Liz Anderson

Liz Anderson
Born	Roseau
Nationality	United States of America
Genres	country music
Instruments	voice

For other people with the same name, see Elizabeth Anderson (disambiguation).

Liz Anderson
Anderson in 1971
Background information
Birth name	Elizabeth Jane Haaby
Born	(1927-01-13)January 13, 1927 Roseau, Minnesota, U.S.
Died	October 31, 2011(2011-10-31) (aged 84) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	Country
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1964–2011
Labels	RCA Victor, Epic, Showboat

Elizabeth Jane Anderson (née Haaby; January 13, 1927

Anderson received two Grammy Award nominations in 1967, one for "Best Female Country Vocal Performance" for her self-penned, top-5 hit "Mama Spank", and the other for "Best Country Vocal Group" for the top-5 hit "The Game of Triangles", with Bobby Bare and Norma Jean. As a songwriter, she scored 26 top 50 hits in the 1960s, more than any other female songwriter that decade in the country music industry.

Anderson also wrote many of the early hits for her daughter, Lynn Anderson, whose recording career began less than a year after her mother's. She wrote several hits for other notable artists, including Merle Haggard. Haggard had his first top 10 and number one hits, respectively, with "(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers" and "I'm a Lonesome Fugitive", both penned by Anderson. He named his band "The Strangers", after the hit "(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers".

Biography

Born Elizabeth Jane Haaby in Roseau, Minnesota, or March 13, 1930,

Early career

In 1957, the family moved to Sacramento, California. The limited popularity at the time of country music in California led Anderson to start writing songs. Casey was a member of the Sheriff's posse, which was going to take part in the National Centennial Pony Express Celebration. Casey convinced his wife to write a song in honor of the Pony Express. The song was named the official song.

Anderson began publishing her songs and made friends within the burgeoning country music community in Bakersfield during the early 1960s. Some of the first hits from her pen were "Be Quiet Mind" by Del Reeves and "Pick of the Week", which was recorded by Roy Drusky in 1964. She won a BMI award for the song. Anderson published over 260 songs during her career and earned five BMI awards. Anderson also wrote Conway Twitty's first country hit, "Guess My Eyes Were Bigger Than My Heart".

Discography

Main article: Liz Anderson discography

• The Game of Triangles (1967)
• Liz Anderson Sings (1967)
• Cookin' up Hits (1967)
• Liz Anderson Sings Her Favorites (1968)

Major country hits written by Liz Anderson

Anderson enjoyed her greatest success as a songwriter, receiving many awards for her work, including several BMI awards. She also served as vice president of the Nashville Songwriters Association International. The following is a list of her songs which made the top 50 on Billboard's country chart (with chart rankings). In 1966 and 1967, Anderson had six top 50 hits as a songwriter each year, believed to be a record still to this date among female country music songwriters.

Year	Title	Artist(s)	Billboard
1961	"Be Quiet Mind"	Del Reeves	9
1963	"Robert E. Lee"	Ott Stephens	15
	"The Way it Feels to Die"	Vernon Stewart	17
1964	"Just Between The Two of Us"	Merle Haggard and Bonnie Owens	28
	"Pick of the Week"	Roy Drusky	13
	"Be Quiet Mind"	Ott Stephens	23
1965	"All My Friends Are Gonna Be Strangers"	Merle Haggard	10
	"I Cried All The Way To The Bank"	Norma Jean	21
	"I Keep Forgettin' That I Forgot About You "	Wynn Stewart	43
	"(From Now on All) My Friends Are Gonna Be Strangers"	Roy Drusky	6
1966	"Go Now Pay Later"	Liz Anderson	23
	"Guess My Eyes Were Bigger Than My Heart"	Conway Twitty	18
	"So Much for Me, So Much for You"	Liz Anderson	45
	"Ride Ride Ride"	Lynn Anderson	36
	"Ride Ride Ride" (pop Billboard Hot 100 cover)	Brenda Lee	37
	"The Wife of The Party"	Liz Anderson	22
1967	"I'm a Lonesome Fugitive"	Merle Haggard	1
	"If I Kiss You"	Lynn Anderson	5
	"Mama Spank"	Liz Anderson	5
	"Tiny Tears"	Liz Anderson	24
	"Keeping Up Appearances"	Lynn Anderson and Jerry Lane	49
	"The Words I'm Gonna Have To Eat"	Bill Phillips	10
1968	"Big Girls Don't Cry"	Lynn Anderson	12
	"Like A Merry Go Round"	Liz Anderson	43
	"Mother May I"	Liz & Lynn Anderson	21
	"Here's To You and Me"	Tex Williams	45
1969	"Flattery Will Get You Everywhere"	Lynn Anderson	11
1970	"Husband Hunting"	Liz Anderson	26
1977	"Crutches"	Faron Young	25

Awards and nominations

Year	Award Program	Award	Result
1967	Grammy Awards	Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Mama Spank"	Nominated
1967	Grammy Awards	Best Country Duo/Group Vocal Performance for "The Game of Triangles" (with Bobby Bare and Norma Jean)	Nominated