J P McDermott



WARREN SMITH

 by: Shaun Mather & Phil Davies February 1999.

WARREN SMITH - SO LONG HE'S GONE

It was February 1956 and the patrons of The Cotton Club in West Memphis, Arkansas were enjoying the sounds of their regular band, Clyde Leopard and The Snearly Ranch Boys. The band had recently been augmented by a young country singer who some felt had the potential to go beyond these settings. So impressed had been Ranch Boy steel player and songwriter, Stan Kesler, that he had called the attention of local record man Sam Phillips. Following an audition where they had performed a hillbilly ballad penned by Kesler, I'd Rather Be Safe Than Sorry, Phillips had told them to get some more material. This particular night, Phillips actually turned up at the club with Johnny Cash and at the interval had invited the singer, Warren Smith to join them at their table. Cash was armed with a song he'd written (or purchased from George Jones!) called Rock 'n' Roll Ruby and he offered it to Smith and the band. Looking back now, it's funny to think that Johnny Cash, being more country than rock, didn't fancy the song himself but offered it to Warren Smith who was probably as pure a country singer as any that stepped through the hallowed doors of Sun Studios.

Born in Humphreys County Mississippi near the blues-drenched Yazoo City on February 7th 1932, Smith had been raised in Louise, MS with his grandparents following the divorce of his parents. After a spell in the Air Force, and with music very much his passion, he made the move to the tune-town known as Memphis, Tennessee determined to make his fortune.

The following Sunday (5th), Warren and the Snearly Ranch Boys, Buddy Holobaugh, Stan Kesler, Jan Ledbetter, Smokey Joe Baugh and Johnny Bernero, drafted in to play drums instead of Leopard who may have felt his nose out of joint, converged on Union Avenue ready to cut. After Phillips and Cash turned up late, the session began with the band running through Ruby a couple of times. An early out-take exists which shows the band well on the way to perfecting the tune, Baugh's piano solo being particularly on the money. The master truly is a rockabilly classic with Holobaugh's guitar driving the track, together with Benero's drumming. The second song tackled was one they were familiar with, I'd Rather Be Safe Than Sorry. A country weeper, Smith's vocal's are perfection, he starts the tune in a high key and maintains it without a quiver. Sufficiently pleased with the debut cuts, Phillips released them on 25 March 1956 as Sun 239. Billboard magazine predicted "another Sun candidate for rock 'n' roll - country and western stardom" adding that "Smith sells Rock 'n' Ruby with sock showmanship and a strong, driving beat." Two weeks later in it's May 5th issue, Billboard reviewed it again raving "Sun has done it again! This country rock 'n' roll record is showing all the signs of being a Presley-type success. Already on the Memphis and Charlotte territorial charts, it should soon hit the national charts."

By the 26th of May it was number 1 on the Memphis charts, helped no doubt by exposure from the local jocks and personal appearances all over town. After selling over sixty eight thousand copies by July, it was obvious that another session was needed to re-enforce this encouraging start. None of Sam's other stars had sold more copies with their debut, Elvis, Jerry Lee, Carl Perkins…. The summer included a mouth-watering week long tour of the Memphis area with Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Eddie Bond and new boys, Roy Orbison and the Teen Kings whose Ooby Dooby had just been released on Sun. Not a bad night out for the local's! The tour culminated with a show at Overton Shell park in Memphis in which Elvis made a non-performing appearance.

In order to get more widespread exposure, the rest of summer '56 was spent on the road as Smith and Orbison undertook a gruelling tour of Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi. Once the royalties had been collected, it was obvious that Smith felt he was the man and that the Snearly Ranch Boys were coincidental. This aggrieved the band who understood an unwritten agreement existed in which the band would be on equal terms with royalties split equally. Not one to worry about upsetting others, Smith duly severed his connections with them and assembled his own band featuring Al Hopson on guitar, Marcus Van Story on bass and drummer Johnny Bernero.

