On this day (June 17) in 1949, Howard Russell Smith was born in Nashville, Tennessee. Known professionally as Russell Smith, he fronted the Grammy-winning country rock outfit The Amazing Rhythm Aces. He also saw some success as a solo artist, notching minor country hits. Later, Smith wrote songs that became No. 1 singles for Don Williams, Randy Travis, Ricky Van Shelton, and T. Graham Brown.
Smith’s career started in the late 1960s with a Knoxville, Tennessee-based band called Fatback. In 1972, he and bandmates Stick Davis and Butch McDade came together with Barry Burton and Billy Earheart III to form The Amazing Rhythm Aces. Three years later, they released their debut album, Stacked Deck. The LP produced the group’s biggest hits. “Third Rate Romance,” their best-known song, landed at No. 11 on the country chart and No. 14 on the Hot 100. “Amazing Grace (Used to Be Her Favorite Song)” was their sole top 10 hit on the country chart, peaking at No. 9. In 1976, they released “The End Is Not in Sight (The Cowboy Tune)” from their sophomore album Too Stuffed to Jump. The single won the Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Group. They released six more albums before disbanding in 1982. Twelve years later, they reunited and released a dozen more albums, including eight studio albums, two compilations, and two live LPs.
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Russell Smith Goes Solo
Russell Smith went solo in the early 1980s, releasing his debut single, “Your Eyes,” in 1982. He released five albums as a solo artist, most of which failed to chart. His 1989 album, This Little Town, produced his sole top 40 country single, “I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight.”
Smith saw more success as a songwriter, according to Rolling Stone. He and Dave Loggins co-wrote “Heartbeat in the Darkness,” which became Don Williams’ final No. 1 single in 1986. The next year, T. Graham Brown took “Don’t Go to Strangers,” co-penned by Smith and J.D. Martin, to No. 1. He and Kathy Louvin co-wrote “Keep It Between the Lines,” which became a chart-topper for Ricky Van Shelton in 1990. Smith also co-wrote Randy Travis’ 1992 No. 1 “Look Heart, No Hands” with Trey Bruce.
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