Connie Smith - Once A Day

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A lawn mower can change your life, if you're not careful.  It changed Connie Smith's.

She had an accident when she was in high school - the mower almost took her leg off.  She was in the hospital for a long time, and someone brought her a guitar to help her pass the hours.  She taught herself to play chords, and then entered talent competitions once she was discharged.  Country singer Bill Anderson heard her singing in Columbus Ohio, and introduced her to Chet Atkins.  A year later, she released this single.

It was the first debut song my a female country artist to reach number one on the charts.  To this day, it holds the Billboard record for the most weeks at number one by a female Country artist. 

She never had the commercial success that she arguably deserved.  Her style was much like Patsy Cline's, and she remained artistically respected - eleven Grammy nominations.  She was just inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame earlier this month.



Once A Day (Songwriter: Bill Anderson)

When you found somebody new
I thought I never would
Forget you
For I thought then I never could
But time has taken all the pains away-ay
Until now, I'm down to hurtin'
Once a day

Once a day (once a day)
A-all day long (all day long)
And o-once a night (once a night)
From dusk till dawn (dusk till dawn)
The only time
I wish you weren't go-one
Is once a day
Everyday
All day long

I'm so glad that I'm not like
A girl I knew one time
She lost the one she loved
Then slowly lost her mind
She sat around and cried her life away-ay
Lucky me
I'm only cryin' once a day

Once a day (once a day)
A-all day long (all day long)
And o-once a night (once a night)
From dusk till dawn (dusk till dawn)
The only time
I wish you weren't go-one
Is once a day
Everyday
All day long
Once a day
Everyday
All day lo-ong

After three divorces, she's been Mrs. Marty Stuart for the last fifteen years.