It was this new line-up which recorded two separate sessions in August producing the goods for Sun 250. The a-side was a Johnny Cash styled take on the old English standard, Black Jack David. Charles Underwood, a student at Memphis State University, had provided the song Ubangi Stomp bathed in racist lyrics, but Smith hadn't been impressed with it at first. However, with nothing in the bag, Smith tried the song out of desperation and surprised himself with a performance which he felt got better with every take. Released on September 24th, and despite another encouraging review from Billboard, sales were disappointing with only thirty eight thousand takers.

The first year in the big time ended with a five day gig at the Malco Theatre at home in Memphis with Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison followed by some dates in Huntsville and Sheffield, Alabama with Carl Perkins and someone destined to steal Smith's thunder, a cocky young piano pounder who'd just started to make an impression in Memphis, Jerry Lee Lewis.

1957 started with an unproductive (single wise) session with The Darkest Cloud and an early take on So Long I'm Gone remaining in the can. Another session in January had the same affect and with the second single having failed to click, the pressure was on to come up with something strong. In February, with a different line-up Smith had another crack at So Long I'm Gone, a song from the pen of Roy Orbison. With Jimmie Lott now on drums due to the unwillingness of Bernero to tour, and with Jimmy Wilson on piano, the rhythm was strong and was helped by the dual guitar of Al Hopson and Roland Janes. It's a classic mid-tempo country rocker and was commercial enough to have a chance at the charts. Breaking from tradition, Sam chose not to release the single with a rocker on one side and a country song on the other. Instead the flip was the wild Miss Froggie, the rockinest item he ever recorded, helped in no small part by Al Hopson's brilliant guitar.

Released as Sun 268 on the 15th April '57, Billboard advised it's readers to "watch both of these." Smith certainly would have been watching as the single showed great promise and in May broke into the Hot 100 at number 72. This was the big break he'd been after and the already healthy ego must have started busting at the seams. As luck would have it, fellow Sun star Jerry Lee Lewis' second single Whole Lot Of Shakin' Goin' On had been released the previous month and was now sitting on top of the Memphis charts. Sensing a potential hit, Phillips and his brother Judd, got Jerry Lee a shot on national TV. On Sunday 28th July, he performed a wild, sneering, chair throwing version of Shakin' on the Steve Allen Show. Following the show, demand for the single grew too big for Sun to cope. In order to meet the orders Sam made the decision to concentrate on Jerry Lee and therefore ending any chances of So Long I'm Gone going any further. Smith was numbstruck and apparently became so outraged at hearing the Jerry Lee hit all the time on the radio that he started smashing any copies he came across. According to Jimmie Lott "Warren was an egotist - the biggest egotist I've ever met. A caring man and a good man, but an egotist. Warren wanted recognition. He painted WARREN SMITH - THE ROCK 'N' ROLL RUBY MAN on the back of his car - a seven or eight thousand dollar Cadillac sedan."

Smith returned to the Sun studio in October and with Hopson and Janes working in perfect harmony, cut a brilliant version of Slim Harpo's Got Love If You Want It. With a tender ballad from the pen of Hopson, I Fell In Love, on the flip, Sun 286 was released in December. This same month, Sun also released Johnny Cash (Ballad Of A Teenage Queen/Big River), Sonny Burgess (My Bucket's Got A Hole In It), Roy Orbison (Chicken Hearted) and Carl Perkins (Glad All Over). However, it was to be old sparring partner Jerry Lee Lewis that caused the problems again, as this time he was riding high with Great Balls Of Fire. Again, promotion of Smith was limited and resulted in a poultry seven thousand copies being sold. The wheels were starting to come off and bass man Marcus Van Story quit, being replaced by Will Hopson, brother of guitarist Al. Lott had also had his namesake and for future shows, drummers were picked up from local bands. Smith also parted company with Stars Inc. and handed over his bookings to the Charlotte based G.D.Kemper who immediately fixed up some dates in Canada with cowboy Lash Larue. An appearance on the influential Ed Sullivan Show was a step in the right direction but then Kemper severed contacts with Smith following the latter's booking his own dates in Maryland.

