Reno & Smiley
Banjo player Don Reno and guitarist and singer Red Smiley were one of the leading bluegrass partnerships of the 1950s and early 1960s, recording dozens of sides for King Records with their band, the Tennessee Cut-Ups.
- Don Reno
- Banjo; 17 May 1925, Spartanburg, South Carolina – 16 October 1984
- Red Smiley
- Guitar; 21 February 1925, Marshall, North Carolina – 2 January 1972
- Together
- 1951–1964
- Label
- King Records
- Hall of Honor
- International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor, 1992
History
Reno formed the first Tennessee Cut-Ups in 1949 with his nephew Verlon Reno. He and Smiley first recorded together in 1951, with fiddler Tommy Magness, for Federal, a subsidiary of King Records, and in 1952 King's Syd Nathan offered to record the duo. Their gospel song "I'm Using My Bible for a Roadmap", written by Reno, was released in 1952. From 1955 the group was billed as Reno & Smiley and the Tennessee Cut-Ups.
The partnership ended in November 1964, apart from a brief reunion in 1965. Reno went on to tour with Benny Martin, and Smiley rejoined him from 1969 until 1972. In 1992 both men were inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor.
Songs and instrumentals
- "I'm Using My Bible for a Roadmap" (1952)
- "Choking the Strings" and "Tennessee Breakdown" (1953)
- "Banjo Signal" (1958)
- "Don't Let Your Sweet Love Die" (1961), a top-15 country hit
Selected albums
| Year | Album |
|---|---|
| 1957 | Sacred Songs |
| 1958 | Folk Ballads & Instrumentals |
| 1963 | Another Day with Reno & Smiley |
| 1973 | Last Time Together |
Learn to play in their style with our banjo guide. More bluegrass pairs: Flatt & Scruggs.