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.
Media Assets
Recent News
Bill Anderson Receives Lifetime Achievement Award by Tennessee Songwriters Association International
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.
ICYMI: Country Music Legend Bill Anderson Featured In NBC’S Opry 100 Special
Country Music Hall of Famer and Longest-Serving Member, Bill Anderson was prominently featured in NBC’s Opry 100 special, which aired on Wednesday, March 19. If you didn't watch it, you can stream it on Peacock.
Bill Anderson Debuts Official Lyric Video for “The Last One I’ll Forget” from New EP, Forevermore
Bill Anderson released the official lyric video for his moving new song, “The Last One I'll Forget,” featured on his latest EP, Forevermore.
Bill Anderson Unveils New EP ‘Forevermore’ Available Today
Country Music Hall of Famer, Songwriters Hall of Fame member and ACM and CMA-award-winning entertainment titan, Bill Anderson, releases his brand-new EP, Forevermore, available everywhere today via MCA Nashville/UMe.
Bill Anderson Receives Dr. David Godbold Lifetime Achievement Award
Country Music Hall of Fame member, Songwriters Hall of Fame member and ACM and CMA-award-winning entertainment titan, Bill Anderson, was honored with the 2024 Dr. David Godbold Lifetime Achievement Award by the South Carolina Entertainment and Music Hall of Fame on Thursday, April 25. Anderson was inducted by the organization in 1994, and is the first Lifetime Achievement Award honoree. Anderson was born in Columbia, South Carolina and lived there for the first 8 years of his life until moving to Georgia.
Bill Anderson Releases Lyric Video for “The Country I Grew Up With (Song Featuring Bobby Bare, Jimmy Fortune, Vince Gill, Willie Nelson)”
Entertainment titan and Country Music Hall of Famer, Bill Anderson, releases the sentimental lyric video for "The Country I Grew Up With," available everywhere today. Anderson enlisted four fellow Hall of Famers – Bobby Bare, Jimmy Fortune, Vince Gill and Willie Nelson – for the new collaboration, which was released in 2023 via MCA Nashville/UMe.