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.

For the 1998 studio album by Connie Smith, see Connie Smith (1998 album).
Connie Smith
Studio album by
Connie Smith
ReleasedMarch 1965
RecordedJuly 16, 1964 – November 18, 1964
GenreCountry
Length28:23
LabelRCA Victor
ProducerBob Ferguson
Connie Smith chronology
Connie Smith
(1965)		 Cute 'n' Country
(1965)
Singles from Connie Smith
  1. "Once a Day"
    Released: August 1964
  2. "Then and Only Then/Tiny Blue Transistor Radio"
    Released: January 1965
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

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

Connie Smith consisted of twelve tracks and included two of Smith's first two major hits: "Once a Day" and "Then and Only Then." It also included the latter's B-side, "Tiny Blue Transistor Radio," which reached a peak of #25 on Hot Country Songs chart. The album was recorded at the RCA Victor Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee in 1964, and featured the background vocalists, The Anita Kerr Singers. Six of the songs on the album were written or co-written by country music artist, Bill Anderson, including "Once a Day" and "Then and Only Then."[2]

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."[2] 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."[3] The album was released on a 12-inch LP album, with six tracks on each side of the record.[4]

Release and aftermath

Connie Smith reached a peak of #1 on the Top Country Albums chart, spending 7 weeks on top of the albums chart, and 30 weeks overall. "Once a Day" was released in August 1964, and peaked at #1 on November 28, spending eight weeks at #1. To date, Smith holds the record for the most weeks spent at #1 by a female country music artist. "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.[5][6]

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Other Side of You"William Broadwell Morgan2:39
2."Tiny Blue Transistor Radio"Bill Anderson2:30
3."Once a Day"Bill Anderson2:17
4."Hinges on the Door"Baker Knight2:23
5."Don't Forget I Still Love You"Guy Louis2:02
6."Darling, Are You Ever Coming Home"Hank Cochran, Willie Nelson2:07
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Then and Only Then"Bill Anderson2:23
2."The Threshold"Bill Anderson2:16
3."It's Just My Luck"Betty Sue Perry2:02
4."I'm Ashamed of You"Bill Anderson2:37
5."I Don't Love You Anymore"Bill Anderson2:35
6."Tell Another Lie"Christian Bruhn, Randy Starr, Fred Wise2:32

Personnel

Sales chart positions
Album
Chart (1965) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 105
U.S. Top Country Albums 1
Singles
Year Song Chart positions
US Country US
1964 "Once a Day" 1 101
1965 "Then and Only Then" 4 116
"Tiny Blue Transistor Radio" 25 —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

References
  1. Allmusic review
  2. Cooper, Dan. "Connie Smith [1965] > Overview". allmusic. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
  3. "Connie Smith Discography - - Joe Sixpack's Guide to Hick Music". Slipcue.com. Archived from the original on 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
  4. "Connie Smith by Connie Smith". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
  5. "Connie Smith [1965] > Charts & Awards". allmusic. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
  6. "Opry member: Connie Smith". opry.com. Archived from the original on June 18, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
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