Connie Smith

==Career==
===1964–1967: "Once a Day" and peak success===
[[File:Connie Smith--Nashville Concert--1964.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Smith performing for a crowd of 5,000 people, August 1964.]]
After signing Smith to RCA, [[Chet Atkins]] found himself too busy with other artists. Instead he enlisted [[Bob Ferguson (music)|Bob Ferguson]] to act as Smith's producer. The pair developed a close professional relationship and Ferguson remained her producer until she departed from RCA. "I couldn't have asked for a better person to work with. He is one of the finest men I've ever known," Smith later said.{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=10}} Smith's first session took place on July 16, 1964, where she recorded four songs. Three of these tracks were written by Bill Anderson, who agreed to write material for Smith.{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=38}} Two days later, Smith made her debut on the ''[[Grand Ole Opry]]''.{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=12}} One of the four songs recorded on July 16 was "[[Once a Day]]", which was chosen to be Smith's debut single. "Once a Day" was released in August 1964 and reached number one on the ''[[Billboard Magazine]]'' [[Hot Country Singles]] chart on November 28. It remained at the number one position for eight weeks between late 1964 and early 1965.<ref name="whitburn">{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc.|year=2008|pages=387–388|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}}<!--|accessdate=2009-10-06--></ref> "Once a Day" became the first debut single by a female country artist to reach number one. For nearly 50 years the single held the record for the most weeks spent at number one on the ''Billboard'' country chart by a female artist.<ref>{{cite web|last=White|first=Dan|title=Terri Gibbs, The Singer Who Happens to be Blind|url=http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=105182|publisher=Faith Writers|access-date=August 13, 2010}}</ref>

Smith started performing more regularly with "Once a Day"'s success. Bill Anderson briefly served as her manager, but was replaced by Charlie Lamb. Smith made her first network television appearance in October 1964 on ABC's ''[[The Jimmy Dean Show]]''.{{sfn|Escott|2001|pp=14-16}} In March 1965, RCA Victor released her [[Connie Smith (album)|self-titled debut album]]{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=15}} It also reached the number one spot, spending a total of seven weeks at the top of the ''Billboard'' [[Top Country Albums]] chart.<ref name="Country Albums">{{cite magazine |title=Connie Smith chart history (Country Albums) |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/connie-smith/ |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=10 May 2022}}</ref> Dan Cooper of ''[[Allmusic]]'' gave the disc a positive reception and described Smith as "a down-home [[Barbra Streisand|Streisand]] fronting [[The Lennon Sisters]]."<ref>{{cite web|last=Cooper|first=Dan|title=''Connie Smith'' > Overview|url={{AllMusic|class=album |id=r123098|pure_url=yes}}|website=Allmusic|access-date=August 13, 2010}}</ref>

