The iconic performer will appear at CMA Fest — and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
John Anderson may be the only country music artist who can claim he worked on the Grand Ole Opry in more ways than one. In addition to performing for the WSM Radio show based in Nashville many times during his decades-long career, Anderson was part of the construction crew that helped build the Opry’s current home — which opened in 1974.
Two years after the inaugural show at the new Grand Ole Opry, Anderson signed with Warner Bros. Records, and hit the charts with “I’ve Got A Feelin’ (Somebody’s Stealin).” It was the first of many successful singles for the Florida-born entertainer, who would later go on to record “I'm Just An Old Chunk Of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be A Diamond Someday),” “She Just Started Liking Cheatin’ Songs,” “Wild and Blue,” “Black Sheep,” “Let Somebody Else Drive” — and the CMA Award-winning “Swingin’,” which was released 35 years ago this summer. Anderson will commemorate the anniversary with a performance at the 2017 CMA Music Festival on the Nissan Stadium stage Saturday, June 10.
But wait, there’s more: Anderson also will be the subject of a new spotlight exhibit that opens June 16 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. Among the items that will be on display: Stage costumes crafted for Anderson by legendary designer Manuel; the 1968 Fender Telecaster Anderson played in the video for “Straight Tequila Night,” his 1991 chart-topping hit; and Anderson’s two CMA Awards from 1983 – Horizon Award and Single of the Year — for “Swingin’.”
“We are looking forward to our appearance on Nissan Stadium,” Anderson said in a prepared statement, “as it’s been several years since we participated in the CMA Music Fest and I am looking forward to it. And I am very grateful and flattered that the folks at the Country Music Hall of Fame would consider me for an exhibit. This is something that most artists only dream about and for me it's becoming a reality. Love and thanks to the fans who have supported us through the years as well as the folks at the Hall Of Fame.”
Photography: Webster Public Relations
