Country Legend John Anderson Tours And Talks Life In Music On ‘Reflections’

In celebration of his latest release, Goldmine, country legend John Anderson will be touring this summer and fall, and will be featured on the next episode of the television series Reflections on The Heartland Network, March 7. Along with the show’s host, Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame DJ Keith Bilbre, Anderson will talk about his long career and give fans a glimpse into some of the highlights and milestones behind the music, according to a press release from Webster Public Relations.

Anderson, best known for his song “Swingin’,” will also drop in on Larry’s Country Diner on March 5. Anderson will be performing songs from Goldmine while also catching up with host Larry Black on the show. Larry’s Country Diner airs on the RFD-TV network.

With 35 years under his belt in the country music scene, Anderson proved he was as relevant as ever on the country scene when Goldmine was lauded by Rolling Stone as one of the “40 Best Country Albums of 2015.” NASH Country Weekly also hailed him as “The Torch Bearer” for traditional country music. His fans seem to agree, as he sold out almost all of his 2015 tour dates.

The Florida native grew up on traditional country with a healthy helping of rock and roll, including such legends as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Lynyrd Skynyrd. But when he came to a crossroads in his musical path, he chose to pursue the road of country music, inspired by country ballads and songs like Porter Waggoner’s “Green, Green Grass of Home.”

Taking his dream to Nashville, Anderson paid the bills at first working construction — including working as a roofer on the Grand Ole Opry House — and playing little honky-tonks at night while he dreamed of making it big. His break came in 1977 when he signed to Warner Brothers, and three years later he hit the charts with his first big hit, Billy Jo Shaver’s “I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal (But I’m Gonna Be a Diamond Someday).” In 1982, “Wild and Blue” helped bring him closer to the forefront of country music, but it was “Swingin’,” written by Anderson and Lionel Delmore, that made him a household name, hitting No.1 on the Billboard Country chart.

The hits kept coming through the years, with songs such as “Straight Tequila Night,” “When It Comes To You,” and “Money in the Bank.” Anderson now lives in Smithville, TN, where he has resided for over 30 years, and says he is grateful for his journey and being so blessed.

If you want to catch John Anderson on tour, the following dates are confirmed so far:

Mar 12 – West Palm Beach, Fla. – South Florida Fair
Apr 01 – Opp, Ala. – Channell-Lee Stadium
Apr 02 – Cape Coral, Fla. – Naples Boat Show & Seafood Show
Apr 22 – Effingham, Ill. – Effingham Performance Center
Apr 23 – Sioux City, Iowa – Anthem at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
May 21 – Rocky Mount, Va. – Harvester Performance Center – Acoustic
Jun 03 – Panama City, Fla. – Marina Civic Center
Jul 01 – Talladega, Ala. – Talladega Superspeedway
Jul 09 – Brainerd, Minn. – Iconic Fest – Green Lantern
Aug 20 – Durant, Okla. – Choctaw Grand Theater
Sep 11 – Alexandria Bay, N.Y. – Thousand Islands Winery
Sep 15 – Dade City, Fla. – Dan Cannon Auditorium
Sep 16 – Renfro Valley, Ky. – Renfro Valley Entertainment Center
Sep 17 – Morehead, Ky. – Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival

Reflections airs on The Heartland Network Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. on WSMV 4.2 in Nashville) and Saturdays at 4 p.m. ET. Viewers can also tune into Blue Highways TV, Sky Angel Two, The Family Channel, and AMG TV.

[Photo by Jackson Laizure/Getty Images for Shock Ink]