Bill Anderson fulfilled his promise to RCA Victor and continued writing Smith's next single releases.{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=14}} Producer Bob Ferguson and steel guitar player [[Weldon Myrick]] created a "high" and "punchy" production that Ferguson thought would sound pleasing on car radios.{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=18}} "I thought it was an awfully thin sound, but it wound up being very popular," Myrick recalled.<ref name="Myrick">{{cite news |last1=Cooper |first1=Peter |title=Famed steel player Weldon Myrick dies at 76 |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2014/06/03/famed-steel-player-weldon-myrick-dies/9908649/ |access-date=10 May 2022 |work=[[The Tennessean]] |date=June 3, 2014}}</ref> In 1965, RCA issued Smith's follow-up single written by Anderson titled "[[Then and Only Then]]", which reached number four on the ''Billboard'' country songs chart.<ref name="allmusicbio"/> It was followed by another Anderson-written top 10 single titled "[[I Can't Remember]]".<ref name="whitburn"/> In October 1965, the latter song appeared on ''[[Cute 'n' Country]]'', Smith's second studio album.{{sfn|Escott|2001|pp=17-18}} Although she disliked the name of the LP,{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=18}} it became her second disc to top the ''Billboard'' country albums chart.<ref name="Country Albums"/> She had additional top five ''Billboard'' country singles through early 1966 with Anderson's "[[Nobody But a Fool (Would Love You)]]" and [[Priscilla Mitchell]]'s "[[If I Talk to Him]]".{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=19}} In 1965, Smith became a member of the ''Grand Ole Opry'' radio show.<ref name="Opry">{{cite web|title=Opry Member: Connie Smith|url=http://www.opry.com/artists/s/Smith_Connie.html|publisher=[[Grand Ole Opry]]|access-date=August 16, 2010|archive-date=June 18, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100618055019/http://www.opry.com/artists/s/Smith_Connie.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1966, Ferguson felt pressured from RCA headquarters to market Smith's sound toward "middle-of-the-road" [[country pop]] material. Smith was against the pop production but nevertheless agreed to try it. The pair did several sessions featuring a string instrumentation. The style appeared on her next studio releases ''[[Born to Sing (Connie Smith album)|Born to Sing]]'' (1966) and ''[[Downtown Country]]'' (1967). Both albums featured full orchestras in the background and cover versions of singles by pop artists of the time.{{sfn|Escott|2001|pp=22-23}} Featured on the LPs were the singles "[[Ain't Had No Lovin']]" and "[[The Hurtin's All Over]]", which both reached the ''Billboard'' country top five.<ref name="whitburn"/> During this time, Smith appeared in several country music vehicle films, where she performed many of her current hit recordings.{{sfn|Escott|2001|pp=20-21}} In 1966, she appeared in the films ''[[Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar]]'' and ''[[The Las Vegas Hillbillys]]'', the latter of which starred [[Jayne Mansfield]]. In 1967, she appeared in ''[[The Road to Nashville]]'' and ''[[Hell on Wheels (1967 film)|Hell on Wheels]]''.{{sfn|Bufwack|Oermann|2003|p=294}} Smith's touring schedule also increased. In 1966, she formed her own touring band named the Sundowners and later married the band's guitar player Jack Watkins.{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=28}}

In February 1967, RCA's subsidiary budget label [[RCA Camden|Camden]] released Smith's next studio LP titled ''[[Connie in the Country]]''. The LP included covers of popular country recordings of the era and "[[Cry, Cry, Cry (Connie Smith song)|Cry, Cry, Cry]]", a single by Smith that reached the top 20.<ref name="whitburn"/>{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=22}} In May 1967, RCA released an album of songs written solely by Bill Anderson titled ''[[Connie Smith Sings Bill Anderson]]''. Smith later commented that "it was an honor, not a favor" to record an album of all Anderson tunes. It included covers of Anderson's hits such as "[[City Lights (Ray Price song)|City Lights]]" and "[[That's What It's Like to Be Lonesome]]".{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=24}} Included on the album was "[[Cincinnati, Ohio (song)|Cincinnati, Ohio]]", which Smith released as a single and brought the song to the ''Billboard'' country top five.<ref name="whitburn"/> Its success later inspired the city of Cincinnati, Ohio to declare its own Connie Smith Day in June 1967.{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=24}} Smith remained at her commercial zenith through 1967 with a continued series of top 10 recordings.<ref name="allmusicbio"/> Her further hits included the "[[I'll Come Runnin' (Connie Smith song)|I'll Come Runnin']]", "[[Burning a Hole in My Mind]]", "[[Baby's Back Again]]" and "[[Run Away Little Tears]]".<ref name="whitburn"/> Three of these recordings were included on Smith's 1967 album ''[[I Love Charley Brown]]'', which reached the country LPs top 20.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Smith |first1=Connie |title=''I Love Charley Brown'' (LP Liner Notes and Album Information) |journal=[[RCA Records|RCA Victor]] |date=April 1968 |id=LSP-4002}}</ref>

