The Rough Guide |editor=Orla Duane|publisher=Rough Guides Ltd.|location=London, England|chapter=Ch. 8 It's Such a Pretty World Today: The Nashville Sound Arrives Among these songs was Smith's follow-up single to "Once a Day" released in early 1965 titled " Then and Only Then ". The song peaked at #4 on the Billboard country chart. In addition, its B-side, "Tiny Blue Transistor Radio" (originally intended for Skeeter Davis ), was also written by Anderson and peaked within the Top 25 on the same singles chart.
In 1965 Smith officially became a member of the Grand Ole Opry radio show in Nashville, Tennessee . It had been a dream of Smith's to become a member since childhood, remembering saying at the age of five, "Someday Im gonna sing on the Grand Ole Opry."cite web|title=Opry Member: Connie Smith|url= http://www.opry.com/artists/s/Smith_Connie.html|publisher= Grand Ole Opry |accessdate=16 August 2010 In the mid-60s Smith was temporarily fired from the Grand Ole Opry for not being on the show for twenty six weeks out of the year, which was the required amount of weeks to stay a member at the time. In the 1970s, Smith was nearly fired from the show for testifying about Jesus Christ .
Bill Anderson (singer)|Bill Anderson wrote her next single with Bette Anderson, which was released in April 1965 called " I Can't Remember ". The single peaked at #9 on the Billboard Magazine Hot Country Singles chart and #30 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 singles chart.Escott, Born to Sing , p. 18. In October 1965, Smith released her second studio album '' Cute 'n' Country . The album featured both cover versions of other country songs and newer songs written by Bill Anderson. It included cover versions of songs by such artists as Jim Reeves , Webb Pierce , and Ray Price (musician)|Ray Price .cite web|last=Unterberger|first=Richie|title= Cute 'n' Country > Review|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r91159|pure_url=yes|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=13 August 2010 Like her first album, Cute 'n' Country reached #1 on the Billboard'' Top Country Albums chart and spent thirty weeks on the chart as well. Her next two singles, " If I Talk to Him " and " Nobody But a Fool (Would Love You) ", both reached #4 on the Hot Country Singles chart and were issued on Smith's third album, Miss Smith Goes to Nashville (1966).Escott, Born to Sing , p. 19. The album peaked at #2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.cite web|title= Miss Smith Goes to Nashville > album charts|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r91162|pure_url=yes|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=13 August 2010 With her next few sessions, Smith's producer Bob Ferguson (music)|Bob Ferguson felt pressured from RCA headquarters in New York City to market Smith's sound toward more "middle-of-the-road" country pop material. This change of sound was evident on her next two studio albums Born to Sing (Connie Smith album)|Born to Sing (1966) and Downtown Country (1967). Both albums featured full orchestras in the background and cover versions of singles by Pop music|pop artists of the time.Escott, Born to Sing , pp. 2223. Spawned from Born to Sing and Downtown Country were the singles " Ain't Had No Lovin' " and " The Hurtin's All Over ", which both peaked within the Top 5 on the Hot Country Singles chart.
During this time, Smith also appeared in several country music vehicle films, where she performed many of her current hit recordings.Escott, Born to Sing , pp. 2021. In 1966, she appeared in the films Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar and The Las Vegas Hillbillys , the latter of which starred Jayne Mansfield . In 1967, she appeared in The Road to Nashville and Hell on Wheels .cite web|title=Connie Smith (I)|url= http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0807758/|publisher= Internet Movie Database |accessdate=13 August 2010
In February 1967, Smith released an album with RCA Camden entitled Connie in the Country , which mainly featured cover versions of country hits recorded at the time, including songs by Loretta Lynn and Buck Owens .Escott, Born to Sing , p. 22. In May 1967 Smith released an album of songs written entirely by Bill Anderson (singer)|Bill Anderson entitled Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson . Smith later commented that, "...it was an honor, not a favor" to record an album of all Bill Anderson songs. Included in the album was covers of Anderson's own hits such as "City Lights" and "That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome". Also featured was Anderson's "I Love You Drops", which Smith wanted to release as a single; however Anderson wanted to release the song as his own single. Smith stated, "We begged him for that song. But I cut thirty three of his songs." It would later become a top ten hit for Anderson.Escott, Born to Sing , p.24. Between 1966 and 1968, Smith had five top ten singles in a row on the Billboard Magazine|Billboard Hot Country Singles chart: "I'll Come Running" (which Smith wrote herself), " Cincinnati, Ohio (song)|Cincinnati, Ohio ", " Burning a Hole in My Mind ", " Baby's Back Again ", and " Run Away Little Tears ". "Cincinnati, Ohio" would later inspire the city of Cincinnati, Ohio to declare their own "Connie Smith Day" in June 1967.
