Welcome To The Country Historian - One Monumental Voice For Country Music

Early Life & Origins

• Full Name: Constance June Meador

• Born: August 14, 1941

• Hometown: Elkhart, Indiana, raised in West Virginia and Ohio

• Parents: Her mother divorced her father and remarried; her stepfather was an amateur musician who encouraged her talent

• Siblings: Grew up in a large family with 14 siblings

• Children: Connie has five children

Discovery & Career Beginnings

• Discovered by Bill Anderson in 1963 after winning a talent contest in Columbus, Ohio. Anderson was so impressed by her voice that he helped her secure a recording contract with RCA Victor and wrote her breakout hit, “Once a Day”

• Years Active: 1964–present

• Genres: Country, Nashville Sound, Gospel

• Labels: RCA Victor, Columbia, Monument, Epic, Warner Bros., Daywind, Sugar Hill, Fat Possum

Discography & Musical Legacy

Connie Smith has released:

• Over 35 studio albums

• Numerous compilations and gospel recordings

Notable albums include:

• Connie Smith (1965)

• Cute 'n' Country (1965)

• Miss Smith Goes to Nashville (1966)

• I Never Once Stopped Loving You (1970)

• Long Line of Heartaches (2011)

• The Cry of the Heart (2021)

Top Songs & Chart Success

Her most successful singles include:

1. “Once a Day” – #1 (1964)

2. “Then and Only Then” – #4

3. “If I Talk to Him” – #4

4. “Ain’t Had No Lovin’” – #2

5. “The Hurtin’s All Over” – #3

6. “I Never Once Stopped Loving You” – #5

7. “Cincinnati, Ohio” – #4

8. “Just One Time” – #2

9. “Run Away Little Tears” – #10

10. “Where Is My Castle” – #11

Number One Hit: “Once a Day” was her debut single and became the first debut by a female country artist to reach #1, holding the top spot for eight weeks—a record at the time

Marriages & Marty Stuart Love Story

• • Jerry Smith (1961–1966)

  • Jack Watkins (1966–1967)

  • Marshall Haynes (1972–1992)

  • Marty Stuart (1997–present)

Marty Stuart met Connie as a child backstage and famously told his mother, “I’m going to marry her someday.” Decades later, they reconnected through music and married in 1997. Their union is a poetic blend of admiration, artistry, and enduring love

Historian & Cultural Contributor

• Ken Burns’ “Country Music” (2019): Connie was featured in the documentary, offering heartfelt reflections on her career and the emotional depth of country music

• Influence: Dolly Parton once said, “There’s really only three real singers in the world—Streisand, Ronstadt, and Connie Smith”

Trivia & Honors

• Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee: 2012

• Grand Ole Opry Member: Since 1965

• Vocal Style: Her contralto voice has drawn comparisons to Patsy Cline and influenced generations of singers

• Stage Presence: Despite her powerful voice, Connie is innately shy and prefers family portraits over awards in her home

• Faith: Her gospel recordings reflect a deep spiritual commitment that shaped her career choices, including a temporary retreat from secular music