===1968–1972: Setbacks, gospel music and continued country music success===
By 1968, Smith had reached the height of her career. She was making multiple appearances on film and television while attempting to balance touring with a family life.{{sfn|Bufwack|Oermann|2003|p=294}}<ref name="allmusicbio"/> The pressures of various responsibilities stressed Smith to a point where she nearly left her career. In 1968, she discovered Christianity, which brought solace to her personal and professional life.<ref name="roughguide"/>{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=28}}<ref name="Nashville Scene">{{cite news |last1=Friskics-Warren |first1=Bill |title=Queen of Broken Hearts |url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/arts_culture/queen-of-broken-hearts/article_668f9980-9d35-54b3-9669-5efbaa43970d.html |access-date=30 May 2022 |work=[[Nashville Scene]] |date=October 15, 1998}}</ref> Ultimately, she chose to continue with her career and recorded for RCA every few months.{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=7}} However, she reduced her touring schedule. She devoted the remainder of her time to family life and made efforts to appear on more Christian music programs. She worked alongside ministers [[Billy Graham]] and [[Rex Humbard]]. She also appeared on several Christian television shows.{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=28}}

[[File:Connie Smith--CMA Awards 1972.jpg|thumb|left|130px|Smith presenting "Instrumentalist of the Year" at the 1972 [[Country Music Association Awards]].]]
With Smith's commitment to RCA, the label continued releasing new albums and singles with regularity.{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=7}} With her new religious convictions, Smith also made it a priority to include [[Gospel music|gospel]] recordings on her secular albums. This remained a theme throughout her career.{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=7-8}} In 1968 and 1969, RCA Victor released the studio LPs ''[[Sunshine and Rain]]'', ''[[Back in Baby's Arms]]'' and ''[[Connie's Country]]''. These recordings yielded a cover of [[Marty Robbins]]'s "[[Ribbon of Darkness]]". Smith's version reached the top 20 of the ''Billboard'' country singles chart.{{sfn|Mazor|2012|pp=21-25}}<ref name="whitburn"/> In Canada, "Ribbon of Darkness" became her first song to top their ''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'' Country chart.<ref name="rpm">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=gmrhouli7kvfvaeu848ka389j0&q1=Connie+Smith&x=0&y=0|title=Search results for "Connie Smith"|magazine=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]|accessdate=2009-07-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129023441/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=gmrhouli7kvfvaeu848ka389j0&q1=Connie+Smith&x=0&y=0|archive-date=2014-11-29|url-status=dead}}</ref> Entering the 1970s, Smith made the top 10 of the North American country charts with less frequency, but continued having commercial success.<ref name="allmusicbio"/><ref name="roughguide"/> The singles "[[You and Your Sweet Love]]" and "[[I Never Once Stopped Loving You (song)|I Never Once Stopped Loving You]]" (both written by Bill Anderson) made the ''Billboard'' country top 10 in 1970.<ref name="allmusicbio"/> Her fifteenth studio LP of the [[I Never Once Stopped Loving You|same name]] was released in 1970 and made the top 20 of the ''Billboard'' country albums chart.<ref name="Country Albums"/>

During this period, Smith also teamed with country singer-songwriter [[Nat Stuckey]] to record two duet studio albums. The idea was crafted by Smith's producer (Bob Ferguson) and Stuckey's producer ([[Felton Jarvis]]). Both men thought the artists' voices would "blend well".{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=27}} The duo's first duet sessions produced a cover of [[Sonny James]]'s "[[Young Love (1956 song)|Young Love]]", which reached the top 20 of the ''Billboard'' country songs chart.<ref name="whitburn"/> Their first [[Young Love (Connie Smith and Nat Stuckey album)|album of the same name]] featured covers of country and pop songs of the era.{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=27}} In an effort for Smith record more gospel music, the duo cut a spiritual-themed LP in 1970 titled ''[[Sunday Morning with Nat Stuckey and Connie Smith]]''. Christian radio programs often opened their shows with the duo's gospel music, which influenced RCA to release "If God Is Dead (Who's That Living in My Soul)" as a single in 1970.{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=27-31}} The song peaked in the lower reaches of the ''Billboard'' country chart.<ref name="whitburn"/>