Musically, he was still producing great stuff like Uranium Rock, Golden Rocket, Dear John and Do I Love. On January 7th 1959, Smith went into the studio with Billy Lee Riley and Sid Manker (guitars), Cliff Acred (bass), Charlie Rich (piano) and the great Jimmy Van Eaton (drums). The results were as good as one would expect from such a line-up. Both the perfect Goodbye Mr Love and the poppy, chorus laden Sweet Sweet Girl were ideal for the time and in mid-Feb they were released as Sun 314. Billboard again enthused "Chances are Warren Smith'll have the top money-making record of his career in this Sun outing. One end, a top drawer, middle beat country offering finds Warren sadly singing "Goodbye Mr Love". On the other half, a terrific Don Gibson-penned, all-market rocker, Smith sez that his ex-gal was a "Sweet, Sweet Girl" to him. Great vocal and musical support for Warren's ultra-commercial ballad and beat offerings." Given that kiss of death, sales were again negligable and with his contract at an end it was no surprise that Smith and Sun parted company. In later interviews, he contested that he always wanted to cut country music but that Sam wasn't interested. Well, he had cut country, some of which was as good as any country music cut in the decade. From Sam's point of view, he was right to cut Smith as a rocker, his vocals were perfect for the genre. Sun wasn't amune to releasing singles aimed squarely at the hillbilly market, Ernie Chaffin had had four singles in the same time-span, it's just that the rewards for a big pop hit far out-weighed the rewards for a country hit.


Following in the footsteps of buddy Johnny Cash, Smith packed the misses into the Caddie and headed west to California. He landed a deal with Warner Brothers and cut three low key singles (including a Xmas 45) under the name Warren Baker. The new life had not started too well professionally, but socially they settled down quickly in Sherman Oaks, spending a lot of time with the Cash's. Cash offered him a slot on his package show, but was turned down, Warren Smith still had plans and they didn't include playing second fiddle to anyone else. Whilst appearing at the Town Hall Party in Compton, CA, he was spotted by an executive of Liberty Records who were planning to launch a country division. Smith duly signed, becoming their first country act and on March 9th 1960, entered the Radio Recorders studio in Hollywood. He had moved two thousand miles from Memphis, but the music had moved a million. The new sound was real country, fiddles a-plenty and stone country vocals. With the top west coast pickers (Ralph Mooney, Johnny Western, Jim Pierce), they laid down three tracks from which Liberty 55248 was released. I Don't Believe I'll Fall In Love Today/Cave In was released late summertime and rose to number 5 in the country charts. With no Jerry Lee to disrupt his sales, Smith had the pleasure of seeing his next release Odds And Ends (Bits And Pieces), Liberty 55302, also reach the top ten, peaking at 7 early in '61. Both hits had been written by country tunesmith, Harlan Howard and Smith, never a prolific writer, ceased to write his own stuff.

Both artist and label must have been bubbling, and decided the next move was to cut an album. The majority of the album was cut on 4th May at Radio Recorders with the same gang and with the two hits added was released as The First Country Collection Of Warren Smith. The playing's fine and the singing's great, it just lacks any sparkle. The same can't be said of the next single, Liberty 55336, which coupled two excellent songs in a revisited Old Lonesome Feeling (written by Stan Kesler) and Call Of The Wild. It was the b-side which took, eventually making the 26 spot. The follow up single was a duet with Shirley Collie, George Jones' Why, Baby, Why which again stalled in the twenties (23).

Despite his career blooming, things were starting to come undone as he became addicted to amphetamines (any Johnny Cash influence!!) and Smith failed to appear for a scheduled session with Collie. Willie Nelson took his place and also seemed to take husband Bill Coffie's place as well. With the first seeds of unreliable being sown, his next single, cut in Nashville, was Bad News Gets Around (!) and despite a great reading it failed to chart. Same fate for the next single, 160 lbs Of Hurt and its flip, Book Of Broken Hearts.

The next single was marvellous. The a-side That's Why I Sing In A Honky Tonk, climbed to 25 in November '63 and the b-side Big City Ways followed it to 41. This being despite the fact, that radio at first gave it the cold shoulder due to Smith's long, emphasised pronounciation of the first sylable when describing his - country girl. I'll bet the boys back in Memphis enjoyed the moment.