19681972: New directions
By 1968, Smith began to feel large amounts of pressure from the music business. The stress of touring, recording, promoting, and trying to keep a personal life led Smith to contemplate the possibility of suicide . Although she thought about suicide, Smith later clarified that she never saw the idea as an actual possibility. These pressures eventually led Smith to seek solace in both her family life and religion, becoming a Born Again Christian in the spring of 1968. Although she did not give up her music career completely, Smith did balance it with a lighter schedule in order to avoid stress. In 1968 and 1969, Smith also began to record darker songs, including the single " Ribbon of Darkness ", among others. Smith stated that it was reflection on her personal life, after recently divorcing her first husband Jerry Smith. Despite her recent personal troubles, Smith continued to enjoy the same commercial success she had before. In 1969 her next single " You and Your Sweet Love " (written by Bill Anderson (singer)|Bill Anderson ) reached #6 on the Billboard Magazine Hot Country Singles chart. This was followed by another top ten single in 1970, entitled "I Never Once Stopped Loving You", which reached #5 on the same singles chart.Escott, Born to Sing , p. 28. Between 1969 and 1970, Smith released two collaborative albums with American country artist Nat Stuckey called Young Love (Connie Smith and Nat Stuckey album)|Young Love and Sunday Morning with Nat Stuckey and Connie Smith , the latter of which was a gospel album.
Between 1970 and 1971, both the singles " Louisiana Man " and " Where Is My Castle (song)|Where Is My Castle " became top twenty hits on the Billboard Magazine country singles chart.cite web|title=Billboard chart positions > Connie Smith singles|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p2398|pure_url=yes|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=14 August 2010 In 1971 Smith's cover of Don Gibson 's 1960 single " Just One Time (song)|Just One Time " reached #2 on the Hot Country Singles chart. An Just One Time|album of the same name was also released, which reached #20 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.cite web|title= Just One Time > album charts|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r576130|pure_url=yes|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=14 August 2010 By the early 1970s, Smith started to incorporate more Gospel music into her regular studio albums and touring show. Smith later stated that by incorporating more Gospel music into her secular recording career would make her leap into Christianity "count". In 1971, she released her third gospel album, Come Along and Walk with Me , which Smith later stated was her favorite gospel record out of the many she has made.cite web|title=Connie Smith Interview|url= http://www.countrystarscentral.com/conniesmithinterview.htm|publisher= Country Stars Central |accessdate=14 August 2010
In 1972, all three of Smith's singles reached the top ten on the Billboard Magazine Hot Country Singles chart: " Just for What I Am " (#5), " If It Ain't Love (Let's Leave It Alone) " (#7), and " Love Is the Look You're Looking for " (#8). In addition, three albums were also released to accommodate the success of the three singles, including a tribute to songwriter Dallas Frazier named '' If It Ain't Love and Other Great Dallas Frazier Songs . In November 1972, Smith announced she would depart from RCA Records , the same week that country artist Eddy Arnold also announced his departure. Smith later explained in an interview with Razor & Tie that she felt RCA showed a lack of respect for her and she felt she would have been happier recording elsewhere.cite web|first=Razor X|title=Connie Smith interview with Razor & Tie (click on news in website to find source)|url= http://conniesmithmusic.com/|publisher=Connie Smith Music.com|accessdate=14 August 2010
19731979: Later career
