Just the pix, ma'am

While on a Ray Price album-buying binge (if you can call getting 60 songs for less than $23 a binge), I saw "The Essential Carl Smith 1950-56." One summer while I was in college my sisters and I discovered "Classic Country" on the local PBS station. It came on at lunchtime. It was reruns of some Grand Ole Opry program from the 1950s.

Remember when you watched your local cartoon show and when you saw the WB logo, you knew it was probably going to be Bugs Bunny? When Carl Smith was the "Classic Country" host, I knew it was probably going to be June Carter. I didn't know until 20 years later that Carl and June were married at the time. I just knew June was a hoot and Carl Smith had a great smile. He usually introduced the Carolina Cloggers, too. I didn't care much about them but I liked the way he said the name of the dancers. Carl Smith just came across as a charmer.

Not being a particular "fan" of country music, I could not tell you a single hit record that Carl Smith ever had. Even looking at the list of songs on this essential album and reading the reviews, nothing rings a bell. But I am loving the picture.