I love the music, I love the people, and that’s the main thing that’s kept me goin’. I can’t really say I have been as career-oriented. I’ve never traveled as much as a lot of people. So I quit the business for several years ’til my youngest one went to kindergarten, and then I started back doin’ a little bit at a time. I am blessed to be here, and I just know that singing is my calling, and as long as God wants me to sing, I will! I quit for a while when my three girls, who were a year apart when they were little because I just couldn’t stand leavin’ ’em. Of course, I’ve been goin’ through therapy for quite some time now because I had a severe case of COVID, was in the hospital 11 days on oxygen and eight breathin’ treatments a day, and double pneumonia and sepsis and all kinds of things. Quite honestly, I haven’t kept it as well as I should. Is that how you stayed in such wonderful shape? Because vocally, you sound amazing, just beautifully strong! With not being in the studio and not having an active tour schedule, is that what’s kept your voice so strong? And then I’ve got five children and six grandchildren– and I have a one-year-old grandbaby girl in Norway that I haven’t gotten to see yet! But hopefully, soon they’ll open that up (laughs)! And then you’ve got the home, so there’s plenty going on– and then I’ve got the Grand Ole Opry, which I do very often. He produced the last three albums that I did. And then there was about 10 before this one! There’s just so much goin’ on with Marty and followin’ him around and gettin’ a chance to work with him and record with him. I always intended to do more records, but I think there was 20 years between a couple and there was 10 or 13 years between one. Well, it’s not that I never wanted to do another one. The Cry of The Heart marks album number 54 and that’s just amazing! What made you want to go back into the studio? ‘Cause there’s been a lot said about this being your first album of country music in over 10 years.
I was with RCA for nine years, but has to do with Columbia. I like it, and I’m really proud! That’s my third Bear Family box and I’m tickled to death about that ’cause I really appreciate them, all the work they put into it, and they do ’em right! This is the first one that’s out of my Columbia stuff. It’s cool to consider not only with this new album but with the back catalog, new listeners hearing Connie Smith music today. The Cry of The Heart is available now from Fat Possum Records.ĪI- Before we jump into The Cry of The Heart, I noticed on your Facebook page that you’re just passing the anniversary of a God Is Abundant! It came out back in ’73! That’s gonna get a new release from Bear Family on the Latest Shade Of Blue box set, right?ĬS- Yes, it is! It’ll be out pretty soon!
Calling from the streets of Music City just days before personally welcoming her husband into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Connie regaled me with tales and teased a few details for her next project. Smith is joined by a wealth of talent in Fabulous Superlatives Harry Stinson, Chris Scruggs, Kenny Vaughan, and Paul Martin, but also by famed Nashville Cat Hargus “Pig” Robbins, the legendary pianist present for Connie’s very first RCA session back in 1964! The Cry of The Heart finds Connie Smith at the top of her sonic game wielding a lean yet countrypolitan style that refuses to sound anything but fresh and delivering songs that champion the best of country music’s yesterday, today, and hopefully, tomorrow.
On her latest effort, Smith soars across 11 new and classic cuts from her favorite songwriters and collaborators including longtime contributor Dallas Frazier as well as her husband/producer Marty Stuart. Connie Smith has been called the “Queen of Broken Hearts” and the “Sweetheart of the Grand Ole Opry”, but after a career that’s spanned 54 albums and nearly 60 years, it may be more appropriate to rechristen her as simply the Heart of Country Music.
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