Recently I went back to Commerce, Georgia where I lived when I finished high school a long, long time ago. Unlike most of North Georgia not much has changed in Commerce. One thing I did notice was that the city had moved the monument to
Bill Anderson. At least I remember it being on the other side of the railroad tracks but then I have been away for a long time.
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Bill Anderson was working at WJJC in Commerce when he wrote the song
City Lights. Ray Price recorded it in 1958 and the song spent 13 weeks as the number one record on the new
Billboard County Chart. I highly recommend you listen to Mr. Anderson's account of writing his first hit. You can check it here:
http://uga.edu/livinghistory/video/bill-anderson-city-lights/
Whisperin' Bill went on to record over 40 albums and has had seven number one hits of his own starting with
Mama Sang a Song (1962). Yet with all of his success he continues to remember Commerce. He has returned several times to perform at benefits and raise money for the Bill Anderson Scholarship Fund at Commerce High School. In fact, as of today tickets are still available for his upcoming benefit on November 16th. Tickets are available from WJJC at
http://www.wjjc.net/billanderson.html
As a graduate of Commerce High School I just have to say thank you Mr. Anderson. We love you.
