Country icon Bill Anderson received a disturbing phone call this morning. It was his son telling him that a friend had called to offer his condolences over his father’s death.
Well, it’s true that Bill Anderson did die, just not THAT Bill Anderson. The Anderson who died, and was actually born the year before the country singer, was the 1957 co-captain of the University of Tennessee football team and, later, went on to play for the Green Bay Packers including their appearance in Super Bowl I. He was also the voice, with John Ward, of University of Tennessee football from 1968 to 1999.
But the Bill Anderson who died never sang Still.
Anderson wrote on Facebook:
My son called me this morning to tell me that a friend of his had phoned at 6 a.m. offering him condolences on the death of his father. He said he had heard on the radio that Bill Anderson had passed away. Well, that’s true, but not THIS Bill Anderson. The one who died was a former football player at the University of Tennessee as well as the color analyst on the broadcasts of UT games for 31-years. I’ll admit it was a bit weird seeing his death notice in the paper – “Bill Anderson – 1936-2017.” I had met him on a couple of occasions, and he said he had had to explain several times over the years that he was not the singer on the Grand Ole Opry. He was a nice man, and my condolences to his family on their loss. But I sure am glad it wasn’t me!
The musical Bill Anderson started his career in the late-50’s by writing the song City Lights which became a hit for Ray Price in 1958. That same year, he had his own first hit with That’s What It’s Like to Be Lonesome (1958 / #12 Country) and went on to amass 31 top ten singles as a solo artist along with four with Jan Howard and three with Mary Lou Turner.
Bill Anderson’s number 1 hits:
Mama Sang a Song (1962)
Still (1963 – Also went to number 8 on the Hot 100 and 3 on Adult Contemporary)
I Get the Fever (1966)
For Loving You (1967, with Jan Howard)
My Life (Throw It All Away If I Want To) (1969)
World of Make Believe (1974)
Sometimes (1976, with Mary Lou Turner)