After parting ways with RCA Victor, Smith switched to Columbia Records in 1973. With her new contract, she insisted that she would be able to record one Gospel music|gospel album a year.cite web|title=CMT: Connie Smith biography|url= http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/smith_connie/bio.jhtml|publisher= Country Music Television |accessdate=14 August 2010 She released her first gospel album under the her label in November 1973, entitled God Is Abundant . In addition, the label also gave her the advantage of being able to incorporate more gospel songs into her regular country studio albums. Because of these factors, most of her singles remained out of the top ten, but she did manage to stay in the top twenty most of the decade. That year Smith recorded her first country album for the label entitled A Lady Named Smith with producer George Richey. Smith and Richey co-wrote the album's lead single, "You've Got Me (Right Where You Want Me)", which became a minor hit on the Billboard Magazine|Billboard country chart.cite web|last=Jurek|first=Thom|title= Connie Smith Sings Her Hits > Review|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r387487|pure_url=yes|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=14 August 2010 However Smith was dissatisfied with Richey's production strategies and replaced him with Ray Baker (music producer)|Ray Baker for her next album, '' That's the Way Love Goes (Connie Smith album)|That's the Way Love Goes (1974). Her next single (released on That's the Way Love Goes'') was written by Dallas Frazier called " Ain't Love a Good Thing ", which peaked at #10 on the Hot Country Singles Chart in 1974.cite web|title= Connie Smith Sings Her Hits > Billboard singles positions|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r387487|pure_url=yes|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=14 August 2010
After signing with Columbia, many music critics considered that Smith lost much of the quality that was found in her earlier records with RCA Victor. When reviewing her compilation from her years at Columbia titled Connie Smith Sings Her Hits (1997), Thom Jurek of Allmusic commented that Smith lost much of the "grain" in her voice. Jurek went on to write, "It could be said, that regardless of the material, she never made a bad record; the tunes were carefully chosen it's true, but she never tried to hide the hardcore twang in her vocal style." In 1974 Smith released the singles " I Never Knew (What That Song Meant Before) (song)|I Never Knew (What That Song Meant Before) " and " I've Got My Baby on My Mind ", which both reached #13 on the Billboard Magazine Hot Country Singles chart. In 1975, she released her second gospel album with the label, entitled Connie Smith Sings Hank Williams Gospel , which was a tribute to the gospel material that Hank Williams recorded. That year, she also released a cover of Williams' secular " Why Don't You Love Me (Hank Williams song)|Why Don't You Love Me (Like You Used to Do) " as a single. In 1976, Smith released two cover versions of previously-made pop hits by The Everly Brothers as singles: " (Till) I Kissed You " and "So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)". After releasing two more studio albums in 1976, Smith parted ways with Columbia Records the following year.
In 1977 Smith moved to Monument Records . With her new recording contract, she was marketed as country pop artist and was pressured into recording softer material. While reviewing Smith's 1993 Monument compilation Greatest Hits on Monument , Allmusic 's Stephen Thomas Erlewine commented that she not only recorded country-pop material, but also "heavily produced adult contemporary ballads and big, shiny disco-influenced pop numbers."cite web|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|title= Greatest Hits on Monument > Review|url= http://www.allmusic.co/cg/amg.dll? p=amgsql=10:avftxqugldte~T1|accessdate=14 August 2010 Meanwhile, both of Smith's albums under the label stiffed upon release. Her debut 1977 Monument album, Pure Connie Smith , only spawned one single, entitled "Coming Around", which peaked outside the Top 40. Only one single released on the label became a significant hit, a cover of Andy Gibb 's 1977 pop hit " I Just Want to Be Your Everything ", which peaked at #14 on the country singles chart in 1978.cite web|title= Greatest Hits on Monument > singles chart positions|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r168958|pure_url=yes|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=14 August 2010 Smith's next five singles on the label continued to descend into progressively lower positions on the country singles chart and because of poor record sales, Smith decided to go into semi-retirement in 1979 to raise her five children.
