NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For an artist who’s achieved nearly every industry honor, and continues to be revered by his peers and adored by his fans, Country Music Hall of Famer and Longest-Serving Grand Ole Opry Member Bill Anderson accepted another prominent honor this week to add to his mantel. The Tennessee Songwriters Association International bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award to Anderson at Harken Hall this week.
Songwriter Bobby Tomberlin (“One More Day” Diamond Rio) gave a rousing performance of a few of Anderson’s treasure trove of hits Anderson has penned over the past 70 years, and Danny Wells (“Check Yes or No” George Strait) presented the honor during the event.
“I have been trying to write songs for most of my adult life, so to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, especially from other songwriters, is a very special and humbling honor. My sincere appreciation to the members of TSAI for recognizing me with such a meaningful award,” Bill Anderson shared.
Recently, Anderson was part of NBC’s Opry 100 special, which aired on Wednesday, March 19 and is available to stream now on Peacock. Last fall, Anderson was awarded the Dr. David Godbold Lifetime Achievement Award by the South Carolina Entertainment and Music Hall of Fame. He was inducted by the organization in 1994, and is the first Lifetime Achievement Award honoree. In 2022, Anderson received a GRAMMY® nomination as an artist in the Best American Roots Performance category for his collaboration “Someday It’ll All Make Sense” (Bluegrass Version) with Dolly Parton.
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.