Journalists and writers took notice of Smith's RCA work following 1968. Biographer and writer Barry Mazor found that Smith's recordings had "a new delicacy of phrasing that shows itself".{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=8}} Mazor also found her albums to have more distinctive qualities, calling 1970s ''I Never Once Stopped Loving You'' to be "one of her most consistent and strongest albums".{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=35}} AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised Smith's recordings from 1968 to 1972, highlighting the strength of her vocals: "She may have been given some of the best songs, but the thing is, she deserved them: few others could give them grace and soul, as this always entertaining box amply proves."<ref name="Erlewine 4674">{{cite web |last1=Erlewine |first1=Stephen Thomas |title=''Just for What I Am'': Connie Smith: Songs, reviews, credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/just-for-what-i-am-mw0002274674 |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=30 May 2022}}</ref> Authors Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann commented that her later RCA singles, "stand the test of time as among the most powerful country female vocal performances of the 1970s."{{sfn|Bufwack|Oermann|2003|p=294}}

In the early 1970s, Smith started recording more songs penned by [[Dallas Frazier]]. The pair had become close friends, which prompted Frazier to write songs for Smith that reflected situations in her personal life.{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=47}}{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=36-37}} Both Smith and Frazier described her 1970 single "[[Where Is My Castle (song)|Where Is My Castle]]" as being autobiographical of her recent marital troubles. "Anybody knows that its cathartic to sing how you feel about things," Smith later said.{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=37}} "Where Is My Castle" reached the top 20 of both the ''Billboard'' and ''RPM'' country singles charts.<ref name="whitburn"/><ref name="rpm"/> In 1971, RCA released Smith's cover of [[Don Gibson]]'s "[[Just One Time (song)|Just One Time]]". Backed by a large rhythm section, the recording reached number two on the ''Billboard'' and ''RPM'' country charts, becoming her most commercially successful single of the 1970s.<ref name="whitburn"/>{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=41}} Her eighteenth studio LP of the [[Just One Time (album)|same name]] reached number 14 on the ''Billboard'' country albums chart and featured [[liner notes]] written by [[Loretta Lynn]].{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=41}}<ref name="Country Albums"/>

With Smith being among RCA's top-selling recording artists, she had enough leverage to coax executives to let her record another gospel album. The result was 1971's ''[[Come Along and Walk with Me]]''. The studio album featured gospel tracks written by spiritual writers such as [[Dottie Rambo]].{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=42}} In 1972, Smith had three back-to-back top singles on the ''Billboard'' country chart: "[[Just for What I Am]]", "[[If It Ain't Love (Let's Leave It Alone)]]" and "[[Love Is the Look You're Looking For]]".<ref name="allmusicbio"/> RCA released the singles on three separate LPs: ''[[Ain't We Havin' Us a Good Time]]'' (1972), ''[[If It Ain't Love and Other Great Dallas Frazier Songs]]'' (1972) and ''[[Love Is the Look You're Looking For]]'' (1973).{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=47}} Her most commercially successful album was ''If It Ain't Love and Other Great Dallas Frazier Songs'', which reached number 14 on the ''Billboard'' country albums chart.<ref name="Country Albums"/> The studio project was recorded as a tribute to Dallas Frazier and featured 10 songs written by him. Frazier also sang several duets with Smith on the project. Before leaving her contract with RCA, the label released more LPs, including the compilation ''[[Dream Painter]]'' (1973).{{sfn|Mazor|2012|p=47}} Its [[Dream Painter (song)|title track]] charted in the ''Billboard'' top 40.<ref name="whitburn"/>

