Smith took up the guitar to while away his evenings while in the United States Air Force stationed in San Antonio, Texas.

He moved to West Memphis, Arkansas, and auditioned, successfully, to play the Cotton Club, a local nightclub.

Phillips liked what he heard and decided that "Rock 'n' Roll Ruby", a song credited to Johnny Cash, would be Smith's first record.

Like other artists such as Sonny Burgess, Hayden Thompson, Billy Lee Riley and Ray Harris, Smith had little success on the charts.

In 1959, Smith and his wife and son moved from Mississippi to California, settling in Sherman Oaks, not far from Johnny and Vivian Cash.

In early 1960, Smith signed a contract with Liberty Records and immediately had a hit with "I Don't Believe I'll Fall in Love Today", which went to number 5 on the Billboard country and Western chart.

This record and subsequent Liberty releases were produced by Joe Allison and featured one of California's best country session musicians, Ralph Mooney, on pedal steel guitar.

In 1977 he was invited to appear at London's Rainbow Theatre, on a bill featuring Charlie Feathers, Buddy Knox and Jack Scott.

His reception in England boosted his spirits and, upon his return to the United States, he began to perform with newfound vigor.