Smith Ballew
Encyclopedia
Smith Ballew (January 21, 1902 – May 2, 1984) was an American
actor
, sophisticated singer, orchestra
leader, and finally, a Western singing star.
He was born in Palestine, Texas
. He attended high school in Sherman
and college at Austin College
and the University of Texas. He began his singing career on the radio
, and in the 1930s became one of the earliest of the singing cowboy
s on the movie screen. He did a series of musical Westerns for Paramount Pictures
and one for 20th Century Fox
, continuing in supporting roles until the 1950s.
Prior to his singing cowboy career, starting in the late 1920s, he became one of the most recognizable vocalists on hundreds of dance band and jazz records. During this time, Ballew along with Scrappy Lambert
, Dick Robertson, and Chick Bullock
were the most prolific studio vocalists. He organized his own short-lived band in 1931.
Between 1929 and 1935, he made scores of records were issued under his own name for OKeh
, the dime store labels (Banner
, Domino, Jewel
, Regal
, Perfect
, Oriole
as Buddy Blue & His Texans or Jack Blue's Texans), Columbia
, and Crown
. Few of these popular records gave any indication of his future Cowboy style.
He died at the age of 82 in Longview, Texas
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, sophisticated singer, orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
leader, and finally, a Western singing star.
He was born in Palestine, Texas
Palestine, Texas
Palestine is a city in Anderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,598, and 18,458 in the 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Anderson County and is situated in East Texas...
. He attended high school in Sherman
Sherman, Texas
Sherman is a city in and the county seat of Grayson County, Texas, United States. The city's estimated population as of 2009 was 38,407. It is also one of two principal cities in the Sherman-Denison Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and college at Austin College
Austin College
Austin College is a private liberal arts college affiliated by covenant relationship with the Presbyterian Church and located in Sherman, Texas, about 60 miles North of Dallas....
and the University of Texas. He began his singing career on the radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, and in the 1930s became one of the earliest of the singing cowboy
Singing cowboy
A singing cowboy was a subtype of the archetypal cowboy hero of early Western films, popularized by many of the B-movies of the 1930s and 1940s...
s on the movie screen. He did a series of musical Westerns for Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
and one for 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
, continuing in supporting roles until the 1950s.
Prior to his singing cowboy career, starting in the late 1920s, he became one of the most recognizable vocalists on hundreds of dance band and jazz records. During this time, Ballew along with Scrappy Lambert
Scrappy Lambert
Harold "Scrappy" Lambert was an American dance band vocalist who appeared on hundreds of recordings from the 1920s to the 1940s....
, Dick Robertson, and Chick Bullock
Chick Bullock
Chick Bullock was a popular American jazz and dance band vocalist, most active in the 1930s. He recorded some 500 tunes over the course of his career. Bullock was mostly associated with the ARC group of labels...
were the most prolific studio vocalists. He organized his own short-lived band in 1931.
Between 1929 and 1935, he made scores of records were issued under his own name for OKeh
Okeh Records
Okeh Records began as an independent record label based in the United States of America in 1918. From 1926 on, it was a subsidiary of Columbia Records.-History:...
, the dime store labels (Banner
Banner Records
Banner Records was a United States based record label of the 20th century.Banner Records was launched in January 1922 by the Plaza Music Company of New York City. Banner was an extremely popular label in the 1920s, concentrating on popular music of the day. To this day, Banners are often found all...
, Domino, Jewel
Jewel Records
Jewel Records was a record label which discs were pressed by the Scranton Button Company. Jewel is one of the big three record companies out of Cincinnati, Ohio. The two most famous, King Records and Fraternity Records, were responsible for several hits over the years from a wide range of genres...
, Regal
Regal Records
Regal Records may refer to:*Regal Records - a British record label, founded by the Columbia Graphophone Company*Regal Records - a Spanish record label*Regal Records - a United States company...
, Perfect
Perfect Records
Perfect Records was a United States based record label of the 1920s and 1930s. It was a subsidiary of Pathé Records, producing standard lateral cut 78 rpm disc records for the US market....
, Oriole
Oriole Records
Oriole Records may refer to:* Oriole Records * Oriole Records...
as Buddy Blue & His Texans or Jack Blue's Texans), Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, and Crown
Crown Records
-Modern Records subsidiary:One Crown Records was a Budget Albums record label founded as a subsidiary of Modern Records.-Singles:* 19??: "Musso's Boogie" b/w "Sing Sing Sing" * 19??: "???" b/w "???" * 19??: "???" b/w "???"...
. Few of these popular records gave any indication of his future Cowboy style.
He died at the age of 82 in Longview, Texas
Longview, Texas
Longview is a city in Gregg and Harrison Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 80,455. Most of the city is located in Gregg County, of which it is the county seat; only a small part extends into the western part of neighboring Harrison County. It is...
.