The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville gifted Whisperin' Bill Anderson with quite the present on his 84th birthday (Nov. 1), announcing that career-spanning exhibit Bill Anderson: As Far As I Can See debuts Dec. 3 and runs through March 19, 2023.
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"Bill Anderson not only fortified and evolved country music, but his remarkable body of work establishes him as one of the most prolific and preeminent American artists and songsmiths across all genres," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, in a press release. "But it's his natural curiosity, humanity and ability to forge true, emotional connections with audiences - both as a performer and songwriter - that constantly replenishes his relevance and endears him to so many today."
Anderson's story dates back to the late 1950s when he first recorded his song "City Lights" on the University of Georgia campus. Ray Price's version topped the country charts in 1958, putting Anderson on the songwriting map.
Success as a recording artist and leader of ace backing band the Po' Folks followed, behind "Still," "The Tip of My Fingers" and other hits driven by Anderson's conversational vocal style. Anderson's songs were frequently cut by other artists, including Dean Martin, Aretha Franklin, Jerry Lee Lewis, Willie Nelson, James Brown, and fellow Opry veteran Connie Smith.
After decades as everything from Jan Howard's duet partner to a game show host (ABC's The Better Sex, 1977-'78), Anderson transitioned in the '90s to co-writing with a new generation of stars. He's since helped write Vince Gill's "Which Bridge to Cross (Which Bridge to Burn)," Kenny Chesney's "A Lot of Things Different," George Strait's "Give It Away" and the award-winning Alison Krauss and Brad Paisley duet "Whiskey Lullaby."
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Exhibit artifacts cover each phase of Anderson's life and career, spanning from the baseball glove he used in high school to hand-written lyrics to "Give It Away," a Buddy Cannon and Jamey Johnson co-write.
"I grew up dreaming of the day they'd put my ball glove into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, never dreaming that one day it would end up in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville," said Anderson in a press release. "But now that old glove, along with some guitars, a few rhinestone suits and some scribbled song lyrics are on display in the Bill Anderson: As Far as I Can See exhibit in Music City. When the museum does an exhibit, they really do it up right, and I'm honored to know that I am now a small part of their incredible legacy. I'm not sure I could have ever seen this far."
Anderson, fresh off his 60th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, will sit down at 2 p.m. CST on Dec. 4 with the museum's Peter Cooper for a career-spanning one-on-one interview, followed by a brief live performance by Anderson. Before that, Anderson co-writers Erin Enderlin, Bobby Tomberlin, and Cannon will take part at 11 a.m. CST in a special songwriter round. Tickets for both events will be available this Friday (Nov. 5) on the museum's website.