1998present: Comeback and current activities
Smith attempted to rekindle her mainstream career in 1985 with a new contract Epic Records . The label released two singles. The first single, "A Far Cry from You" (1985), was written by Alternative country artist Steve Earle and reached #71 on the Hot Country Singles chart. The second single did not chart and Epic failed to release any further singles or an album. In 1986, she made a cameo appearance in Stephen King 's horror film Maximum Overdrive as "dead lady in car".cite web|title=Indept Info: The Dixie Boy truck stop|url= http://86.93.127.70/murdermachines/Maximum%20Overdrive%27s%20Indept%20Info.html|publisher=Maximum Overdrive's Indept Info.com|accessdate=15 August 2010
One day in the mid 1990s, Smith was at her home talking to one of her daughters on the phone. After telling her mother what she was going to that night, her daughter asked Smith what her plans for that night were. Because she did not have anything fun planned, Smith lied so her daughter wouldn't have to worry about her. After the conversation ended, Smith realized that she didn't need her own children worrying about her at the start of their adult lives and decided that it was time to return to her career. With country artist Marty Stuart (whom she later married in 1997), acting as the album's main producer, Smith signed a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records in 1996. Although the label preferred her to record an album of duets, Smith decided to go by her own terms and record a solo studio album. In October 1998 she released her Connie Smith (1998 album)|second self-titled studio album .Escott, Colin, Born to Sing , p. 30. Consisting of ten tracks, nine of them were co-written by both Smith and Stuart.cite web|last=Coyne|first=Kevin John|title=100 Greatest Women Connie Smith (#24)|url= http://www.countryuniverse.net/2008/06/07/100-greatest-women-24-connie-smith/|publisher= Country Universe |accessdate=15 August 2010 Although the album attracted little attention, it was given high critical praise for its traditional and contemporary style. Kurt Wolff of the book Country Music: The Rough Guide commented that the album sounded "far gutsier than anything in the Reba McEntire|Reba and Garth Brooks|Garth mainstream". Thom Jurek of Allmusic gave the release four out of five stars, calling it "a solid effort", also commenting, "...it stands head and shoulders over most of the stuff that's come out of Nash Vegas in over a decade. Even if it doesn't sell a copy, it's a triumphant return for Smith. She hasn't lost a whit of her gift as a singer or as a writer."cite web|last=Jurek|first=Thom|title= Connie Smith (1998) > Review|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r377744|pure_url=yes|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=15 August 2010
Also in 1998, Smith made a second cameo appearance in a film, portraying a "Singer at the Rodeo Dance" in The Hi-Lo Country starring Woody Harrelson and Billy Crudup .
In August 2003, Smith released a collaborative gospel album with country artists Barbara Fairchild and Sharon White called Love Never Fails (2003 album)|Love Never Fails on Daywind Records. In an interview with Country Stars Central , Smith said that she was ill with the stomach flu while recording the album, but, still enjoyed making the record,cite web|title=Connie Smith Interview|url= http://www.countrystarscentral.com/conniesmithinterview.htm|publisher= Country Stars Central |accessdate=15 August 2010 Produced by country and bluegrass artist Ricky Skaggs (White's husband), the album received a nomination from the Dove Awards . The website Slipcue.com reviewed the release and commented that Love Never Fails , "is probably too rowdy for most Southern Gospel fans (who really like tinkly pianos and less-twangy vocals), and while it probably won't wow many country listeners, for folks who are fans any of these three singers, this is kind of a treat.cite web|title=Connie Smith CD discography|url= http://www.slipcue.com/music/country/countryartists/conniesmith.html|publisher=Slipcue.com|accessdate=15 August 2010
In November of 2008, Smith joined the cast of Marty Stuart 's television series The Marty Stuart Show , which airs on the RFD-TV network every Saturday night. The thirty minute program features traditional country music performed by both Stuart and Smith, as well as radio personality, Eddie Stubbs .cite web|title=Marty Stuart Show kicks off Saturday|url= http://www.countrystandardtime.com/news/newsitem.asp? xid=2244|publisher= Country Standard Time |accessdate=15 August 2010 Since 2008, Smith had been writing new songs for her next album. In August Smith released her first new solo recording in thirteen years, entitled Long Line of Heartaches via Sugar Hill Records . The record was produced by Marty Stuart and includes five songs written by the pair. Harlan Howard , Kostas , Johnny Russell , and Dallas Frazier also wrote songs that were included on the album.cite web|title=Upcoming and Recent CD Releases|url= http://www.countrystandardtime.com/cdreleases.asp|publisher= Country Standard Time |accessdate=20 May 2011
In 2012, Smith was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum|Country Music Hall of Fame ."Garth Brooks, Connie Smith, Hargus Pig Robbins join Country Music Hall of Fame," The Tennessean , March 6, 2012. Accessed 03-06-2012. http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2012/03/06/country-music-hall-of-fame-announces-2012-inductees/ Smith is the twelfth solo female vocalist the and nineteenth woman to be inducted.
