Connie Smith (1965 album)
Connie Smith is the debut studio album by American country music artist Connie Smith. It was released in March 1965 on RCA Victor Records and was produced by Bob Ferguson. The album included Smith's debut single, "Once a Day". The song became her signature recording and biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard country songs chart.
| Connie Smith | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 1965 | |||
| Recorded | July – November 1964 | |||
| Studio | RCA Studio B | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 28:23 | |||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||
| Producer | Bob Ferguson | |||
| Connie Smith chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Connie Smith | ||||
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The album would also reach the top spot of the Top Country Albums chart in 1965, spending multiple weeks at the top of the chart. Connie Smith would be the start of a series of album releases by Smith on the RCA label for the next nine years.
Background and content edit
Connie Smith rose to country music stardom with the 1964 song "Once a Day". Penned by Bill Anderson, the disc topped the country chart and prompted her record label to release her debut studio album.[2] The album was recorded at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. Sessions were held between July and November 1964. The production for the album was performed by Bob Ferguson. It featured the background vocalists, The Anita Kerr Singers. Six of the songs on the album were written by singer-songwriter, Bill Anderson, including "Once a Day" and "Then and Only Then."[3][4] Also included was Smith's cover of Charlie Louvin's "I Don't Love You Anymore". Additionally, singer and songwriter Willie Nelson composed the album's track, "Darling, Are You Ever Coming Home".[3]
Release and reception edit
Smith's eponymous album was released in March 1965 on RCA Victor Records. It was the debut album in her career. It was issued as a vinyl LP album, with six tracks on each side of the record.[3] Connie Smith peaked at number one on the Top Country Albums chart, spending 7 weeks on top of the albums chart, and 30 weeks overall.[5] "Once a Day" was released in August 1964, and peaked at number one on November 28, spending eight weeks at the top spot. "Then and Only Then" was released as the follow-up single in early 1965, peaking within the Top 5 on the country charts. In addition, both songs also placed in the Bubbling Under Hot 100.[6][7] A digital version of the original album was released in later years by Sony Music Entertainment.[8]
The album was reviewed by AllMusic and received five out of five stars. Reviewer, Dan Cooper called Smith's voice to be, "blowing through the Nashville Sound production like a down-home Streisand fronting The Lennon Sisters."[4] Slipcue.com reviewed the album and gave it a positive review, calling the sound, "Nashville Girl Group at its best." The songs "Once a Day," "Tiny Blue Transistor Radio," and "I Don't Love You Anymore" as "classic examples of the style." The website later concluded by stating, "Them folks at the label could make a lot of people really happy if they just reissued this album whole, as is, and let us hear what Smith sounded like coming out the gate. A doozy."[9]
Track listings edit
Original version edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Other Side of You" | William Broadwell Morgan | 2:39 |
| 2. | "Tiny Blue Transistor Radio" | Bill Anderson | 2:30 |
| 3. | "Once a Day" | Anderson | 2:17 |
| 4. | "Hinges on the Door" | Baker Knight | 2:23 |
| 5. | "Don't Forget I Still Love You" | Guy Louis | 2:02 |
| 6. | "Darling, Are You Ever Coming Home" | 2:07 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Then and Only Then" | Anderson | 2:23 |
| 2. | "The Threshold" | Anderson | 2:16 |
| 3. | "It's Just My Luck" | Betty Sue Perry | 2:02 |
| 4. | "I'm Ashamed of You" | Anderson | 2:37 |
| 5. | "I Don't Love You Anymore" | Anderson | 2:35 |
| 6. | "Tell Another Lie" |
| 2:32 |
Digital version edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Other Side of You" | Morgan | 2:43 |
| 2. | "Tiny Blue Transistor Radio" | Anderson | 2:33 |
| 3. | "Once a Day" | Anderson | 2:20 |
| 4. | "Hinges on the Door" | Knight | 2:27 |
| 5. | "Don't Forget (I Still Love You)" | Louis | 2:06 |
| 6. | "Darling, Are You Ever Coming Home" |
| 2:11 |
| 7. | "Then and Only Then" | Anderson | 2:27 |
| 8. | "The Threshold" | Anderson | 2:21 |
| 9. | "It's Just My Luck" | Perry | 2:06 |
| 10. | "I'm Ashamed of You" | Anderson | 2:41 |
| 11. | "I Don't Love You Anymore" | Anderson | 2:38 |
| 12. | "Tell Another Lie" |
| 2:34 |
Personnel edit
All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Connie Smith.[3]
Musical personnel
- Harold Bradley – guitar
- Floyd Chance – bass
- Dorothy Dillard – background vocals
- Ray Edenton – guitar
- Dolores Edgin – background vocals
- Karl Garvin – background vocals
- Priscilla Hubbard – background vocals
- Jerry Kennedy – guitar
- Anita Kerr – background vocals
- Jimmy Lance – guitar
- Leonard Miller – drums
- Weldon Myrick – steel guitar
- Louis Nunley – background vocals
- Harold Ragsdale – background vocals
- Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano
- Connie Smith - lead vocals, harmony vocals
- William Wright – background vocals
Chart performance edit
| Chart (1965) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[10] | 101 |
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[11] | 1 |
Release history edit
| Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | March 1965 | Vinyl | RCA Victor Records | [3] |
| United Kingdom | [12] | |||
| United States | [3] | |||
| 2010s |
| Sony Music Entertainment | [8] |
References edit
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Bush, John. "Connie Smith: Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Smith, Connie (March 1965). "Connie Smith (LP Liner Notes and Album Information)". RCA Victor Records. LPM-3341.
- ^ a b Cooper, Dan. "Connie Smith [1965] > Overview". allmusic. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
- ^ "Connie Smith chart history (Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ "Connie Smith [1965] > Charts & Awards". allmusic. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
- ^ . opry.com. Archived from the original on June 18, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
- ^ a b c "Connie Smith by Connie Smith". Apple Music. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ . Slipcue.com. Archived from the original on 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
- ^ "Connie Smith Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
- ^ "Connie Smith Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
- ^ Smith, Connie (March 1965). "Connie Smith (UK LP Liner Notes and Album Information)". RCA Victor Records. HAT-3089.