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Blaine Smith Born:  September 2, 1915 Died:  May 28, 1997 WLS National Barn Dance WMMN Sagebrush Roundup WWVA Original Jamboree KPLT Paris, TX WIBC Indianapolis, IN WISR Butler, PA WKBN Youngstown, OH WKST New Castle, PA WLS Chicago, IL WMMN Fairmont, WV WWVA Wheeling, WV

About The Artist Blaine Smith was a native of Iowa, born on a farm near Dickens. He got his start in radio when he learned of a local radio talent contest. He competed against 30 other contestants and didn't win, but he did catch the eye of a talent scout for a station back east. He had a brother named Cal who later joined him and they went to WMMN in Fairmont, West Virginia. They were at WMMN for a couple of years, then they moved to the big city, to Chicago and radio station WLS, the home of the National Barn Dance for a year. But after that, Blaine returned to WMMN. Blaine's second tour of WMMN included people in his show such as Bill Hatfield who was featured on the mandola, Ted McCoy on the steel guitar and the famous Davis Twins, Sonny and Honey, who were also popular later on the WWVA Jamboree in Wheeling. And old song folio from 1946 of Blaine's notes that he got his first break when he was in Jefferson, Ohio at the Ames Theatre. He was basically an amateur at that point, and unknown, but caught the eye of a talent scout who got him a gig in Cleveland, Ohio where he honed his talents. In 1933, they said he moved to WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia, the home of the WWVA Original Jamboree, where he teamed up with his brother, Cal. When they were at WLS and the National Barn Dance in Chicago, they were said to have gotten 'stacks of mail'. At one time, he was recording on the OKeh record label. His brother Cal also had his own show later on WMMN. In looking through his song folio, we find that Blaine was also a bit of a songwriter. He wrote such tunes as: Darling, Don't You Love Me Anymore? Monongahela Valley I'm Sorry That I Waited Too Long A Father's Christmas Decision Alone With A Broken Heart A Message From The Moon Saddle Up Your Pony Credits & Sources WMMN Family Album 1941; Publishers Unknown, but probably WMMN; 1941. Blaine Smith Historic Album of Favorite Songs - Poems - Pictures; Russ Hull's Country Music; 20 E. Jackson Blvd.; Chicago, Illinois; 1946. Sound Sample—(YouTube Video Format) I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes

Recordings (78rpm/45rpm)   Dome Records Rec. No. Side Song Title   1014 A Big Blue Eyes (And Little White Lies)   1014 B They're Digging My Grave   1017 A Nine Times Out Of Ten   1017 B A Message From The Moon   1019 A There Stands The Glass   1019 B The What-Cha-Ma-Call-It Song (w/Nighta Wheeler)   1020 A Sweet Little Cherokee (w/Nighta Wheeler)   1020 B Is It So (I Want To Know)