This illustrated biography tells the story of one of the most decorated songwriters in history, Country Music Hall of Fame member Bill Anderson, who broke into the music business with “City Lights,” which he penned at the age of nineteen, in 1957. When singer Ray Price released the song in 1958 on Columbia Records, it became a #1 country hit, and it launched Anderson’s long and storied career as a songwriter and recording artist. Anderson’s songs have been recorded by performers as varied as Connie Smith, James Brown, Dean Martin, Willie Nelson, Charley Pride, the Louvin Brothers, Elvis Costello, Conway Twitty, Jerry Lee Lewis, Kenny Chesney, and countless others. His multifaceted career has included stints as a disc jockey, sportswriter, and television star. At the same time, he has demonstrated a remarkable ability to bridge eras in his music and collaborate with writers across the country music spectrum, cementing his reputation as a songwriter and recording artist of uncommon impact and distinction.
This book was published as a companion to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s exhibition Bill Anderson: As Far as I Can See, and it contains a foreword from fellow Grand Ole Opry star Jeannie Seely, along with seventy-five personal photographs and significant images rarely seen.