On this day (July 16) in 1964, a then-unknown country singer named Connie Smith stepped into Nashville’s Studio B and recorded her first single, “Once a Day”. Written by country singer Bill Anderson, “Once a Day” took the perspective of a heartbroken woman who has not gotten over her previous lover, but has managed to limit her grieving to “once a day.”
Released in August 1964, the song sped up the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart, reaching number one the week of November 28. It remained there for eight weeks until January 23, 1965, when it was dethroned by Sonny James’ “You’re the Only World I Know”.
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At the time, no female solo country artist had ever enjoyed a longer reign at number one. And no other would for nearly 50 years, until Taylor Swift eclipsed that mark in December 2012 with “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”.
How Bill Anderson Helped Connie Smith Make History
Connie Smith’s path to stardom began in August 1963, when the then 22-year-old homemaker entered a talent contest at the Frontier Ranch country music park near Columbus, Ohio.
Her rendition of Jean Shepard’s “I Thought of You” won Smith first place, five silver dollars, and the attention of one of the judges—longstanding Grand Ole Opry member Bill Anderson.
“This little girl, with a guitar bigger than she was, came out on stage and just blew me away with her voice,” Anderson told American Songwriter in 2018. “She won the contest and I went backstage and told her if she ever wanted to come to Nashville I’d like to help her. I thought she was terrific.”
At the time, the Ohio-born singer wasn’t interested in making music her full-time career. Six months later, however, Anderson’s phone rang. It was Connie Smith, and she’d changed her mind.
With Anderson’s help, Smith soon landed a recording contract with RCA Records.
“Chet Atkins told me, ‘We have a lot of good singers but we don’t have a lot of good songs. I’m counting on you to write her some good songs,’” recalled the “Still” singer, now 88. “We started with ‘Once A Day’ and went from there.”
Writing Her Name in the History Books
Connie Smith spent nearly 30 years as the only female country artist to take her debut single to number one. In 1991, Trisha Yearwood joined her in that club with “She’s in Love with the Boy”.
“Once a Day” landed Smith several Grammy nominations, including for Best Country and Western Single and Best Country and Western Vocal Performance, Female.
More than that, it established Smith as a force to be reckoned with in country music. While she never reached the top of the country singles chart again, she would land 19 more top 10 singles.
[RELATED: 3 Connie Smith Songs That Were Revolutionary in Country Music]
Now 84, Connie Smith released her most recent album, Love, Prison, Wisdom and Heartaches, just two years ago, in April 2024.
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