Musical styles and reception
Connie Smith's sound is defined by the Nashville Sound musical style, primarily during her breakthrough years in the 1960s. While most Nashville Sound recordings of the time mainly included full orchestras, Smith's sound remained more traditional with its use of steel guitar and her twangy vocals, while still featuring some pop-influenced instrumentation to provide urban pop appeal. Critics have largely praised Smith's use of the steel guitar , which have often been described as "sharp" and "prominent". Smith's steel guitar player Weldon Myrick is often credited with creating what Smith has called "The Connie Smith Sound". In an interview with Colin Escott in his book Born to Sing , Myrick recalls how Smith's producer ( Bob Ferguson (music)|Bob Ferguson ) wanted the guitar to sound, "He came out and said he wanted a bright sound, and he adjusted my controls. I thought it was an awfully thin sound, but it wound up being very popular."Esott, Colin, Born to Sing , p. 12.
Although Smith has never been one of the most commercially-successful or career-driven artists, she is one of country music's most celebrated and respected. Music critics, fans, and counterparts alike have considered Smith to be one of best and most underrated female vocalists in country music history. Music critics have often compared Smith's vocals to that of country legend Patsy Cline , due to her emotional delivery and her strong use of diction and phrasing.cite web|last=Jurek|first=Thom|title= Born to Sing > Review|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r587389|pure_url=yes|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=16 August 2010 In his review of Smith's 1996 compilation The Essential Connie Smith , Jurek explained why Smith's vocals are usually compared to Cline's, "Connie Smith is perhaps the only female singer in the history of country music who can truly claim to be the heiress to Patsy Cline's throne. It's not that there aren't many amazing vocalists in the field, and plenty of legends among them. But in terms of the pure gift of interpretation of taking virtually any song and making it a country song of class and distinction, Smith is it."cite web|last=Jurek|first=Thom|title= The Essential Connie Smith > Review|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r233619|pure_url=yes|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=16 August 2010 Many artists in the country music industry have cited Smith as a significant musical influence or one of their favorite musical artists. Chely Wright said that she spent most of her childhood listening to records by Smith. George Jones cited Smith as his favorite female singer in his 1995 autobiography. Elvis Presley had many of Smith's albums in his record collection at his Graceland home and intended on recording Smith's version of "The Wonders You Perform", but never got around to doing so. In a discussion with country songwriter Fred Foster , Dolly Parton famously said, "You know, there's really only three female singers in the world: Barbra Streisand , Linda Ronstadt , and Connie Smith. The rest of us are only pretending".
Personal life
Smith has been married four times. In 1961, she married her first husband, Jerry Smith, a ferroanalyst at the Inter-Lake Iron Corporation in Beverly, Ohio . The couple had one child together on March 9, 1963 named Darren Justin. In the late 1970s, Darren went to Europe to become a missionary , and is currently a psychologist .cite web|last=Larken|first=Collin|title=Connie Smith Biography|url= http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/Connie-Smith.html|publisher= Oldies.com |accessdate=16 August 2010 In the mid-1960s, the couple divorced and Smith married the guitarist in her touring band, Jack Watkins. They had a son, Kenny Watkins, before separating nearly a year after marrying. Shortly afterward, Smith married telephone repairman Marshall Haynes. In the early 70s, the Haynes frequently toured with Smith on her road show. The couple had three daughters: Jeanne, Julie, and Jody Haynes. After divorcing Haynes in the early 1990s, Smith stated that she would never marry again, but on July 8, 1997 Smith married 1990s country artist Marty Stuart . The couple met while writing songs together for Smith's 1998 Connie Smith (1998 album)|comeback album . Thirty eight years before, Stuart first encountered her one night after attending her concert: "I met Connie when I was 12 years old. She came to the Indian reservation in my hometown to work at a fair. She hasn't changed a bit. She looked great then and she looks great now."cite web|title=Spirits Of Marty Stuart And Connie Smith Finally Unite (first appeared in a printing of Country Weekly in 1997)|url= http://www.martystuart.com/zart-cw-8-12-97.htm|publisher=Marty Stuart.com|accessdate=16 August 2010 Smith said that they have sustained their marriage by making "...the Lord the center ... and commit."cite web|last=Gallagher|first=Pat|title=Connie Smith and Marty Stuart Offer Marriage Tips|url= http://www.theboot.com/2010/07/08/connie-smith-marty-stuart/|publisher= The Boot |accessdate=16 August 2010
Discography
Main|Connie Smith albums discography|Connie Smith singles discography
Filmography
Year
Film
Role
Notes
1966
The Las Vegas Hillbillys
Herself
performer " Nobody But a Fool (Would Love You) "
Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar
Herself
performer " Once a Day "
1967
The Road to Nashville
Herself
performer "I'll Never Get Over Loving You" and "Nobody But a Fool (Would Love You)"
Hell on Wheels
Herself
performer "Ain't Had No Lovin'" and "The Hurtin's All Over"
Connie Smith has won two awards from both Billboard Magazine and Cash Box . Besides her nominations from music magazines, Smith has been nominated for eleven Grammy Awards , one award from the Academy of Country Music, and three awards from the Country Music Association , as well as several nominations from the fan-voted Music City News awards including one win.
