Biography
Born on 2 September 1915 in Dickens, Iowa, USA, and passing away in 1997 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA, Smith devoted himself to fiddle playing rooted in spirited old time traditions. Although his name stayed largely confined to his native state, local audiences there embraced his performances, bolstered by several radio spots. These included collaborations with Rusty Hiser on WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia, along with a dedicated program he hosted on WSVA once he settled in Harrisonburg during the early 1950s, remaining there until his death. He frequently shared stages with his brother, Cal Smith. His sets featured “Irish Washerwoman” rendered at double speed to energize dancers, alongside numbers such as “Hang Out The Moon Tonight,” “There’s An Old Wagon Trail In The Valley,” “Darling, Don’t You Love Me Anymore?,” “We Buried Her Beneath The Willow,” and “Doubting Heart.” The last of these appeared among the few sides he cut during the 1970s for release on 45s. Together with Reg Cooper he co-wrote “Green, Green, Green,” later recorded by Hank Snow.
Beginning in the 1970s Smith operated a construction firm. In the latter part of that decade an innovative school project brought renewed attention when Ron Williams, then 23 and teaching at Pine Breeze Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, prompted his class of severely emotionally disturbed teenagers to document regional musical roots. A $600 Tennessee Arts Commission grant supported the effort, yielding many hours of lo-fi yet historically invaluable tapes between 1975 and 1981. Eight albums eventually emerged from the sessions, with selected tracks later compiled onto a pair of CDs. In 1977 Smith joined Florrie Stewart to record “A Bottle Of Wine And Gingercake,” “Jeff Davis,” “Old Chattanooga,” “Chocktaw Bill,” “Cincinnati,” “Corn In The Crib,” and “Run, Nigger, Run.” Fellow musicians captured by the students included Eldia and Oscar Barbee, the Bice Family, Peanut Cantrell, Bob Douglas, Ella Hughes, and Clay Turner.
Beginning in the 1970s Smith operated a construction firm. In the latter part of that decade an innovative school project brought renewed attention when Ron Williams, then 23 and teaching at Pine Breeze Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, prompted his class of severely emotionally disturbed teenagers to document regional musical roots. A $600 Tennessee Arts Commission grant supported the effort, yielding many hours of lo-fi yet historically invaluable tapes between 1975 and 1981. Eight albums eventually emerged from the sessions, with selected tracks later compiled onto a pair of CDs. In 1977 Smith joined Florrie Stewart to record “A Bottle Of Wine And Gingercake,” “Jeff Davis,” “Old Chattanooga,” “Chocktaw Bill,” “Cincinnati,” “Corn In The Crib,” and “Run, Nigger, Run.” Fellow musicians captured by the students included Eldia and Oscar Barbee, the Bice Family, Peanut Cantrell, Bob Douglas, Ella Hughes, and Clay Turner.