In April '64 he cut his final single for Liberty back in Hollywood. Blue Smoke is real '60's country and justifiyably rose to 41 in the charts, a fine swan-song. The label didn't renew his contract, his life was being ruined by drugs and Liberty was doing okay without needing a risk artist. It's a shame because Smith's vocals were in peak condition and his sound was sounding as fresh as anything being generated in Nashville.

On 17th August 1965 in LeGrange, Texas at 8am, Smith's '65 Pontiac skidded off Highway 77, just missing another car before slamming into a steep enbankment. He was rushed to Fayette Hospital with severe back injuries and facial lacerations. He was out of action for the best part of a year, having to learn to walk again.

A comeback of sorts was arranged with Slick Norris' Houston based label, Slick. She Likes Attention suffers from a poor vocal but Future X is a good track. Nothing came of the release, not surprising as promotion/distribution must have been limited.

A single came out on Mercury, who now had Jerry Lee, but this time there was no competition. Smith's chart days were over despite his health problems not affecting his voice as much. Now mixing drink with his drugs, Smith was now being arrested on a regular basis and ended up doing an eighteen month spell in a Huntsville, Alabama jail. His long-term marraige was over, but on his return to civilisation, he met and married a new woman. Trying to restart his life, he got work as a Safety Director for Trinity Industries in Longview, Texas, only singing on stage at weekends. In the early 70's he cut a couple of low-budget, low-profile singles for Jubal Records.

In 1976 he got an offer from Mike Cattin of the Carl Perkins Fan Club to record only his second album, for the Lake County record label. Due to his work commitments the album had to be recorded on Sundays and started in December '76 and was finished in June '77. Smith was very disappointed with the results, the tracks ranging from remakes of Sun/Liberty songs to a few originals.

In April '77, Warren Smith arrived in Britain to play a rockabilly show with Jack Scott, Charlie Feathers and Buddy Knox. Smith was completely overcome by the reception he received and was invited back the following November with fellow Sun artist Ray Smith. Again, the shows went well and a rejuvenated Smith was scheduled to return in April.

Unfortunately this tour never materialised as on the last day of January 1981, Smith was admitted to hospital with chest pains. Before the day was over, he suffered a massive heart attack and died. He was 47.


How better to sum him up than a couple of quotes from Sam Phillips:
  • In an interview with Colin Escott and Martin Hawkins; "He was probably the best pure singer for country music I've ever heard. He had a pure country voice and an innate feel for the country ballad. With that music he was as goos as anyone I've heard before or since. So Long I'm Gone was just a wonderful country record. He was a difficult personality, but just interesting enough that I liked him a whole lot."
  • In an interview with Trevor Cajiao, talking about Sonny Burgess, Billy Lee Riley and Warren Smith; "..I should have followed through with Warren Smith too although he was much more of a country-flavoured guy in a way. The guy had the ability to make it. That, I guess, in a way, I regret somethin' like that because these were people with unique abilities and I coulda' made 'em' even if there's such a thing as a little more unique. I was probably a bit deficient in the fact that I didn't take a little more assistance and probably I coulda' pulled some of these guys, and done a little more with 'em. Those three guys I know had hit records in 'em."

    --Shaun Mather, February 1999.



    Memories of Warren Smith

    I first heard about Warren Smith in an article on Sun published in the late 60's by legendary Teddy Boy writer Waxie Maxie in Record Mirror, a pop weekly paper. Breathless Dan Coffey listed some of his Sun 45s on his collector lists but I was a youngster still trying to get hold of early Elvis, Jerry Lee and Eddie Cochran in particular. In 1969 I lived in North Wales and a second hand mail order shop opened in Porthmadog, called Cob records (still going today) and within a few weeks I picked up Johnny Burnette Trio lp, Jack Scott lp, loadsa Jerry Lee and some of those strange looking yellow label 45s from Memphis.

