Lynn Anderson (September 26, 1947–July 30, 2015)

ynn Anderson, rightly described as a “singer’s at a Jimmy Carter birthday celebration at the White House. singer,” ranked among the most admired and Anderson set a number of precedents for female country trailblazing entertainers in America throughout artists: She was the first female country singer to perform her six-decade career. Her sparkling vocals on The Tonight Show, first to Lbrought a new level of sophistication and glamour to headline and sell out Madison country music. This groundbreaking pop-country sound— Square Garden, and the first to labeled “countrypolitan” by the media—helped her become win an American Music Award one of the first female country artists to achieve mass for Favorite Female Vocalist. crossover appeal. Country music artists were A distinctive stylist, she ranks among the ten most rarely invited to appear as successful female country artists in all-time record sales guests on network television and is also one of the most awarded country artists of any shows in the 1970’s, but era. She performed for the Queen of England and for four Anderson helped break down American presidents, including a special invitation to appear barriers by accepting invitations to perform on variety shows, national telethons, high- years, it stood as the biggest-selling recording by a female profile benefits, talk shows, and even prime-time dramas. country artist. In addition to being a favorite of Tonight Show host Johnny Proof of her staying power as an artist followed: “Cry,” Carson, Anderson was featured on many of the highest- “How Can’t I Unlove You,” “Keep Me in Mind,” “You’re My rated and best-loved TV programs of her time, including The Man,” “Man What a Man My Man Ed Sullivan Show, The Kraft Music Hall, The Dean Martin Show, Is,” “Listen to a Country Song,” This Is Tom Jones, Midnight Special, The Glen Campbell Goodtime “Fool Me,” and “Top of the World” Hour, The Carol Burnett Show, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, all went to number one on the Hollywood Squares, The Dinah Shore Show, Solid Gold, Good charts. In all, Anderson scored a Morning America, People’s Choice Awards, American Music remarkable 11 Number One records, Awards, Grammy Awards, and three Bob Hope Specials. 18 Top Ten records, and more than Anderson even starred in her own CBS special, with 50 Top Forty records. Tina Turner as a guest. She also acted in an episode of The recording industry rewarded her success by the top-rated series Starsky & Hutch, in an NBC Movie of naming her CMA Female Vocalist of the Year and ACM Female Vocalist of the Year (twice). She earned a prestigious Grammy Award, as well as an American Music Award for Female Vocalist of the Year. Lynn repeatedly delivered chart topping songs and was named Record World’s Artist of the Decade and became Billboard’s Artist of the Decade for the 70s. Anderson blazed trails in other fields as well. She maintained an equestrian career as a competitor with cutting horses and show horses from the 1960s until the Week, Country Gold, and starred in the BBC drama, The her death. As a horsewoman, she won 16 national, eight Wreck on the Highway. Her popularity on television began world, and several celebrity championships. Her notable early in her career, as a cast member of The Lawrence Welk championships included becoming the National Chevy Show. At the time, she became the only country artist Truck Cutting Horse Champion featured weekly on a national telecast. in 1999, the American U.S. Lynn Anderson spent her youth in California, and as a Open Invitational Champion in teen she entered and won a singing contest in Sacramento 2000, and the National Cutting that once featured Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys. By Horse Association Champion in time she turned 20, she was a star on television, had been 1999. She also raised horses at recording for three years, and had scored a series of country her ranch in New Mexico and hits, including “That’s a No No,” “Promises, Promises,” “I’ve worked with the Special Riders Been Everywhere,” and “Rocky Top.” of Animaland, a horseback- In 1970, Anderson made a fortuitous move to Nashville riding therapy program for and signed with Columbia Records. Working with husband/ children. producer Glenn Sutton, a member Lynn Anderson died on July of the Nashville Songwriters 30, 2015, of a heart attack while Hall of Fame, the singer turned battling pneumonia at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. out a steady stream of hits. But Her memory will live on forever as generations sing along it was her one-of-a-kind take on with the radio. Come along and share the good times while Joe South’s “Rose Garden” that we can. ✦ propelled her to superstar status. Lisa Sutton (615) 429-3201 • [email protected] The hit topped both the country and pop charts and made www.LynnAndersonRoseGarden.com Anderson an international star of the top order. For 27 facebook.com/OfficialLynnAnderson LYNN ANDERSON

Honors, Awards & Achievements - Equestrian, Western Music & Mainstream Country

▪ 1959 Cow Palace - Reserve World Champion in Western Horsemanship (age 12)

▪ 1960s California Horse Association - Region 3 Youth Championship (42 times)

▪ 1965 California State Fair - "California Horse Show Queen"

▪ 1966 Sacramento Sheriff's Posse Queen

▪ 1971 The Tonight Show -FIRST female country singer appearance

▪ 1971 Grammy Award - Best Country Vocal Performance (Female)

▪ 1971 Country Music Association (CMA) - Female Vocalist of the Year

▪ 1974 American Music Award (AMA) - Favorite Female Artist (Country)

▪ 1974 Madison Square Garden - FIRST female country singer to Headline & Sell Out

▪ 1980 Billboard World - Artist of the Decade (1970-80)

▪ 1993 American Rose Society - creates hybrid tea rose named "The Lynn Anderson"

▪ 2000 Cowboy Spirit Award - nominated & presented by Dale Evans

▪ 2000 Lynn Anderson Day in Tennessee (June 15) - proclaimed by Gov. Don Sundquist

▪ 2007 Western Heritage Award - Outstanding New Artist

▪ 2007 Western Music Association - Best Female Artist

▪ 2007 Western Music Association - Best Western Swing CD

▪ 2007 American Western Association - Best Western CD

▪ 2007 American Western Association - Best Western Song

▪ 2008 Cowboy Hall of Fame - Wrangler Award

▪ 2017 Lifestyle Exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame

▪ 2018 Hall of Great Western Performers, Western Heritage Museum & Cowboy Hall of Fame

▪ 2019 Grand Opening of the Lynn Anderson Rose Garden at Woodlawn, Nashville, TN

▪ 2019 Induction into the IWMA Western Music Hall of Fame

▪ 2020 MCAS Rose Garden Marine Reunion, Nashville, TN and

we'll celebrate the 50th Anniversary of "Rose Garden" on Lynn Anderson Day!