===1973–1979: Record label switches, pop music incorporation and semi-retirement===
In 1973, RCA promised to give Smith a better royalty and more creative control if she renewed her contract. In an updated contract, these terms were not met. Upon hiring a lawyer, she left RCA and was offered a contract by [[Columbia Records]].{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=11}} In 1973, Smith signed a new recording contract with Columbia Records.<ref name="singsherhits">{{cite web|last=Jurek|first=Thom|title=''Connie Smith Sings Her Hits'' > Review|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r387487|pure_url=yes}}|website=Allmusic|access-date=August 14, 2010}}</ref> The label gave her more creative control including the opportunity record one gospel album per year.<ref name="allmusicbio"/> At Columbia, she met with [[Clive Davis]], who agreed to produce her. However, the label dismissed Davis before they could work together. Instead, producer [[Billy Sherrill]] chose to work with Smith. However, a disagreement about religion ended the pairing before it began. She started recording alongside producer [[George Richey]], who recently had success writing material for [[George Jones]] and [[Tammy Wynette]].{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=11}}

At Columbia, Smith was pressured into recording with more pop production than before. "From Day One at the new label, even more than before, it was a constant tussle, because I just am who I am," recalled Smith.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=9}} However, she remained active in song selection and the recording process.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=18-21}} Smith's first Columbia LP titled ''[[A Lady Named Smith]]'' (1973) included pop production such as string instrumentation and overdubbed background vocals.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=37-39}} The LP reached number 31 on the ''Billboard'' country albums chart.<ref name="Country Albums"/> Richey agreed to release "[[Ain't Love a Good Thing]]" as her first Columbia single. Instead, the Richey-Smith co-written song "[[You've Got Me (Right Where You Want Me)]]" proved to be the first label single. The decision disappointed Smith enough that she chose to end their professional relationship.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=12}} The last Richey-produced project was Smith's first Columbia gospel LP titled ''[[God Is Abundant]]''. The album of religious material climbed to number 20 on the ''Billboard'' country albums chart.<ref name="Country Albums"/>{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=38-39}}

[[File:Connie Smith--1974.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Smith performing at the ''Grand Ole Opry'' with her daughter on her arm, 1974.]]
Smith chose [[Ray Baker (music producer)|Ray Baker]] to serve as her next producer. Baker had operated a publishing company and produced several song demos that prompted Smith to choose him. The pair had a more agreeable relationship and recorded together throughout the decade.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=13}} Baker produced Smith's next Columbia album titled ''[[That's the Way Love Goes (Connie Smith album)|That's the Way Love Goes]]'' (1974). The LP featured several original recordings and cover tunes. The album included "Ain't Love a Good Thing", which was released as a single and became her eighteenth top 10 song on the ''Billboard'' country chart.<ref name="whitburn"/>{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=41-42}} Although she recorded two gospel projects in 1974, the label waited until 1975 to release both LPs.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=15}} Instead, Columbia released a secular project titled ''[[I Never Knew (What That Song Meant Before)]]'' (1974).{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=20}} Its [[I Never Knew (What That Song Meant Before) (song)|title track]] became a top 20 ''Billboard'' country single, peaking at number 13.<ref name="whitburn"/> It was followed in 1975 by the traditional country LP ''[[I Got a Lot of Hurtin' Done Today/I've Got My Baby On My Mind]]''.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=20}} Both "[[I've Got My Baby on My Mind]]" and Smith's cover of [[Hank Williams]]'s "[[Why Don't You Love Me (Hank Williams song)|Why Don't You Love Me]]" reached the country top 20.<ref name="whitburn"/>

Music critics noticed a change in Smith's vocals following her Columbia switch. When reviewing the compilation, ''Connie Smith Sings Her Hits'', Thom Jurek of Allmusic commented that she lost the "grain" in her voice. Jurek went on to write "It could be said, that regardless of the material, she never made a bad record; the tunes were carefully chosen it's true, but she never tried to hide the hardcore twang in her vocal style."<ref name="singsherhits"/> Smith's biographer, Barry Mazor, found her voice to "lower in range by this point" and saw evidence of Columbia attempting to "push her recorded vocal into the upper end of her range".{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=13}} Other critics noticed stylistic changes but observed no change in her singing. NPR's Ken Tucker found her recordings in this era to feature more pop instrumentation but did not "obscure the passion and pain she communicated so fearlessly".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tucker |first1=Ken |title=Connie Smith shines as an interpreter of heartbreak on 2 new releases |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/02/07/1078854850/connie-smith-shines-as-an-interpreter-of-heartbreak-on-2-new-releases |access-date=28 June 2022 |work=[[NPR]] |date=February 7, 2022}}</ref>

