Connie Smith - My Part of Forever, Vol. 1: The Ultimate Collection 1972 - 2018

Connie Smith: My Part Of Forever Vol.1: The Ultimate Collection 1972 - 2018 (2-CD)

(Humphead) 50 tracks - 24 page booklet

This 'real deal' vocalist has recorded more than 53 albums plus 20 top 10 country hits. Punctuated by her powerful vocal style, tear-stained songs such as Once a Day, Then and Only Then, Nobody But A Fool (Would Love You), Ain't Had No Lovin', The Hurtin's All Over and You and Your Sweet Love are just a few of those classic hits.

Original Release Date: 26 Sep 2018

50 Tracks/ Time: 2:19:23

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50 songs chosen by Connie for her collection, mainly of recordings from the 1970s, with a bonus of later tracks recorded for Warner Bros. in the mid-1990s, Sugar Hill in 2011 and rare lost radio performances from the early 1970s, shows beyond a doubt, that Connie Smith is to be regarded alongside Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, Kitty Wells, Emmylou Harris and Loretta Lynn as a true country music icon. 

Connie Smith is, without doubt, one of the most influential female singers in country music history. Throughout her career, which stretches back to 1964, she has steadfastly maintained a traditional country stance with a voice that is one of the most respected and recognizable in country music.

George Jones named her as his favorite female singer in his autobiography. But her reach went beyond country to inspire fans and artists in all genres. Elvis Presley was a known fan who owned many of her albums and had plans to record a version of her song The Wonders You Perform before he passed away. After being introduced to Connie, Keith Richards immediately brought his fellow Rolling Stone, Ron Wood, over to meet her, exclaiming: "She's the real deal!"

This 'real deal' vocalist has recorded more than 53 albums plus 20 top 10 country hits. Punctuated by her powerful vocal style, tear-stained songs such as Once a Day, Then and Only Then, Nobody But A Fool (Would Love You), Ain't Had No Lovin', The Hurtin's All Over and You and Your Sweet Love are just a few of those classic hits. 

“The wonderful Connie Smith” – Ali Donowho UKCountryRadio.com

“Lot of positive feedback for this album by Connie Smith. A beautiful release, a double disc represting a great era of music. Often mentioned Alan Cackett because he writes those wonderful booklets for the HUMPHEAD label like the Connie Smith one” – Marie Crichton BBC Radio Shropshire  

“I think it is superb” – Keith Greentree BBC Radio Norfolk

CD 1

1. 'Ain't Love A Good Thing' (written by Dallas Frazier) (No.10, 1973)

2. 'Pass Me By (If You're Only Passing Through)' / this track was an album track from 1973

3. 'I Got A Lot of Hurtin' Done Today' (written by Sanger D. 'Whitey' Shafer) (No.30, 1975)

4. 'Did We Have To Come This Far (To Say Goodbye)', which was written by Dallas Frazier and Arthur Leo 'Doodle' Owens (Friday 28 Nov 1930 - Mon 4 October 1999) / this track was an album track from 1974.

5. '(Till) I Kissed You' (written by Don Everly) (No.10, 1976)

6. 'I Still Feel The Same About You' (written by Bill Anderson) / this track was an album track from 1975

7. 'A Far Cry From You' (written by Steve Earle) / this track, which was released in June 1985 as a 7" vinyl single on Epic Records, and reached No.71 on the Billboard country music singles chart, was Connie Smith's final single to reach a Billboard chart position to date, and did not appear on an official album

8. 'I've Got My Baby On My Mind' (written by Sanger D. 'Whitey' Shafer) (No.13, 1974)

9. 'You Crossed My Mind A Thousand Times Today' (written by Dewayne Orender and Phyllis Powell) / this track was an album track from 1976

10. 'House Where Love Shines' (written by Dallas Frazier) / this track was an album track from 1973

11. 'A Picture of Me (Without You)', which was written by George Richey (Saturday 30 November 1935 - Saturday 31 July 2010) and Norro Wilson (Mon 4 April 1938 - Thurs 8 June 2017) / this track was an album track from 1973.

