October 11, 2013
Country bumpkin to Hillbilly Heaven
Calvin Grand Shofner - known professionally as Cal Smith, and famed for top-charting hits “Country Bumpkin,” “The Lord Knows I’m Drinking” and “It’s Time To Pay The Fiddler” died Thursday, Oct. 10, in Branson, Missouri age 81.
Born in Gans, Oklahoma., Smith became a popular disc jockey prior to joining Ernest Tubb’s Texas Troubadours as a rhythm guitarist in 1962. Mr. Smith worked with Tubb until 1968, when he became a solo performer.
In 1972, he recorded Bill Anderson’s “The Lord Knows I’m Drinking,” which became a No. 1 country hit. In 1974, Smith hit with “Country Bumpkin,” which became the Country Music Association’s song and single of the year and the Academy of Country Music’s song of the year.
Don Wayne wrote “Country Bumpkin,” after being critiqued by a publishing industry professional as being too country: “Nobody wants to hear about that frost on the pumpkin,” was the criticism. Wayne wrote of a man who met a woman who teased him, “Hello, country bumpkin/ How’s the frost out on the pumpkin?”
Smith also scored Top 20 hits with 1972’s “I’ve Found Someone of My Own,” 1974’s “Between Lust and Watching TV,” 1975’s “She Talked a Lot About Texas” and “Jason’s Farm,” and 1977’s “I Just Came Home to Count the Memories.”
Smith’s last-charting single came in 1986 with “King Lear.” His later years were spent with his wife, Darlene. He is survived by his wife, five children and 15 great-grandchildren.
Born in Gans, Oklahoma., Smith became a popular disc jockey prior to joining Ernest Tubb’s Texas Troubadours as a rhythm guitarist in 1962. Mr. Smith worked with Tubb until 1968, when he became a solo performer.
In 1972, he recorded Bill Anderson’s “The Lord Knows I’m Drinking,” which became a No. 1 country hit. In 1974, Smith hit with “Country Bumpkin,” which became the Country Music Association’s song and single of the year and the Academy of Country Music’s song of the year.
Don Wayne wrote “Country Bumpkin,” after being critiqued by a publishing industry professional as being too country: “Nobody wants to hear about that frost on the pumpkin,” was the criticism. Wayne wrote of a man who met a woman who teased him, “Hello, country bumpkin/ How’s the frost out on the pumpkin?”
Smith also scored Top 20 hits with 1972’s “I’ve Found Someone of My Own,” 1974’s “Between Lust and Watching TV,” 1975’s “She Talked a Lot About Texas” and “Jason’s Farm,” and 1977’s “I Just Came Home to Count the Memories.”
Smith’s last-charting single came in 1986 with “King Lear.” His later years were spent with his wife, Darlene. He is survived by his wife, five children and 15 great-grandchildren.
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