    In that first batch were 3 Warren Smith 45s for the princely sum of 50p (40c), Ubangi Stomp Sun 250, Rock n Roll Ruby Sun 239 and So Long I'm Gone Sun 268. When the great Phonogram series of Sun Rockabillies lps came out a few years later I was blown away (still am!) by gems like Red Cadillac and a Black Moustache and Uranium Rock. Various tracks appeared on compilations but no comprehensive collection devoted to Warren.

    Gradually we learnt more about Warren through the pioneering published research work carried out by Colin Escott and Martin Hawkins, when Aquarius published their highly influential Catalyst book on Sun. Enlightened UK djs like Emperor Rosko, Johhny Moran and John Peel would play Warren sides. Later in the 70's Stu Colman's weekly BBC radio 1 show would regularly feature more and even a live session by Warren. By now Charly had the Sun catalogue and there were Uk 45s, eps and lps by Warren to purchase. The Legendary Sun Performer on Charly had a great painting of Warren by famous uk rock fan and well known artist David Oxtoby. It was a mix of classics and lesser known songs, a fine collection.

    Having begun teaching in 1975 I was devastated to have to miss the legendary live show at the Rainbow theatre London which was originally planned as the Sun Show, with Carl Perkins to headline. He withdrew and the line up on the two shows on April 30/May1, 1977 were Buddy Knox, Charlie Feathers, Jack Scott and Warren Smith. Reviews in Uk fanzines like New Kommotion and Red Hot were mixed. Then came the news of a live lp on EMI's trendy Harvest label. Both nights were recorded but only the first night has been issued. The second night was a bit more together musically speaking. I played this lp and the ep from the show to death. Warren sounded a bit nervous initially but it was great to hear my hero live on stage, backed by the Dave Travis band. He performed Ubangi Stomp twice, Rock n Roll Ruby, Blue Suede Shoes and I'm Moving On (part of a longer medley). Later, sessions and interviews were recorded for BBC radio. Photos from the Rainbow showed that Warren's appearance had changed little in the ensuing decades. Rejuvenated he returned to the States and his job as a personnel officer in Longview Texas.

    The Carl Perkins fan club in Switzerland issued new recordings, done in Dallas either side of the London show, on their Lake County label. Rejeuvenated, Warren started performing live back home and returned to Europe with Ray Smith. He was due back here in April 1980 when he suffered a major heart attack and died on January 31st 1980. Warren would surely have continued to rebuild his career during the 80s rockabilly revival and would have been tailor made for Hemsby and the other major festivals. Big Beat in France reissued some of the lake County sides as a 10" lp the Memorial Album with a nice cover shot of Warren leaning on a jukebox. The lp contains some rerecordings of Sun, Liberty and Jubal sides and a few new ones like Roll Over Beethoven and Folsom Prison Blues. Nice but not earth shattering.

    The cd age has brought us many fine issues by Bear Family, Avi and Charly. Nothing however matches the sound on those yellow 45s, my own top 10 would always include Sun 286, the only Sun cover of an Excello tune, Slim Harpo's I've Got Love If You Want It featuring a superb vocal and stinging guitar by Al Hopson. He penned the equally fine flip I Fell In Love. Never mind "who shot JFK" and other mysteries of life, why didn't this and his other Sun cuts sell by the truckload? He looked good, had a distinctive and great voice, exceelent band and material, why wasn't he one of the big stars? Johhny Benero who backed him live in the 50's says he always did about 80% of his act as country, so perhaps in his heart Warren always regarded himself as a country performer. Later he said he was happiest with his Liberty country material. His rocking songs are very popular in the clubs today and many modern bands tip their hats to him.

    Perhaps a look at the competition in the Billboard top 100 in June 1957, when Warren's sole Sun hit So Long,I'm Gone crept quietly in and out of the lower end of the chart, will clarify matters. First of all the fact that Billboard originally listed the title incorrectly as So Long MY LOVE! at no 90 June 10 1957 obviously didn't help any teens trying to track it down. the following week it was up to no 72 tied with a Big Crosby toon, still with wrong title (why didn't Sun sort this out?).

