Connie Smith is the debut studio album by American country music artist Connie Smith. It was released in March 1965 on RCA Victor Records and was produced by Bob Ferguson. The album included Smith's debut single, "Once a Day". The song became her signature recording and biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard country songs chart. The album would also reach the top spot of the Top Country Albums chart in 1965, spending multiple weeks at the top of the chart. Connie Smith would be the start of a series of album releases by Smith on the RCA label for the next nine years.
Background
Connie Smith consisted of twelve tracks and included two of Smith's first two major hits: "Once a Day" and "Then and Only Then." It also included the latter's B-side, "Tiny Blue Transistor Radio," which reached a peak of #25 on Hot Country Songs chart. The album was recorded at the RCA Victor Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee in 1964, and featured the background vocalists, The Anita Kerr Singers. Six of the songs on the album were written or co-written by country music artist, Bill Anderson, including "Once a Day" and "Then and Only Then." The album was reviewed by Allmusic and received five out of five stars. Reviewer, Dan Cooper called Smith's voice to be, "blowing through the Nashville Sound production like a down-home Streisand fronting The Lennon Sisters." Slipcue.com reviewed the album and gave it a positive review, calling the sound, "Nashville Girl Group at its best." The songs "Once a Day," "Tiny Blue Transistor Radio," and "I Don't Love You Anymore" as "classic examples of the style." The website later concluded by stating, "Them folks at the label could make a lot of people really happy if they just reissued this album whole, as is, and let us hear what Smith sounded like coming out the gate. A doozy." The album was released on a 12-inch LP album, with six tracks on each side of the record.
Release and aftermath
Connie Smith reached a peak of #1 on the Top Country Albums chart, spending 7 weeks on top of the albums chart, and 30 weeks overall. "Once a Day" was released in August 1964, and peaked at #1 on November 28, spending eight weeks at #1. To date, Smith holds the record for the most weeks spent at #1 by a female country music artist. "Then and Only Then" was released as the follow-up single in early 1965, peaking within the Top 5 on the country charts. In addition, both songs also placed in the Bubbling Under Hot 100.