Year !! Awards !! Award !! Outcome
1964
Billboard Magazine
Most Promising Female Country ArtistEscott, Colin, Born to Sing , p. 36. ref>
won
1965
Grammy Awards
Best Country and Western Single "Once a Day"
nom
Best New Country and Western Artist
nom
Best Country & Western Vocal Performance, Female "Once a Day"
nom
Billboard Magazine
Most Promising Female Country Artist
won
Billboard Magazine
Favorite Female Country Performer
nom
Favorite Album (19641965) "Connie Smith"
nom
Cash Box
Most Promising Female Country Vocalist
won
Country Music Review
Most Promising Female Singer
won
1966
Grammy Awards
Best Sacred Recording "Connie Smith Sings Great Sacred Songs"
nom
Best Country and Western Vocal Performance, Female "Ain't Had No Lovin'"
nom
Billboard Magazine
Favorite Female Country Performer
nom
Favorite Country Album "Cute 'n' Country"
nom
Cash Box
Most Programmed Female Artist
won
Country Music Life Award
Favorite Female Artist
won
Record World
Top Female Vocalist
won
Most Outstanding Female Country and Western Vocalist
won
1967
Billboard Magazine
Top Country Artist, Female Vocalist
nom
Cash Box
Most Programmed Female Artist
nom
Record World
Top Female Vocalist
nom
Country Music Association Awards
Female Vocalist of the Year
nom
1968
Grammy Awards
Best Country & Western Solo Vocal Performance, Female "Cincinnati, Ohio"
nom
1969
Academy of Country Music
cite web>title=searchable database Connie Smith
nom
Grammy Awards
Best Country Vocal Performance, Female "Ribbon of Darkness"
nom
1970
Country Music Association Awards
Female Vocalist of the Year
nom
1971
Grammy Awards
Best Sacred Performance "Whispering Hope" (with Nat Stuckey )
nom
1972
Music City News Awards
Top Female Vocalist
nom
Country Music Association Awards
Female Vocalist of the Year
nom
1974
Grammy Awards
Best Inspirational Performance "All the Praises"
nom
Music City News Awards
Top Female Vocalist
nom
1975
Music City News Awards
Top Female Vocalist
nom
1976
Grammy Awards
Best Gospel Performance "Connie Smith Sings Hank Williams Gospel"
nom
1979
Music City News Awards
cite web>title=Connie Smith: Awards
won
2002
Country Music Television
cite web>title=CMT's 40 Greatest Women of Country Music
won
2007
Country Universe
cite web>title=100 Greatest Women
won
2010
Grammy Awards
cite web>title=2011 Grammy Award Nominees
nom
2012
Country Music Association
Country Music Hall of Fame induction
won
References
;Footnotes Reflist|2 ;Bibliography refbegin
citation
| last = Escott | first = Colin | title = Born to Sing box set| year = 2001 | publisher = Bear Family Records | isbn = 3-89795-770-1 refend
External links
Commons category
http://www.conniesmithmusic.com/ Connie Smith's Official Website
http://www.opry.com/MeetTheOpry/Members.aspx? id=104 Connie Smith at the Grand Ole Opry's website
http://www.slipcue.com/music/country/countryartists/conniesmith.html Connie Smith Discography at Slipcue.com
Connie Smith Persondata | NAME =Smith, Connie | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =14 August 1941 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Elkhart, Indiana , United States|U.S. | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Connie Category:1941 births Category:American composers Category:American female singers Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American gospel singers Category:American Christians Category:Grand Ole Opry members Category:Musicians from Indiana Category:Musicians from Ohio Category:Musicians from Cincinnati, Ohio Category:Living people Category:People from Elkhart, Indiana Category:Nelson High School (Ontario) alumni Category:RCA Records Nashville artists
pdc:Connie Smith de:Connie Smith es:Connie Smith fi:Connie Smith sv:Connie Smith
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