Carl Smith

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Carl Smith

Carl Milton Smith, known as "Mister Country," was born on March 15, 1927, in Maynardville, Tennessee. He became one of the most successful country music artists of the 1950s and 1960s. Smith's career began after he heard the Grand Ole Opry on the radio, inspiring him to pursue music. As a teenager, he sold seed to pay for guitar lessons and performed with Kitty Dibble and Her Dude Ranch Ranglers. After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1947, Smith returned to Tennessee, where he played bass and sang for WROL in Knoxville. His talent caught the attention of Columbia Records, leading to his first recording contract in 1950.

Smith's breakthrough came in 1951 with the hit "Let's Live a Little," followed by numerous top-charting singles like "Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way" and "Loose Talk." He was known for his smooth ballads and honky-tonk style, often incorporating a drum kit into his performances, a move that proved influential despite initial criticism. Smith's band, the Tunesmiths, included steel guitarist Johnny Silbert, adding a Western swing element to his music.

In 1952, Smith married June Carter of the Carter Family, with whom he had a daughter, Carlene Carter, who also became a country singer. The couple divorced in 1956, and Smith later married Goldie Hill, with whom he had three children. Smith continued to chart hits into the 1970s and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2003. He passed away on January 16, 2010, in Franklin, Tennessee, leaving behind a legacy as one of country music's enduring icons.