O. C. Smith

{{Short description|American singer (1932–2001)}} {{More citations needed|date=August 2015}} {{Missing information|his recording of That's Life|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox musical artist  | name = O. C. Smith | image = File:OC Smith.jpg | caption = | image_size =  | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Ocie Lee Smith | alias = | birth_date = June 21, 1932 | birth_place = Mansfield, Louisiana, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2001|11|23|1932|06|21}} | death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | origin = | instrument = Vocals | genre = R&B, jazz, soul | occupation = Singer | years_active = 1955–2001 | label = Cadence Records, MGM Records, Columbia Records, Rendezvous, Triune, Wave, Bluewater | website = }} '''Ocie Lee Smith''' (June 21, 1932 – November 23, 2001), known professionally as '''O. C. Smith''', was an American singer. His recording of "Little Green Apples" went to number 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1968 and sold over one million records.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs"/>

==Biography== Born in Mansfield, Louisiana, United States, Smith moved with his parents to Little Rock, Arkansas, and then moved with his mother to Los Angeles, California, after his parents' divorce.

After completing a psychology degree at Southern University, Smith joined the Air Force, and served throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. While in the Air Force, Smith began entering talent contests and toured with Horace Heidt. After his discharge in July 1955, Smith went into jazz music to pay the bills.

Smith gained his first break as a singer with Sy Oliver and made an appearance on ''Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts''. His success on that show led to a 1955 recording contract with Cadence Records where his 1956 debut release "Slow Walk"/"Forbidden Fruit" and three further Cadence singles were not hits.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bsnpubs.com/cadence/cadence45.html|title=Cadence Singles/EP Discography (1953-1964)|website=Bsnpubs.com|access-date=13 August 2019}}</ref>

Smith was also in demand elsewhere as vocalist and under-billed on Art Mooney's January 1956 MGM cover version of the Little Richard hit "Tutti Frutti".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Art-Mooney-His-Orch-Vocal-Ocie-Smith-Tutti-Frutti/release/6154637|title=Art Mooney & His Orch.* - Vocal: Ocie Smith* - Tutti Frutti|website=Discogs.com|access-date=13 August 2019}}</ref> The release was not a hit, but convinced MGM Records to sign Smith to a solo contract, resulting in three more releases, but still no hits.

In 1961, Smith was recruited by Count Basie to be his vocalist, a position he held until 1965.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Soul Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1993|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-733-9|page=243}}</ref> He also continued to record with different labels, but a hit remained elusive. By 1968, Smith's then label, Columbia Records, was ready to release him from his recording contract, when he entered the charts for the first time with "The Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp",<ref name="LarkinSM"/> which reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> and also broke the Top 40 in the United States. In 1976, Kenny Rogers revived the hit as a country song, similar to the first versions of the song by Johnny Darrell.

Smith changed the first part of his name to O.C. and recorded the Bobby Russell-written song "Little Green Apples,"<ref name="LarkinSM"/> which went to number 2 on the Hot 100 on 26 October 1968 and won Russell the 1969 Grammy Award for Song of the Year. It received a gold record from the R.I.A.A. for sales of one million records.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book | first= Joseph | last= Murrells | year= 1978 | title= The Book of Golden Discs | edition= 2nd | publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd | location= London | page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/248 248] | isbn= 0-214-20512-6 | url-access= registration | url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/248 }}</ref>

He continued to record, reaching the R&B, Adult Contemporary and pop charts in his home country with the likes of "Daddy's Little Man",<ref name="LarkinSM"/> "Friend, Lover, Woman, Wife", "Me and You" and "Love to Burn". He also returned to the UK Singles Chart in 1977 with "Together",<ref name="LarkinSM">{{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Soul Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1993|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-733-9|page=243}}</ref> reaching a Top 30 position.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/>

After CBS, Smith united with Charles Wallert, who wrote and produced the title track as well as the album for "Dreams Come True" that returned Smith to the national charts. The ''Whatcha Gonna Do'' album, resulted in three nationally charted singles for a total of 40 weeks. This album contained "Brenda", "You're My First, My Last My Everything" and "Spark of Love". Additional hits "The Best Out of Me" and "After All is Said and Done" established Smith as a Beach Music star. Nominated for six awards at the third Beach Music Awards, Smith captured five.

Smith became pastor and founder of The City Of Angels Church in Los Angeles, California, where he ministered for 16 years. One of his last recordings, "Save the Last Dance for Me" reached the number one position on the Rhythm n' Beach Top 40 chart.

==Death== On November 23, 2001, Smith died of a heart attack<ref>{{cite web |author=Doc Rock |title=The Dead Rock Stars Club 2001 |website=thedeadrockstarsclub.com |url=http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2001.html |access-date=2015-08-24}}</ref> in Los Angeles.<ref name=NYT>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title= O. C. Smith, 65, Singer-Minister Who Had a Grammy Award Hit |work=The New York Times |department=Arts |date=November 27, 2001 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/27/arts/o-c-smith-65-singer-minister-who-had-a-grammy-award-hit.html |access-date=2025-11-18 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241225225505/https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/27/arts/o-c-smith-65-singer-minister-who-had-a-grammy-award-hit.html |archive-date=2024-12-25 |url-status=live}}</ref>

He was survived by his wife Robbie Gholson Smith, his four children with former wife Lorraine Smith: Sherryn Smith, Ocie Lee Smith III, Kelly T. Smith and Robert Francis Smith, sons Jesse Hayes IV and Frank Hayes, daughter Bonnie Dykes, and 10 grandchildren<ref name=NYT/> including Monique Smith, Sergio Glenn Smith and Melany Frances Smith.

