Humphreys County, Mississippi - d. 31 January 1980) was a pioneer rockabilly singer and guitar player.
Smith was born to Ioda and Willie Warren Smith, who divorced when he was young. He was raised by his maternal grandparents in Louise, Mississippi where they had a small farm and dry goods store.
Smith took up the guitar to while away his evenings while in the United States Air Force stationed in San Antonio, Tx. By the time of his discharge from the service, he had decided to make a career of music. He moved to West Memphis, Arkansas and auditioned, successfully, to play the Cotton Club, a local hot spot. Steel guitarist Stan Kessler, who was playing at that nightclub with the Snearly Ranch Boys, immediately spotted Smith's potential and took him to Memphis' famed Sun Records, to audition for Sam Phillips with the Snearly Ranch Boys providing backup.
Phillips liked what he heard, and decided that "Rock & Roll Ruby", a song credited to Johnny Cash, would be Smith's first record. (Smith later claimed that "Rock & Roll Ruby" was actually written by George Jones and sold to Cash for $40.) Smith recorded that rock & roll classic on February 5, 1956. Phillips, who was hedging his bets over whether rock & roll would maintain its popularity, released that record with a country crooner, aptly named "I'd Rather Be Safe Than Sorry", on the flip side. By May 26, "Rock & Roll Ruby" had hit number 1 on the local pop charts. Smith's first record for Sun went on to outsell the first Sun releases by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins.
In August 1956, Smith went back to the Sun Records studio to record his second release "Ubangi Stomp". This infectious rocker had a politically incorrect lyric including an African chief with the syntax of a movie Indian. For the B side, Smith recorded the classic ballad "Black Jack David". This song, which originated in early eighteenth century Britain and survived in various forms, in the mountains of the American south, may be the oldest song ever recorded by a rock & roll performer. Although a resounding artistic success, this record did not sell as well as Smith's debut.
Although Smith continued to make great rockabilly records for Sun, including a rocking cover version of Slim Harpo's "Got Love If Your Want It" (recorded in October 1957), these records did not do well commercially. Toward the end of 1958, Smith, seeing his future in country music, cut a final record for Sun, a cover version of Don Gibson's "Sweet Sweet Girl". In spite of a review in Billboard magazine calling it "ultra commercial" (high praise from a music business publication), this record also failed to sell. Smith decided to leave Sun Records.
In 1959, Smith and his wife and son moved from Mississippi to California, settling in Sherman Oaks, not far from Johnny and Vivian Cash. Cash offered Smith a spot on his show, but Smith turned it down, seeing himself as a headliner, not a supporting player. In early 1960, Smith signed with Liberty records, and immediately scored a hit with "I Don't Believe I'll Fall in Love Today", which went to #5 on Billboard's Country & Western chart. This record, and Smith's subsequent records, was produced by Joe Allison, and featured one of California's best country session musicians, Ralph Mooney, on pedal steel guitar. Smith scored again with his next record for Liberty, "Odds and Ends, Bits and Pieces", written by Harlan Howard. Liberty had Smith record several more tracks, mostly cover versions of recent country hits, to flesh out an album called "The First Country Collection of Warren Smith".
Smith continued to record with some success for Liberty, and to tour with his band, from 1960 - 1965. On August 17, 1965, Smith, had a serious car accident in LaGrange, Texas, suffering serious back injuries, from which it took him nearly a year to recover. By this time, his contract with Liberty had lapsed. Smith made several attempts to restart his career, first with a small, virtually amateur label called Skill records, then for Mercury Records, but, sadly, difficulties with addictions to pills and alcohol held him back. Eventually, Smith's drug problems led to an 18-month term in an Alabama prison for robbing a pharmacy.
After his release from prison, Smith continued to struggle to restart his career. In the late 1970s, he got a bit of a boost from the rockabilly revival then occurring. He was invited, in 1977, to appear at London's Rainbow Theatre, on a bill featuring Charlie Feathers, Buddy Knox and Jack Scott. To his shock, Smith was received in London with standing ovations. His reception in England boosted his spirits and, upon his return to the U.S., he began to perform with newfound vigor. In November 1978, Smith and fellow Sun alumnus Ray Smith toured Europe, again to great success.