In 1975, Columbia released both of her 1974 gospel projects.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=15}} The first was ''[[Connie Smith Sings Hank Williams Gospel]]''. For the album, Smith and Baker went through the Hank Williams catalog where they came across a series of never-before-released gospel songs.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=44-45}} The result was the first album of Hank Williams gospel material recorded by another artist.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=21-22}} In 1976, the project was nominated by the Grammy Awards for [[Best Gospel Performance]].<ref name="Grammys">{{cite web |title=Connie Smith: Artist |url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/connie-smith/17418 |website=[[Grammy Awards]] |access-date=30 April 2022}}</ref> The second 1975 religious LP was the gospel influenced [[Christmas music|Christmas]] album titled ''[[Joy to the World (Connie Smith album)|Joy to the World]]''.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=22-23}} In 1976, Columbia issued two more country albums of Smith's material: ''[[The Song We Fell in Love To]]'' and ''[[I Don't Wanna Talk It Over Anymore]]''.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=24}} Both LPs peaked in the ''Billboard'' country albums top 40.<ref name="Country Albums"/> The albums included the number 13 country single "[[I Don't Wanna Talk It Over Anymore (song)|I Don't Wanna Talk It Over Anymore]]" and her twentieth top 10, a remake of [[The Everly Brothers]]'s "[[(Till) I Kissed You]]".<ref name="whitburn"/> The latter was Smith's second single to top Canada's ''RPM'' country chart.<ref name="rpm"/>

In 1977 Smith moved to [[Fred Foster]]'s Nashville label [[Monument Records]]. She was pressured into recording more country pop material than before and was given singing lessons by a songwriter. "He [Fred Foster] wanted to mold me into something That I wasn't comfortable with," Smith commented. "That's why that never worked."{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=24}} AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine found her Monument music to have "state-of-the-art production that dates instantly, walks the line between crossover pop and country-pop rather clumsly, and lacks good material."<ref name="Monument Albums">{{cite web |last1=Erlewine |first1=Stephen Thomas |title=''Greatest Hits on Monument'': Connie Smith: Songs, reviews, credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/greatest-hits-on-monument-mw0000095034 |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=28 June 2022}}</ref> Monument released two LPs of Smith's material between 1977 and 1978.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=24}} Her only commercially successful Monument single was a cover of [[Andy Gibb]]'s "[[I Just Want to Be Your Everything]]". The single climbed to number 14 on the ''Billboard'' country chart. Yet, her other Monument releases reached progressively-lower positions on the country chart between 1978 and 1979.<ref name="Monument Albums"/> Furthermore, Smith had five children by this point and felt pressured to be at home with her family. Ultimately, Smith decided to leave her country music career entirely to focus on raising her children and tending to her religious needs.{{sfn|Mazor|2021|p=24}}

===1983–present: Return to recording and performing===
For three years, Smith remained in semi-retirement, committing only to occasional performances at the ''Grand Ole Opry'', where she remained a member. At the Opry, she only performed gospel songs. However, she decided to return to her career in 1983. She re-signed with Monument Records, but left after label filed for bankruptcy. Instead, singer and songwriter [[Ricky Skaggs]] helped her secure a new recording contract to [[Epic Records]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hurst |first1=Jack |title=AFTER YEARS OF TRYING TO GET OUT, CONNIE SMITH TRYING TO GET BACK IN |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-07-28-8502190461-story.html |access-date=29 June 2022 |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=July 28, 1985}}</ref>{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=28}} The first single, "[[A Far Cry from You]]" (1985), was written by [[Alternative country]] artist [[Steve Earle]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Connie Smith – Too Cool to Be Forgotten |journal=[[No Depression (magazine)|No Depression]] |date=September 1, 1998 |url=https://www.nodepression.com/connie-smith-too-cool-to-be-forgotten/2/ |access-date=29 June 2022}}</ref> It reached number 71 on the Hot Country Songs chart.<ref name="whitburn"/>

