Larry Michael Smith (born October 3, 1939) and lived in various small towns in Kansas before moving to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

in 1958. Smith first appeared on

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...

in 1960 with a

rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western music ...

backbeat song, "Sara Ruth" which was written as a joke for a high school friend. The other side of the record, "Week of Loneliness," had a limited success in the

Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Gov ...

of California and in his adopted home town of Stockton, it was number one. In April, 1959, ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' chose the record as a Billboard Pick. In 1962, Smith had a release on

Era Records Era Records was an independent American record label in Hollywood, California. It was founded by Herb Newman and Lou Bedell in 1955 as a pop, country and western, and jazz label. In 1959 Bedell sold his interest in the label to Newman. Era had ...

of "By the Time You Read This Letter" b/w "That's What I'd Do", which were recorded in the Gold Star Studios of Hollywood, the inventors of flanging and phasing. Two originals were self-produced at the Oro Records studio in Modesto, California: "The Meaning of Love" b/w "Pretty Little Baby" with vocal backing by The Terrys, a four girl group from Stockton, California. Smith had independent releases on the label Orchid of Memphis, owned by Prewitt Rose: "Pictures" b/w "Lightin' Up Behind The Barn", recording as Smith and Morales, session at Gardnerville, NV; "Love Of An Everyday Man" b/w "Country Rock and Roll" as Carson Smith, co-written with Prewitt Rose, session in Lexington, Kentucky. On his own label Smith recorded "Arkansas River" b/w "Son of the Other Gun" with Terry Mort, drums, and Bob Bales, bass, session Tulsa, Oklahoma. Smith pursued writing and performing and any opportunity to record. In 1980 one of his compositions, "We Have So Much To Give", was the California State Theme Song for The Council on Aging. During Smith's career he was managed by Abe Olman, Fred Stryker and Prewitt Rose. Smith now lives in Coffeyville, Kansas and continues to write and record.

References

1939 births Living people Decca Records artists Era Records artists American singer-songwriters American male singer-songwriters {{singer-songwriter-stub