This banner hung proudly on the Sony-Tree Publishing building on Nashville's Music Row, congratulating Bill and his fellow Sony-Tree writer, Tom Shapiro, on being named among Billboard magazine's Top Ten country songwriters for 1999. Bill had three songs in the Billboard charts in 1999: "Wish You Were Here" by Mark Wills, "Two Teardrops" by Steve Wariner and "Cold Coffee Morning" by Jon Randall.

Titled, "Local Boy Makes Good", the article in a July 1999 Country Weekly, written by Bob Cannon, highlighted Bill's love for small towns and small town people, and featured a picture of Bill as an l8-year old Georgia disc jockey.

The spread included a full-page color picture of Bill standing next to the monument which commemorates the writing of his first hit song, "City Lights," in Commerce, plus a picture of three generations of Andersons:  Bill, alongside his dad, Jim, who was celebrating his 88th birthday, and his son, Jamey who turned 21 the same day. There were also pictures, taken by Adele Starr, of Bill on stage with Jan Howard and of Steve Wariner modeling a Bill Anderson 'Fine Wine' T-shirt.

This is the suit Bill wore on July 15, l961, when he was inducted into the membership of the Grand Ole Opry. Purple with gold trim and white snowflakes, the suit has caused Bill to quip, "It was so gaudy I made Porter Wagoner look like an undertaker!" Along with this piece of Opry history, inside the Opry's new display area in the downtown Nashville Arena, is a picture of Bill and Steve Wariner on the Opry stage, along with Steve's handwritten lyric to their hit song, "Two Teardrops." Both writers have autographed the lyric. Visitors to Nashville are invited to visit the Opry exhibit free of charge.
 

It's easy to smile when a song you wrote goes to #1 in the charts! Left to right: Debbie Moore, Bill Anderson, & Skip Ewing together to enjoy the success of their co-write "Wish You Were Here" by Mark Wills.
 

We caught Bill at  Fan Fair 1999. Click here to read all about his busy week!