Warren Smith (February 7, 1932 – January 30, 1980) was an American rockabilly and country music singer and guitarist.
Smith was born in Humphreys County, Mississippi, to Iola and Willie Warren Smith, who divorced when he was young. He was raised by his maternal grandparents in Louise, Mississippi, where they had a small farm and dry goods store.
Smith took up the guitar to while away his evenings while in the United States Air Force stationed in San Antonio, Texas. By the time of his discharge from the service, he had decided to make a career of music. He moved to West Memphis, Arkansas, and auditioned, successfully, to play the Cotton Club, a local hot spot. Steel guitarist Stan Kesler, who was playing at that nightclub with the Snearly Ranch Boys, immediately spotted Smith’s potential and took him to Sun Records to audition for Sam Phillips, with the Snearly Ranch Boys providing backup.
In 1957, Smith recorded “So Long, I’m Gone”, a song written by Roy Orbison, and it did become Smith’s biggest hit at Sun, peaking at No. 74 nationally (Billboard).