One day in the mid-1990s, Smith was at her home talking to one of her daughters on the phone. After telling her mother what she was going to do that night, her daughter asked Smith what her plans for that night were. Because she did not have anything fun planned, Smith lied so her daughter wouldn't have to worry about her. After the conversation ended, Smith realized that she didn't need her own children worrying about her at the start of their adult lives and decided that it was time to return to her career.<ref name="interview"/> With country artist [[Marty Stuart]] (whom she later married in 1997), acting as the album's main producer, Smith signed a recording contract with [[Warner Bros. Records]] in 1996. Although the label preferred her to record an album of duets, Smith decided to go by her own terms and record a solo studio album. In October 1998 she released her [[Connie Smith (1998 album)|second self-titled studio album]].{{sfn|Escott|2001|p=30}} It consisted of ten tracks, nine of them co-written by both Smith and Stuart.<ref name="countryuniverse">{{cite web|last=Coyne|first=Kevin John|title=100 Greatest Women – Connie Smith (#24) |date=June 8, 2008 |url=http://www.countryuniverse.net/2008/06/07/100-greatest-women-24-connie-smith |publisher=Country Universe|access-date=August 15, 2010}}</ref>

Smith's 1998 project attracted limited commercial attention, but was given critical praise for its traditional and contemporary style. Kurt Wolff of the book ''Country Music: The [[Rough Guides|Rough Guide]]'' commented that the album sounded "far gutsier than anything in the [[Reba McEntire|Reba]] and [[Garth Brooks|Garth]] mainstream".<ref name="roughguide"/> Thom Jurek of Allmusic gave the release four out of five stars, calling it "a solid effort", also commenting "it stands head and shoulders over most of the stuff that's come out of Nash Vegas in over a decade. Even if it doesn't sell a copy, it's a triumphant return for Smith. She hasn't lost a whit of her gift as a singer or as a writer."<ref name="ConnieSmithWarnerBros">{{cite web|last=Jurek|first=Thom |title=''Connie Smith'' (1998) > Review|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r377744|pure_url=yes}} |website=Allmusic|access-date=August 15, 2010}}</ref> Also in 1998, Smith made a second cameo appearance in a film, portraying a "Singer at the Rodeo Dance" in ''[[The Hi-Lo Country]]'' starring [[Woody Harrelson]] and [[Billy Crudup]].

[[File:Connie Smith.jpg|thumb|left|Smith on stage at the Grand Ole Opry]]
In August 2003, she released a gospel album with country artists [[Barbara Fairchild]] and [[Sharon White (singer)|Sharon White]] titled ''[[Love Never Fails (2003 album)|Love Never Fails]]'' on Daywind Records.<ref name="countryuniverse"/> In an interview with ''Country Stars Central'', Smith said that she was ill with the [[stomach flu]] while recording the album, but still enjoyed making the record.<ref name="Country Stars Central"/> Produced by country and bluegrass performer [[Ricky Skaggs]] (White's husband), the album received a nomination from the [[Dove Awards]]. The website Slipcue.com reviewed the release and stated that ''Love Never Fails'' "is probably too rowdy for most [[Southern gospel]] fans (who really like tinkly pianos and less-twangy vocals), and while it probably won't wow many country listeners, for folks who are fans any of these three singers, this is kind of a treat.<ref>{{cite web|title=Connie Smith CD discography|url=http://www.slipcue.com/music/country/countryartists/conniesmith.html |publisher=Slipcue.com|access-date=August 15, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805162536/http://www.slipcue.com/music/country/countryartists/conniesmith.html |archive-date=August 5, 2009}}</ref>

