Ruby Jane Smith
Encyclopedia
Ruby Jane Smith is an American-born fiddle
player, singer, and songwriter in the traditional bluegrass and Americana music genres. The youngest fiddler invited to play the Grand Ole Opry
, Smith has toured and recorded with Asleep at the Wheel
’s Ray Benson
and Willie Nelson
, and has performed on Austin City Limits
.
Smith was born in Dallas, Texas, to parents who are originally from Columbus, Mississippi
and while still a toddler moved there, with her mother, from whom she inherited a love for bluegrass
music. Grand Ole Opry notable Jim Brock began instructing the seven-year old Smith after seeing her perform onstage with Rhonda Vincent
(Smith impressed Vincent and Brock with a rendering of "Boil Them Cabbage Down
") and at age 10 she became the youngest invited fiddler to play at the Opry. She also performed in 2003 at the CMA Music Festival
. After winning the 2005 Mississippi State Fiddle Championship and garnering several other contest titles, in 2008 Smith and her family moved to Austin, Texas
.
Since moving to Austin, she has been mentored by Ray Benson
, and she has toured with other artists (including Willie Nelson
) She has performed in a Ray Benson play A Ride with Bob, and played on Willie Nelson’s Grammy-nominated Willie and the Wheel
. She has recorded four CDs; her debut album Road to Columbus was released in 2006, and the follow-up 6-song EP Creekside was released in 2007. She realized a live CD "Live at Roadhouse Rags" in 2009 and her most recent EP Feels Like Home was released in 2010. She won the Daniel Pearl Memorial Violin award in 2007, named for Daniel Pearl
and given by the foundation named for him, which promotes "Harmony for Humanity."
She was also an official performer at the 2010 Austin City Limits Music Festival
.
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
player, singer, and songwriter in the traditional bluegrass and Americana music genres. The youngest fiddler invited to play the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
, Smith has toured and recorded with Asleep at the Wheel
Asleep at the Wheel
Asleep at the Wheel is a American country music group that was formed in Paw Paw, West Virginia, but based in Austin, Texas. Altogether, they have won nine Grammy Awards since their 1970 inception. In their career, they have released more than twenty studio albums, and have charted more than twenty...
’s Ray Benson
Ray Benson
Ray Benson is the front man of the Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel.In 1970, Benson, a Jewish native of Philadelphia, formed Asleep at the Wheel with friends Lucky Oceans and Leroy Preston. The group relocated to Austin in 1973 after a suggestion from Willie Nelson .Since then, the group has...
and Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, and has performed on Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits is an American public television music program recorded live in Austin, Texas by Public Broadcasting Service Public television member station KLRU, and broadcast on many PBS stations around the United States...
.
Smith was born in Dallas, Texas, to parents who are originally from Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States that lies above the Tombigbee River. It is approximately northeast of Jackson, north of Meridian, south of Tupelo, northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and west of Birmingham, Alabama. The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census...
and while still a toddler moved there, with her mother, from whom she inherited a love for bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
music. Grand Ole Opry notable Jim Brock began instructing the seven-year old Smith after seeing her perform onstage with Rhonda Vincent
Rhonda Vincent
Rhonda Lea Vincent is a bluegrass singer, songwriter, mandolin player, guitarist, and fiddle player.Her musical career started as a child in her family's band, The Sally Mountain Show, and has spanned almost four decades...
(Smith impressed Vincent and Brock with a rendering of "Boil Them Cabbage Down
Boil Them Cabbage Down
"Boil Them Cabbage Down" is an American folk song....
") and at age 10 she became the youngest invited fiddler to play at the Opry. She also performed in 2003 at the CMA Music Festival
CMA Music Festival
The CMA Music Festival is a four-day music festival centered around country music hosted each June by the Country Music Association in Nashville, Tennessee...
. After winning the 2005 Mississippi State Fiddle Championship and garnering several other contest titles, in 2008 Smith and her family moved to Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
Since moving to Austin, she has been mentored by Ray Benson
Ray Benson
Ray Benson is the front man of the Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel.In 1970, Benson, a Jewish native of Philadelphia, formed Asleep at the Wheel with friends Lucky Oceans and Leroy Preston. The group relocated to Austin in 1973 after a suggestion from Willie Nelson .Since then, the group has...
, and she has toured with other artists (including Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
) She has performed in a Ray Benson play A Ride with Bob, and played on Willie Nelson’s Grammy-nominated Willie and the Wheel
Willie and the Wheel
Willie and the Wheel is an album from American country music artists Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel. This album was released on February 3, 2009, on the Bismeaux Records label and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Americana Album....
. She has recorded four CDs; her debut album Road to Columbus was released in 2006, and the follow-up 6-song EP Creekside was released in 2007. She realized a live CD "Live at Roadhouse Rags" in 2009 and her most recent EP Feels Like Home was released in 2010. She won the Daniel Pearl Memorial Violin award in 2007, named for Daniel Pearl
Daniel Pearl
Daniel Pearl was an American journalist who was kidnapped and killed by Al-Qaeda.At the time of his kidnapping, Pearl served as the South Asia Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal, and was based in Mumbai, India. He went to Pakistan as part of an investigation into the alleged links between...
and given by the foundation named for him, which promotes "Harmony for Humanity."
She was also an official performer at the 2010 Austin City Limits Music Festival
Austin City Limits Music Festival
The Austin City Limits Music Festival is an annual three-day American music festival that takes place in Austin, Texas at the city's central public park, Zilker Park...
.
Discography
- Road to Columbus (2006)
- Creekside (EP, 2007)
- Live At Roadhouse Rags (2009)
- Feels Like Home (EP, 2010)