Hall of Famer Smith announces new CD
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Hall of Famer Smith announces new CD

Tuesday, May 11, 2021 – Connie Smith announced her 54th album, "The Cry of the Heart," will be out Aug. 20 on Fat Possum.

The first offering is the hard country song, "Look Out Heart," written by her husband, Marty Stuart, and longtime Fabulous Superlative drummer Harry Stinson.

This is Smith's first album in a decade and her third collaboration with Stuart, who also produced the effort.

Smith and Stuart contributed two original tracks written together as well, the soaring "Here Comes My Baby Back Again" and weeper "Spare Me No Truth Tonight."

Other songs include "I Don't Believe Me Anymore" the 72nd song Smith has recorded written by Hall of Fame songwriter Dallas Frazier, and Merle Haggard's "Jesus Takes a Hold," a reflection of Smith's boundless faith in the midst of troubled times. Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter Carl Jackson penned "To Pieces" and "I'm Not Over You," the latter composed with classic country singer Melba Montgomery.

Smith, 79, scored her first hit single in 1964, "Once A Day." In March, the Library of Congress announced that "Once a Day" was one of the 2020 selections for its National Recording Registry.

"People ask me, 'What is country music,'" said Smith. "I say, 'To me, country music is the cry of the heart.' We all have these experiences in our hearts and I'm trying to identify and communicate with people so they know they're not alone."

Smith has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry cast since 1965. In 2012, Smith was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.


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CD reviews for Connie Smith

CD review - The Latest Shade of Blue: The Columbia Recordings 1973-1976 Perhaps no artist in any genre has been more consistent than arguably the greatest, though not necessarily the most famous or flashiest female country singer of our time, Connie Smith. Put this box set, "The Latest Shade of Blue: The Columbia Recordings 1973-1976" right next to 2021's "The Cry of the Heart," her 54th album, and it's immediately apparent that Smith continues her emotive, classic country sound almost half a century later. Consider also that this is the ...
CD review - The Cry of the Heart Many would argue that Connie Smith is the greatest living female country singer. The opening sentence in her liner notes to "Long Line of Heartaches" is "I believe that country music is the cry of the heart." A decade later, it's as if she hasn't missed a beat, coincidentally or more likely intentionally, entitling this effort, "Cry of the Heart." According to her husband and producer, Marty Stuart, Smith is content to take her time and only make a record ...
CD review - Long Line of Heartaches Upon first impression, Connie Smith sounds every bit the 70-plus year old singer she is. She doesn't have the lung power she once did. However, it's the voice of experience, rather than the voice of strength that makes "Long Line of Heartaches" into a winner. Smith is at her best on Johnny Russell's Ain't You Even Gonna Cry, which features little more than Smith's heartbroken voice over an acoustic guitar. It's just such a great song, and the kind of lyric ...


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