He learned to play the fiddle at an early age, his first influence being the fiddlers Grady Stringer and Walter Warden.

He teamed up with his wife Nettie, his cousin Homer Smith and fiddler Floyd Ethredge.

[1] In 1921, Smith began working as a logger and a linesman for a railroad company in Dickson, Tennessee.

[1] In the 1930s, Smith formed The Dixieliners together with the McGee Brothers, and his daughter Lavonne who played the piano.

[1] They became a regular act on the Opry in May 1932 performing popular songs such as "Walking in My Sleep", "Pig in the Pen" and "Blackberry Blossom".

In 1939, Smith joined the Tennessee Valley Boys, consisting of Howdy Forrester and Georgia Slim Rutland.

[1] After a brief stint with Billy Walker, Smith retired, and briefly worked as a carpenter in Nashville, Tennessee.

This led to several artists recording the song, believing it was in the public domain, and Smith had to sue them in court.

[1] 78s: In various prewar line-ups, Smith recorded singles on Bluebird, Victor, Regal Zonophone (Australia), The Twin (India), and Montgomery Ward labels, and in the post-war years on Black & White, Capitol, and Urban.