On this day (July 16) in 1964, Connie Smith unknowingly prepared to make country music history when she stepped into the legendary RCA Studio B to record her debut single “Once a Day.” The song would go on to be her first No. 1 single. More importantly, Smith became the first woman to score a chart-topper with her debut single.
Smith remains one of the most influential women in country music. Getting her start in 1964, she recorded a string of top 10 country hits that lasted until 1968. While her chart success declined over the years, her popularity among country fans and artists has not. She continues to release music today. Her latest album Love, Prison, Wisdom and Heartaches dropped on April 11, 2024.
[RELATED: Catching Up With Connie Smith]
Connie Smith Prepares to Make History
Bill Anderson discovered Connie Smith after she won a talent show in 1963 and helped her land a deal with RCA Records. While looking through songs for her self-titled debut album, they came upon the Anderson-penned “Once a Day.”
With his artist taking his song into her first session at RCA Studio B, Anderson wanted to make sure Smith stood out. “Naturally, I wanted her records to sound different from so many of the other coming off Music Row and I thought the best place to start was with fresh sounds from young pickers,” Anderson said. He chose Weldon Myrick (steel guitar), Jimmy Lance (guitar), and Snuffy Miller (drums) to back her. All three were members of Anderson’s road band at the time.
Myrick would go on to play steel guitar on many of Smith’s albums and helped build her road band. Later, she credited Myrick for creating her signature sound.
“It was great,” Smith later said of her first recording session. “I remember when I was in the recording studio for the first time. The producers stopped the tape and told me to do a turnaround. I didn’t know what that meant at the time. I didn’t know anything about recording,” she recalled.
Chet Atkins usually produced sessions at Studio B. However, he didn’t have time to lead Smith’s session for “Once a Day.” So, he tapped Bob Ferguson to lead the session.
The Result
Connie Smith released “Once a Day” on August 1, 1964. It went to No. 1 and stayed there for eight consecutive weeks. This made Smith the only woman to have a debut single top the chart until Trisha Yearwood did it in 1991 with “She’s in Love with the Boy.” Furthermore, Smith had the longest run at No. 1 of any woman in country music. She held that record until Taylor Swift broke it when “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” held the top spot for nine weeks in 2012.
Featured Image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
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