12. 'Dallas' (written by Leona Williams) (No.35, 1974)

13. 'Thanks A Lot For Trying Anyway' (written by Jim Glaser) / this track was an album track from 1974

14. 'I Don't Wanna Talk It Over Anymore' (written by Eddy Raven) (No.13, 1977)

15. 'You've Got Me (Right Where You Want Me)', which was written by George Richey (Sat 30 Nov 1935 - Sat 31 July 2010) and Connie Smith (No.21, 1973).

16. 'Searching (For Someone Just Like You)' (written by Pee Wee Maddux) / this track was an album track from 1975

17. 'That's The Way Love Goes', which was written by Lefty Frizzell (Sat 31 March 1928 - Sat 19 July 1975) and Sanger D. 'Whitey' Shafer / this track was an album track from 1974

18. 'When You Hurt Me More Than I Love You' (written by Jerry Foster and Bill Rice) / this track was an album track from 1973

19. 'I'll Still Be Missing You' (written by Warner McPherson) / this track was an album track from 1974

20. 'So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)' (written by Don Everly) (No.31, 1976)

21. 'I Never Knew (What That Song Meant Before)' (written bySanger D. 'Whitey' Shafer) (No.13, 1974)

22. 'The Latest Shade of Blue' (written by Eddy Raven) (No.42, 1977)

23. 'I'm All Wrapped Up in You', which was written by Don Gibson (Tues 3 April 1928 - Mon 17 Nov 2003) / this track was an album track from 1976.

24. 'It's Not Easy To Say Goodbye' / this track was an album track from 1978

25. 'A House of Gold', which was written by Hank Williams (Mon 17 Sept 1923 - Thurs 1 Jan 1953) / this track was an album track from 1975.

Click to ENLARGE
CD Inlay

CD 2

1. 'Long Line of Heartaches' (written by Connie Smith and Marty Stuart) / this track was an album track from 2011.

2. 'Anymore', which was written by Vic McAlpin, Roy Drusky (Sunday 22 June 1930 - Thurs 23 Sept 2004) and Marie Wilson / this track was an album track from 2011

3. 'My Part of Forever' (written by Jerry Foster and Bill Rice)/ this track was an album track from 2011.

4. 'When A House Is Not A Home', which was written by Roger Miller (Thursday 2 January 1936 - Sunday 25 October 1992) / this track was an album track from 1971.

5. 'Your Light' (written by Allen Shamblin, Connie Smith and Marty Stuart) / this track was an album track from 1998.

6. 'The Pain of a Broken Heart' (written by Connie Smith and Marty Stuart)/ this track was an album track from 2011.

7. 'Ain't You Even Gonna Cry', which was written by Johnny Russell (Tuesday 23 Jan 1940 - Tues 3 July 2001) / this track was an album track from 2011

8. 'Love's Not Everything' (written by Connie Smith and Marty Stuart) / this track was an album track from 1998.

9. 'Hearts Like Ours' (written by Connie Smith and Marty Stuart) / this track was an album track from 1998.

10. 'How Long', which was written by Harlan Howard (Thurs 8 Sept 1927 - Sun 3 March 2002), Connie Smith and Marty Stuart / this track was an album track from 1998

11. 'What's A Heart Like You (Doing in A Fool Like Me)' (written by Glenn Ashworth and Dallas Frazier) / this track was an album track in 2011.

12. 'I'm Not Blue' (written by Kostas, Connie Smith and Marty Stuart)/ this track was an album track from 2011.

13. 'I Thought I Heard You Calling My Name', which was written by Lee Emerson Bellamy (Sun 15 May 1927 - Sat 2 Dec 1978)

14. 'Blue Heartaches' (written by Connie Smith and Marty Stuart) / this track was an album track from 2011.

15. 'Take My Hand' (written by Diane Berry) / this track was an album track from 2011.

16. 'The Race Is On' (written by Don Rollins) / this track was an album track from 2015

17. 'I Never Once Stopped Loving You' (written by Bill Anderson and Jan Howard) (No.5, 1970)

18. 'Louisiana Man' (written by Doug Kershaw) (No.14, 1970)

19. 'Cincinnati, Ohio' (written by Bill Anderson) (No.4, 1967).

20. 'Just For What I Am', which was written by Dallas Frazier and Arthur Leo 'Doodle' Owens (Friday 28 Nov 1930 - Mon 4 October 1999) (No.5, 1972)

21. 'Where is My Castle' (written by Dallas Frazier) (No.11, 1971)

22. 'Long Black Limousine' (written by Bobby George and Vern Stovall) / this track was an album track from 1969.

