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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZSMITH, Carl(b 15 March 1927, Maynardsville TN; d 16 January 2010) One of the most successful country singers of the post-war decades, with about 75 hits in 20 years. He began on guitar in his teens, turned pro following US Navy service, working on Radio WROL Knoxville '48, then WWNC Asheville NC '49. He moved to Nashville and joined Grand Ole Opry '50, signed with Columbia and had his first hit with 'Let's Live A Little' '51 (no. 3): 'Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way' '51, 'Hey Joe' '53 and 'Loose Talk' '54 reached no. 1. He invented almost single-handedly a style combining country crooning with honky-tonk imagery (and good songs), making the counbtry chart every year for almost 25 years. Other hits included 'Trademark' and 'Satisfaction Guaranteed' '53; two-sided hits 'There She Goes'/'Old Lonesome Times', 'You're Free To Go'/'I Feel Like Cryin'' '55; also 'Kisses Don't Lie' '55, 'You Are The One' '56, 'You Can't Hurt Me Anymore' '57. 'Ten Thousand Drums' '59 crossed over to the pop chart but was his last top ten hit except for 'Deep Water' '67. He recorded for Hickory '75-8. He married June Carter '52; their daughter Carlene Carter became a country-rock star; married Goldie Hill '57 (b 11 January 1933, Karnes City TX), who had a top five hit with 'I Let The Stars Get In My Eyes' '53 (an answer to 'Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes', one of the biggest hits of the year; see Perry Como). Goldie semi-retired to their 600-acre ranch near Franklin TN to raise a family. Carl appeared in films The Badge Of Marshall Brennan '57, Buffalo Guns '62; had Carl Smith's Country Music Hall TV show in Canada '60s, syndicated to U.S. stations; retired late '70s to raise horses, but re-recorded some of the hits for a TV-advertised LP '81 on Gusto/Starday. Many Columbia LPs included Sunday Down South '54, Smith's The Name '57, Easy To Please '63, Sings Bluegrass '71; also A Way With Words '77 on Hickory. Five-CD Satisfaction Guaranteed '96 on Bear Family compiles the classics. He described himself as lucky, saying that all he ever wanted to do was become a hillbilly singer and a cowboy, and he managed to do both. |