In November 2008, Smith joined the cast of [[Marty Stuart]]'s television series ''The Marty Stuart Show'', which aired on the [[RFD-TV]] network every Saturday night. The thirty-minute program featured traditional country music performed by both Stuart and Smith, as well as radio personality [[Eddie Stubbs]].<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Marty Stuart Show kicks off Saturday |url=http://www.countrystandardtime.com/news/newsitem.asp?xid=2244|magazine=[[Country Standard Time]]|access-date=August 15, 2010}}</ref> The show stopped airing on RFD-TV in 2014.<ref name="RFD">{{cite magazine |last1=Weeks |first1=Isaac |title=Rural America's Hottest Cable Channel Scrambles to Replace Country Music's Beloved 'Marty Stuart' Show |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7973581/rural-america-cable-channel-replace-country-music-marty-stuart-show |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=May 24, 2021}}</ref> In August 2011 Smith released her first new solo recording in thirteen years, entitled ''[[Long Line of Heartaches]]'' via [[Sugar Hill Records (bluegrass label)|Sugar Hill Records]]. The record was produced by Marty Stuart and included five songs written by the pair. [[Harlan Howard]], [[Kostas Lazarides|Kostas]], [[Johnny Russell (singer)|Johnny Russell]], and [[Dallas Frazier]] also wrote tracks that were included on the disc.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Upcoming and Recent CD Releases|url=http://www.countrystandardtime.com/cdreleases.asp|magazine=[[Country Standard Time]]|access-date=May 20, 2011}}</ref> The album was reviewed positively by AllMusic's Steve Leggett, who gave it four stars. "It wouldn't be quite right to call this a throwback album, but it does sound like vintage traditional country given just a bit of a polished edge," he concluded.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Leggett |first1=Steve |title=''Long Line of Heartaches'': Connie Smith: Songs, reviews, credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/long-line-of-heartaches-mw0002189781 |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=May 22, 2021}}</ref> Andrew Mueller of ''BBC'' also gave it a positive response, calling it "classic and classicist country songs".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mueller |first1=Andrew |title=Smith's first LP since 1998, both classic and classicist in feel |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/v86m/ |website=[[BBC]] |access-date=May 22, 2021}}</ref>

In August 2021, Smith's next studio album was released on the [[Fat Possum Records|Fat Possum]] label titled ''[[The Cry of the Heart (album)|The Cry of the Heart]]''. It was the third project produced by Stuart and her first album of new material in ten years.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Crone |first1=Madeline |title=Connie Smith Shares Marty Stuart-Produced 'The Cry of the Heart', Her First LP in Over A Decade |magazine=[[American Songwriter]] |date=August 2021 |url=https://americansongwriter.com/connie-smith-shares-marty-stuart-produced-the-cry-of-the-heart-her-first-lp-in-over-a-decade/ |access-date=30 April 2022}}</ref> ''The New York Times'' described ''The Cry of the Heart'' to evoke the traditional styles that "recall Smith's '60s era recordings".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Osmon |first1=Erin |title=54 Albums Later, Connie Smith's Defiant Heart Has Plenty to Say |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/19/arts/music/connie-smith-cry-of-the-heart.html |access-date=30 April 2022 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 19, 2021}}</ref> It was Smith's first album since 1976 to reach a charting position on ''Billboard'', peaking on the [[Current Album Sales]] chart following its release.<ref name="Album Sales">{{cite magazine |title=''The Cry of the Heart'' chart history |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/connie-smith/chart-history/tcl/ |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=1 September 2021}}</ref> ''PopMatters'' gave the album an 8/10 rating and concluded "If you wanted to understand what traditional country is, you could go to the same place today as you could have 50 years ago: a Connie Smith record."<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Cober-Lake |first1=Justin |title=Connie Smith Returns with Power on 'The Cry of the Heart' |magazine=[[PopMatters]] |date=August 23, 2021 |url=https://www.popmatters.com/connie-smith-cry-heart-review |access-date=30 April 2022}}</ref>