Connie was one of fourteen children. Desperately poor (the shoes she wore to high school graduation were bought with money taken up in a class collection), her family moved back to their home state of West Virginia and then to nearby Dungannon, Ohio, when Connie was still an infant. She grew up listening to country music, especially Ernest Tubb, her daddy’s favorite, and Eddy Arnold, her mother’s. In 1959, she graduated as her high school’s salutatorian – just one-tenth of a point behind the valedictorian – and slowly, gaining confidence with each show, she began singing locally.
After judging her tops in a talent contest at Frontier Ranch country music park, singer-songwriter Bill Anderson invited her to Nashville. She performed on Ernest Tubb’s Midnight Jamboree, and the positive response convinced her to move down permanently. Signed to RCA, she recorded the single “Once a Day” at her very first session. It rocketed to No. 1 – the first female country artist debut single ever to do so – and stayed there for an unprecedented eight weeks. Still one of the most celebrated first singles in country music history, it remains — along with “How Great Thou Art,” her biggest Gospel hit — the song most requested by her fans.
Smith’s success continued through the years, earning her 11 GRAMMY nominations, 20 Top 10 Billboard country singles, and 31 charting albums, three of which hit No. 1. Rolling Stone magazine included her on their list of the 100 greatest country artists of all time and CMT ranked her in their top ten of the 40 greatest women of country music. In 2011, she was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. On October 21, 2012, Smith became the 12th solo female vocalist and 19th woman to be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. She continues to tour and record, often with her husband and producer, Marty Stuart.
Born: August 14, 1941, Elkhart, Indiana
