CONNIE SMITH, AMERICAN COUNTRY & GOSPEL MUSIC

Today, The Grandma has been listening to some country music interpreted by Connie Smith, the American singer and songwriter, who was born on a day like today in 1941.

Connie Smith (August 14, 1941) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Her contralto vocals have been described by music writers as significant and influential to the women of country music. A similarity has been noted between her vocal style and the stylings of country vocalist Patsy Cline. Other performers have cited Smith as influence on their own singing styles, which has been reflected in interviews over the years.

Discovered in 1963, Smith signed with RCA Victor Records the following year and remained with the label until 1973. Her debut single Once a Day was nominated at the Grammy Awards for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in November 1964 and remained at the top position for eight weeks.

In 1991, Trisha Yearwood's debut single went to #1 for two weeks, but Smith still held the record for the most number of weeks at #1 by any female country artist in history. Taylor Swift's We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together broke Smith's 48 year record in 2012. Smith's success continued through 1960s and mid-1970s with 19 more top-10 hits (including Then and Only Then, Ain't Had No Lovin', Cincinnati, Ohio, I Never Once Stopped Loving You, and Ain't Love a Good Thing) on the country songs chart.

In the early 1970s, Smith began to record gospel music more frequently as she became more serious in her Christianity. As she focused more heavily on religion, Smith became known for her outspoken religious demeanor at concerts and music venues. At the same time, she spent more time raising her five children than focusing on music. She eventually went into semi-retirement in 1979 and returned to recording briefly in the mid-1980s with Epic Records. However, it was not until her collaboration with Marty Stuart in the 1990s that she returned permanently. Their musical friendship became romantic, leading to their marriage in 1997, and to Connie Smith, her first studio album in 20 years. Critically acclaimed, Smith began performing again and has recorded two more studio albums.

Smith has been nominated for 11 Grammy Awards, including eight nominations for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. She has also been nominated for one Academy of Country Music award and three Country Music Association awards. Rolling Stone included her on its list of the 100 greatest country music artists and CMT ranked her among the top 10 in its list of the 40 greatest women of country music. She has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry cast since 1965. In 2012, Smith was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Constance June Meador was born to Wilma and Hobart Meador in Elkhart, Indiana.

Smith was influenced by music in her childhood. Her stepfather played mandolin, one brother played fiddle, and another brother played guitar.

In January 1964, Smith ran into Anderson again at a country-music package concert in Canton, Ohio. He invited her to perform with him on Ernest Tubb's Midnite Jamboree program in Nashville, Tennessee. When Smith performed on the program in March 1964, she found out that she would not be performing with Anderson, but instead with Ernest Tubb. Impressed by her performance, Loretta Lynn introduced herself after the show and gave her career advice. 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 the RCA Victor label where producer Chet Atkins heard it. Also impressed by her vocals, Atkins offered Smith a recording contract, and she signed on June 24, 1964.

By 1968, Smith had reached the height of her career. She was making multiple appearances on film and television while attempting to balance touring with family life.

Smith is considered by many critics and historians to be one of country music's more celebrated and respected artists.

In 2011, she was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Alongside Garth Brooks, Smith was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2012.

In March 2021, Smith's legacy was further cemented by the Library of Congress, which added Once a Day to the National Recording Registry.

In April 2021, Smith's husband, Marty Stuart, announced a documentary to be released about her life and career titled Connie: The Cry of the Heart.

More information: Country Thang Daily

 When a song comes to you, 
you can't run around it.

Connie Smith