NASHVILLE, Tenn. – During this unprecedented time in history, when the feelings of joy and happiness may not be felt as often, National Health Service (NHS) workers in the United Kingdom are finding solice in a ‘Whisperin’ Bill Anderson hit song re-recorded by an all star cast. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame member wrote “Happiness” in 1964 and it became a smash for Sir Ken Dodd overseas. As the Daily Mirror recently reported, celebrities across the U.K. re-recorded “Happiness” as tribute to all those in health service. Click HERE to watch.
“It really pleases me to know that a song I created over 50-years ago can be repurposed and used to bring a little sunshine to these dark days we are all going through right now. God bless the NHS and workers on the front lines everywhere,” Anderson shared.
Though “Happiness” wasn’t Sir Ken’s highest charting single, it was a fan-favorite and became his signature hit, which he performed in his shows up until his passing in 2018.
Royle Family star Ricky Tomlinson is joined in the video by Glenda Jackson, Rick Astley, Jimmy Tarbuck, Shirley Ballas, Claire Sweeney, Les Dennis and Carol Decker. Additionally, the video features dozens of nurses and families from the Liverpool area where Sir Ken was from.
For more information on Bill Anderson visit BillAnderson.com or follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT BILL ANDERSON:
Country Music Hall of Famer and Grand Ole Opry titan Bill Anderson is the rare songwriter whose first major label cut went to No. 1 on the charts, was named Song of The Year and sparked a writing career that is currently in its seventh decade. The song, “City Lights,” was written when Anderson was a 19-year old Georgia disc jockey and became a career-defining hit for Ray Price in 1958. The song opened doors for him in Nashville, leading him to signing with BMI and Tree Publishing. Anderson was far from a one-hit wonder. He followed “City Lights” with country standards like “Tips Of My Fingers,” the GRAMMY-nominated “Once A Day,” “Saginaw, Michigan,” “That’s What It’s Like To Be Lonesome,” “I Missed Me,” “Cold Hard Facts Of Life,” which earned him another GRAMMY nomination, “Mama Sang A Song,” the crossover smash, “Still,” and countless others. He was voted country Songwriter of the Year six times during his first decade in Music City. His success continued into the 1970’s with award-winning hits like “Slippin’ Away,” “The Lord Knows I’m Drinking,” “I May Never Get To Heaven,” and the disco-flavored, “I Can’t Wait Any Longer.” The 1980’s saw Anderson’s chart-topping career take a hiatus as he became a TV network game show host, spokesman for a national restaurant chain and a nonstop touring Grand Ole Opry performer. In the 1990’s he came roaring back with a vengeance, however, as he seriously turned to co-writing for the first time. Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001, his collaborations with the newer generation of Nashville tunesmiths resulted in hits like “Wish You Were Here,” the GRAMMY-nominated “Two Teardrops,” “A Lot Of Things Different,” for Kenny Chesney, “Which Bridge To Cross (Which Bridge To Burn),” for Vince Gill and two CMA Song Of The Year trophies for “Whiskey Lullaby,” with Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss and George Strait’s “Give It Away,” in 2005 and 2007 respectfully. He continues to write today with songs like Brad Paisley’s “Dying To See Her.” For more information, visit BillAnderson.com.
