Bill Anderson Releases Audio Book Plus Bonus Acoustic CD With Never-Before Heard Tracks

By Timothy Yap Oct 11, 2016 05:09 PM EDT

Songwriting icon and legendary performer "Whisperin' Bill" Anderson released his new autobiography Whisperin' Bill Anderson: An Unprecedented Life In Country Music September 1 and within two weeks, the entire first printing was sold out! A rush shipment just arrived and more copies are available now.

In addition, listeners can sit back and enjoy a NEW audio book narrated by Bill Anderson. The audio book bundle also includes a Bonus CD featuring 10 never-before released self-penned acoustic recordings by Anderson, including smash hits like "Whiskey Lullaby" (Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss), "Give It Away" (George Strait), "City Lights" (Ray Price) and seven more (track listing below).

Whisperin' Bill Anderson: An Unprecedented Life In Country Music is a representation of Anderson's journey, and published by University of Georgia Press. Read by Bill Anderson himself it features eye-opening personal stories from his nearly eighty years of living - from early days of radio broadcasting in Georgia, to standing alongside the greatest country music stars in the world onstage at the Grand Ole Opry, to meeting Elvis Presley, to being named BMI's first ICON Award winner in the country music genre.

The book is a 360-page representation of Anderson's journey published by University of Georgia Press featuring respected music journalist and Grammy-nominated music producer Peter Cooper as a contributing writer. It includes rare, never-before-seen photos and eye-opening personal stories from Anderson's nearly eighty years of living - from early days of radio broadcasting in Georgia, to standing alongside the greatest country music stars in the world onstage at the Grand Ole Opry, to being named BMI's first ICON Award winner in the country music genre.

With the 2015 success of Mo Pitney's "Country," Anderson has become the only country songwriter to tally a Top 40 hit in seven consecutive decades, and he stands today a legendary performer, who recently celebrated his 55th Anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. The youngest writer to ever be named "Songwriter Of The Year" (BMI) at age 23, prior to 21-year-old Taylor Swift, Anderson has certainly lived an unprecedented life in country music. Fans, artists, songwriters and music executives young and old revere him for his soft speaking style that can silence a room with just a few poignant words.

But there was a time in the early 90s that Bill felt as if his words no longer mattered. "I didn't write much anymore because I didn't feel as if what I wanted to write related to what young listeners wanted to hear," he revealed. However, it was in 1992 that singer/songwriter Steve Wariner helped to re-ignite Anderson's writing career with a cover of "Tips Of My Fingers." The exposure the song received made Anderson test the waters as a co-writer, and in 1994, he teamed up with Vince Gill to write "Which Bridge To Cross (Which Bridge To Burn)."

Anderson will be signing copies of the book after his Grand Ole Opry performance on October 11, as well as at the Southern Festival of Books on October 16 and the County Music Hall of Fame on Saturday, October 22, where he will be participating in a special Songwriting Session which be be live streamed atcountrymusichalloffame.org/streaming.

For those unable to attend, Whisperin' Bill Anderson: An Unprecedented Life In Country Music jacketed cloth edition will be available for $29.95 at Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, various independent book stores, and online at www.BillAnderson.comand Amazon.com.

Bill Anderson Book Signings:

Tuesday, Oct. 11
Grand Ole Opry
Following Opry show

Sunday, Oct. 16
Southern Festival of Books
Legislative Plaza (downtown Nashville, 6th & Union)
12:00pm - 1:00pm

Saturday, Oct. 22
Country Music Hall of Fame
11:30 a.m.

Acoustic CD Track List (All Performed by Bill Anderson)
1. Bright Lights and Country Music
2. Whiskey Lullaby
3. Po' Folks
4. I'll Wait for You
5. City Lights
6. Still
7. Give It Away
8. Tips of My Fingers
9. A Lot of Things Different
10. Which Bridge to Cross (Which Bridge to Burn)

BILL ANDERSON ON TOUR
Oct. 11 Nashville, Tenn. - Grand Ole Opry
Oct. 13 Shipshewana, Ind. - Blue Gate Theater
Oct. 14 Shipshewana, Ind. - Blue Gate Theater
Oct. 15 Nashville, Tenn. - Grand Ole Opry
Oct. 16 Nashville, Tenn. - Southern Festival of Books
Oct. 22 Nashville, Tenn. - Grand Ole Opry
Oct. 29 Nashville, Tenn. - Grand Ole Opry
Nov. 04 Nashville, Tenn. - Opry at the Ryman
Nov 05 Nashville, Tenn. - Opry at the Ryman
Nov. 12 Henrico, Va. - The Henrico Theatre (2 SHOW TIMES)
Nov. 13 Marion, Va. - The Lincoln Theater
Nov. 18 Nashville, Tenn. - Opry at the Ryman
Nov. 19 Nashville, Tenn. - Opry at the Ryman
Nov. 29 Nashville, Tenn. - Opry at the Ryman
Jan. 29 Fort Lauderdale, Fla. - Country's Family Reunion Cruise
Feb. 12 Weirsdale, Fla. - Orange Blossom Opry (2 SHOW TIMES)
Feb. 17 Modesto, Calif. - Gallo Center for the Arts