23. 'Once A Day' (written by Bill Anderson) (No.1 for eight weeks - Nov 1964 / Jan 1965) / this track remained on the Billboard country music singles chart for twenty-seven weeks and took Connie Smith into the record books as the first female country singer to hit No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart with her first country music release.

24. 'Amazing Grace', which was written by John Newton (24 July 1725 - 21 December 1807) / this track was an album track from 1971.

25. 'How Great Thou Art', which was written by Stuart Wesley Keene Hine (25 July 1899 - Tues 14 March 1989) / this track was an album track from 1969.

CONNECT with Connie Smith:

About Connie Smith

Connie Smith was born Constance June Meador in Elkhart, Indiana on Thursday 14 August 1941, but was raised in West Virginia and Ohio.

Connie Smith remembered from an early age of wanting to become a member of The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

In the early 1960s, Connie Smith married and became a housewife in Marietta, Ohio but continued to sing.  While performing near Columbus, Ohio in 1963, Bill Anderson first heard her and offered his help in gaining Connie Smith a recording contract.

Shortly after discovering Connie Smith, Bill Anderson had her perform on 'Ernest Tubb's Record Shop Live Show' in 1964.

Two months later, Connie Smith made demo recordings written by Bill Anderson, recordings which included his song 'Once A Day'.

After hearing the demos, producer Chet Atkins (Friday 20 June 1924 - Saturday 30 June 2001) signed Connie Smith to RCA Victor Records in Nashville; because Chet Atkins was working with too many artists during Connie Smith's first years at RCA Victor Records, Bob Ferguson (Friday 30 December 1927 - Sunday 22 July 2001) served as her producer.

Under the guidance of RCA Victor Records producer Bob Ferguson (Friday 30 December 1927 - Sunday 22 July 2001), Connie Smith enjoyed a string of hit singles.

Connie Smith's first hit single, 'Once A Day' (written by Bill Anderson), was at No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for eight weeks, commencing Saturday 28 November 1964; the track remained on the charts for twenty-seven weeks and took Connie Smith into the record books as the first female country singer to hit No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart with her first country music release.

In March 1965, Connie Smith saw the release of her debut album, CONNIE SMITH (RCA Victor Records, 1965), which was produced by Bob Ferguson (Friday 30 December 1927 - Sunday 22 July 2001), and remained on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart for thirty weeks, seven of those weeks at No.1.

By the end of 1964, 'Once A Day' (written by Bill Anderson) had become one of the biggest country songs of the year.

Connie Smith's debut album, 'Connie Smith' (RCA Victor Records, 1965), included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart:

'Once A Day' (written by Bill Anderson) (No.1 for eight weeks between November 1964 and January 1965)

'Then & Only Then' (written by Bill Anderson) (No.4, 1965)

'Tiny Blue Transistor Radio' (written by Bill Anderson) (No.25, 1965).

Fast forward to November 2008, Connie Smith joined the cast of Marty Stuart's television series, 'The Marty Stuart Show', which aired on the RFD-TV network every Saturday night.  The thirty-minute program featured traditional country music performed by both Marty Stuart and Connie Smith, as well as WSM 650AM radio personality, Eddie Stubbs.

On Tuesday 23 August 2011, Connie Smith saw the release of LONG LINE OF HEARTACHES' (Sugar Hill Records, 2011), which was produced by Marty Stuart.

On Tuesday 6 March 2012, the Country Music Association (CMA) announced that Connie Smith (inducted in the 'Veterans Era Artist' category) along with Hargus 'Pig' Robbins and Garth Brooks were the latest inductees of The Country Music Hall of Fame.

On 19 May 2015, Connie Smith saw the release of 'The Lost Tapes'.

Heralding Connie as a true country music icon Hump Head Country / Wrasse Records' released Connie Smith's 'My Part of Forever, Volume 1: The Ultimate Collection 1972 - 2018'. It consists of recordings from the 1970s, with a bonus of later tracks recorded for Warner Bros. Records in the mid-1990s, Sugar Hill Records in 2011 and rare lost radio performances from the early 1970s.