    By June 24th Warren's Sun hit days were over, Whole Lotta Shakin' crashed into the charts on its way to the top 10. perhaps Sun didn't have the resources to push two hits at a time or did Sam perhaps put all his eggs in the Killer's basket? Ironically Jerry's greatest successes seemed to coincide with firstly Warren being overlooked and later Bill Lee Riley.

    Of course teenagers of the day were spoilt for choice, in the charts at the same time in June 1957, competing for coin, were many classics. Memphians and everyone else would have been shelling out for the King's latest All Shook Up coming off no 1. Country pop fans went for Marty Robbins White Sports Coat at 3, or Bonnie Guitar's evocative ballad Dark Moon at 8 (fighting with the dreaded Gale Storm's weak cover). Chuck was ringing a bell at 7 with Schoolday. Doo wopers were spoilt for choice with the Diamonds cover of Lil Darlin or the great Del-Vikings Come Go With Me.

    New teen idols Ricky Nelson and the Everly brothers were in the 20 with I'm Walkin' and Bye Bye Love respectively. Lower down were Tommy Sands, Fats, Buddy Knox, Marvin Rainwater, Charlie Gracie and Chuck Willis. That was only the top 50! Even the lower reaches were jam packed with gems, eg. Dale Hawkins immortal Susie Q at 59, Little Richard's Lucille at 79, Gladiolas original of Lil Darlin on Excello at 77 and Eddie Cochran's Sittin In the Balcony at 89! Stiff competition, my 3 singles out of my pocket money would've been Chuck, Little Richard and Dale. No doubt yours would've been different, so perhaps that explains the reasons for Warren's lack of success.

    Nationally too, airplay and record distributing problems, lack of local or national TV appearances would have held his records back. with hindsight of course vast sales aren't a true basis for judging musical quality. Pat Boone was no 1 with million selling Love Letters in The Sand, the bewigged one is still around but Warren holds a place in our hearts that Mr Boone could never aspire to.

    "I'm a king bee baby, buzzin'round your hive, I can make honey, let me come inside" nuff said. Author Nick Tosches once asked Warren if he'd ever had any bad reactions to the lyrics of Ubangi Stomp and he replied "No, strange enough they all liked it. We played a lot of dances where there were a lot of coloured people there and they danced the devil out of it". No way would they have done that to any of Pat's!




    Recommended listening:

  • All the Sun 45s
  • Legendary Sun Performer lp Charly
  • Memphis Rock n Roll 2lp set Charly
  • Four RnR Legends (London April 77) EMI/Harvest
  • Memorial Album Big Beat

    CDS:
  • Classic Sun Recordings Bear Family
  • Rockabilly Legend Charly
  • Uranium Rock Avi
  • Call Of The Wild Bear Family

    --Phil Davies

    CD Town Hall Party Country Routes RFD CD 15
    This features Warren performing a very country version of Don Gibson's I Can`t Stop Loving You. this was recorded in Dec 1959. Warren sounds very nervous and modest before commencing the Gibson classic, there`s a nice fiddle solo (possibly by studio band fiddler Linville Warren). The cd describes Warren as a guest and semi-regular. So perhaps there`s more out there. If only he'd done Miss Froggie or Ubangi Stomp! Bob Luman who was a regular member of the show certainly performed country and rockabilly (check out our Bob Luman page for details). Warren always expressed an affinity for country so perhaps he concentrated on his Liberty material. Town hall Party was Southern California's largest country barn dance show, regularly featuring rockabilly stars like the Collins Kids. It broadcast from the Compton suburb of L.A., 1953-61. Guitar wizard Joe Maphis lead the band. Soon after it started it was broadcast on station KFI each Saturday night, then on KTTV-TV for 3 hours. For a time it was carried by NBC and Screen Gems filmed 39 half hour shows which were syndicated. Columbia recorded a Town Hall Party lp in 1958.
    (taken from cd notes by Lou Curtiss)


    Rockin' At Town Hall Country Routes RFD CD 06 My wish came true, from the same show as I Can't Stop Lovin You, Warren sings Rock n Roll Ruby. Different feel to Sun recording, must be the final song on the show as it fades after 1min 20 odd, during the opiano break by the show's regular pianist Jimmy Pruett (who was blind). Sound quality is good, Carl, Collins Kids, Wanda and Bob Luman are also featured on this. This brief snatch gives us a taste of what Warren was like rockin` in the golden era. If only a video tape of these shows would appear.