In 1980, while preparing for another European tour, Smith died of a heart attack at 47 years of age.
Warren Smith's contribution to the rockabilly music has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Tee other Warren Smith :
The virtuoso percussionist, Warren Smith (b. 14 May 1934, Chicago, Illinois) has worked with diverse artists as Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Sam Rivers, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Van Morrison, Bill Cole and Harry Partch, and he was a founding member, along with Max Roach, of the percussion group, M'Boom.
Black Jack David
Warren Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Singing so loud and merry
His voice kept a-ringing through the green, green trees
He spied a fair-haired maiden
He spied a fair-haired maiden
Would you forsake your husband, dear
Would you forsake your baby
And go with a Black Jack David
Go with Black Jack David?
No dear Jack I can not go
Away and leave my baby
I can not forsake my husband and home
And go with you Black Jack David
Go with you Black Jack David
Listen dear lass, my name is Jack
I've come from afar
Looking for a fair-haired lass like you
Won't you come and be my bride
Come and be my bride
Yes, I'll forsake my husband, dear
And I'll forsake my baby
I'll forsake my fine, fine home
And go with you Black Jack David
Go with you Black Jack David
Last night she slept on a fine, feathered bed
Beside her husband and baby
Tonight she slept on the cold, cold ground
Beside old Black Jack David
Beside old Black Jack David
The song "Black Jack David" by Warren Smith is a traditional Appalachian folk song that tells the story of a man named Black Jack David who comes across a fair-haired maiden in the woods. The song opens with Black Jack David's loud and merry singing echoing through the trees. He then spots the fair-haired maiden and asks her to forsake her husband, baby, and fine home to come away with him. The girl initially refuses, but Black Jack David persists in asking her to be his bride. In the end, the girl gives in to his pleas and decides to go with him, leaving her family to sleep on the cold ground beside Black Jack David.
The song "Black Jack David" reflects the themes and experiences of Appalachian people, who were often poor and lived in remote, rural areas. Through the story of the fair-haired maiden, the song explores the struggle between love and duty, and the difficult choices that people in these communities often had to face. The song also reflects the power of music in Appalachian culture, as Black Jack David's singing is what draws the maiden to him in the first place.
Line by Line Meaning
Black Jack David come around through the woods
Black Jack David has wandered through the forest and reached this place.
Singing so loud and merry
He is happy and expressing his joy through song.
His voice kept a-ringing through the green, green trees
His singing echoed through the lush trees.
He spied a fair-haired maiden
He saw a woman with light-colored hair.
Would you forsake your husband, dear
Jack asks the woman if she would leave her spouse.
Would you forsake your baby
He questions if she is willing to abandon her child.
Would you forsake your fine, fine home
Jack inquires if she would leave her luxurious abode.
And go with a Black Jack David
He asks if she will accompany him on his travels.
Listen dear lass, my name is Jack
Jack introduces himself to the woman.
I've come from afar
He has journeyed a long distance to arrive here.
Looking for a fair-haired lass like you
He searched for a woman with light-colored hair, and found her in the maiden he met.
Won't you come and be my bride
He proposes to the woman by asking her to marry him.
Yes, I'll forsake my husband, dear
The woman agrees to leave her spouse behind.
And I'll forsake my baby
She is willing to abandon her child to be with Jack.
I'll forsake my fine, fine home
The woman agrees to leave behind her luxurious abode.
And go with you Black Jack David
She will join Jack on his travels.
Last night she slept on a fine, feathered bed
The woman slept comfortably in a soft, luxurious bed the previous night.
Beside her husband and baby
She slept next to her spouse and child.
Tonight she slept on the cold, cold ground
The woman slept on the bare, chilly earth.
Beside old Black Jack David
Jack is now her only companion.
Writer(s): W. Smith
Contributed by Matthew A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
HMTLN
rockabilly
The Lone Wanderer
Yes