    BILLBOARD COUNTRY TOP 40

    YEAR - POS - WKS - SONG - RECORD
    1960 - 5 - 17 - I Don't Believe I'll Fall In Love Today - Liberty 55248
    1961 - 7 - 15- Odds And Ends (Bits And Pieces) - Liberty 55302
    1961 - 23 - 3 - Why, Baby, Why - with Shirley Collie - Liberty 55361
    1961 - 26 - 3 - Call Of The Wild - Liberty 55336
    1963 - 25 - 3 - That's Why I Sing In A Honky Tonk - Liberty 55615
    1964 - 41 - - Big City Ways - Liberty 55615
    1964 - 41 - Blue Smoke - Liberty 55699

    Discography

  • Sun 239 - Rock 'n' Roll Ruby / I'd Rather Be Safe Than Sorry
  • Sun 250 - Ubangi Stomp / Black Jack David
  • Sun 268 - So Long I'm Gone / Miss Froggie
  • Sun 286 - Got Love If You Want It / I Fell In Love
  • Sun 314 - Goodbye Mr Love / Sweet Sweet Girl
  • Warner Brothers - 5113 Hawaiian Eye / The Man And The Challenge
  • Warner Brothers 5118 - Midnight In Bethlehem / Little Bitty Baby
  • Warner Brothers 5125 - Dear Santa / The Meaning Of Xmas
  • Liberty 55248 - Cave In / I Don't Believe I'll Fall In Love Today
  • Liberty 55302 - Odds And Ends (Bits And Pieces) / A Whole Lot Of Nothin'
  • Liberty 55336 - Call Of The Wild / Old Lonesome Feeling
  • Liberty 55361 - Why Baby Why (with Shirley Collie) / Why I'm Walkin'
  • Liberty 55409 - Five Minutes Of The Latest Blues / Bad News Gets Around
  • Liberty 55475 - Book Of Broken Hearts / A Hundred And Sixty Lbs. Of Hurt
  • Liberty 55615 - That's Why I Sing In A Honky Tonk / Big City Ways
  • Liberty 55699 - Blue Smoke / Judge And Jury
  • Skill 007 - Future X / She Likes Attention
  • Mercury 78225 - When The Heartaches Get To Me / Lie To Me
  • Jubal 172 - Make It On Your Own / Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
  • Jubal 272 - I Don't Believe / Did You Tell Him
  • Jubal 473 - A Woman's Never As Gone / One More Time

    ORIGINAL ALBUMS

    The First Country Collection of Warren Smith - LRP 3199
    I Fall To Pieces/Foolin' Around/Take Good Care Of Her
    Pick Me Up On Your Way Down/Just Call Me Lonesome
    Heartbreak Avenue/I Still Miss Someone
    Kissing My Pillow/I Can't Stop Loving You
    The Legendary Warren Smith - Lake County LP 506
    Book Of Broken Hearts/That's Why I Sing In A Honky Tonk
    Heartaches By The Number/Blue Suede Shoes
    I Don't Believe I'll Fall In Love Today/Rock 'n' Roll Ruby
    Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea/Ubangi Stomp
    Folsom Prison Blues/Roll Over Beethoven
    Medley:Movin' On-Rhumba Boogie-Golden Rocket
    That's All Right Mama/Red Cadillac And A Black Moustache


    UK RECORD COLLECTOR PRICE GUIDE for UK releases

    London HL 7101 -I Don't Believe I'll Fall In Love/Cave-In (export issue) £25
    London HL 7110 - Odds And Ends/A Whole Lot Of Nothin’ (export issue) £25
    Liberty LIB - 55699 Blue Smoke/Judge And Jury £12
    Also visit the: Phil & Shaun Show Rockabilly HOF Page



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