Shortly after his death, Governor Jim Hodges proclaimed June 21, 2002, "O.C. Smith Day" in the state of South Carolina. Smith was posthumously elected to the Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame in November 2002.<ref>{{cite web |author= |title=Bio of Dr. O.C. Smith |website=cityofangelschurchrs.com |date=2002-06-21 |url=http://www.cityofangelschurchrs.com/newsletter/bio_oc.htm |access-date=2015-08-24 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033642/http://www.cityofangelschurchrs.com/newsletter/bio_oc.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref>

His book, ''Little Green Apples: God Really Did Make Them'', that he co-wrote with James Shaw, was published posthumously in 2003.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |first=Ali |last=Welky |title=Ocie Lee (O. C.) Smith Jr. (1936–2001) |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |publisher=Central Arkansas Library System |date=2023-06-16 |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/ocie-lee-4018/ |access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>

==Discography== ===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="6"| Peak chart positions |- ! style="width:45px;"| US ! style="width:45px;"| US R&B ! style="width:45px;"| US AC ! style="width:45px;"| UK ! style="width:45px;"| CAN Country ! style="width:45px;"| AUS |- | 1967 |"That's Life" | style="text-align:center;"|127 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- | rowspan="4"| 1968 |"The Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp" | style="text-align:center;"|40 | style="text-align:center;"|32 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|2 | style="text-align:center;"|4 | style="text-align:center;"|3 |- |"Main Street Mission" | style="text-align:center;"|105 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- |"Little Green Apples" | style="text-align:center;"|2 | style="text-align:center;"|2 | style="text-align:center;"|4 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|35 |- |"Isn't It Lonely Together" | style="text-align:center;"|63 | style="text-align:center;"|40 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|62 |- | rowspan="4"| 1969 |"Honey (I Miss You)" | style="text-align:center;"|44 | style="text-align:center;"|44 | style="text-align:center;"|19 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- |"Friend, Lover, Woman, Wife" | style="text-align:center;"|47 | style="text-align:center;"|25 | style="text-align:center;"|17 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|25 |- |"Daddy's Little Man" | style="text-align:center;"|34 | style="text-align:center;"|9 | style="text-align:center;"|6 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- |"Me and You" | style="text-align:center;"|103 | style="text-align:center;"|38 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- | rowspan="3"| 1970 |"Moody" | style="text-align:center;"|114 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|38 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- |"Primrose Lane" | style="text-align:center;"|86 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|4 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|53 |- |"Baby, I Need Your Loving" | style="text-align:center;"|52 | style="text-align:center;"|30 | style="text-align:center;"|21 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|82 |- | 1971 |"Help Me Make It Through the Night" | style="text-align:center;"|91 | style="text-align:center;"|38 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- | 1972 |"Don't Misunderstand" | style="text-align:center;"|102 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- | 1974 |"La La Peace Song" | style="text-align:center;"|62 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|36 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- | 1976 |"Together" | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|62 | style="text-align:center;"|14 | style="text-align:center;"|25 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- | 1978 |"Love to Burn" | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|34 | style="text-align:center;"|29 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- | 1982 |"Love Changes" | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|68 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- | rowspan="2"| 1986 |"What'cha Gonna Do" | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|53 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- |"You're the First, the Last, My Everything" | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|52 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |- | 1987 |"Brenda" | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|58 | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- | style="text-align:center;"|- |} <ref>{{cite magazine |author= |title=O.C. Smith |magazine=Billboard |department=Chart History |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/o-c-smith/chart-history/tlp/ |access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref><ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book |first=David |last=Roberts |year=2006 |title=British Hit Singles & Albums |edition=19th |publisher=Guinness World Records Limited |location=London |isbn=1-904994-10-5 |page=509}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web |title=O.C. Smith | Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date=1932-06-21 |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/oc-smith-mn0000387954/awards |access-date=2015-08-24}}</ref>

===Albums=== * 1966 ''The Dynamic O.C. Smith'' * 1968 ''Hickory Holler Revisited'' * 1969 ''O.C. Smith at Home'' * 1969 ''For Once in My Life'' * 1970 ''Greatest Hits'' * 1971 ''Help Me Make It through the Night'' * 1974 ''La La Peace Song'' * 1977 ''Together'' * 1979 ''Love Is Forever'' * 1980 ''Dreams Come True'' * 1982 ''Love Changes'' * 1993 ''After All Is Said and Done'' * 2000 ''I Give My Heart to You'' * 2000 ''Beach Music Classics and Love Songs''

==Filmography== * 2009 ''O.C. Smith: How Sweet It Is''

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[https://www.soulexpress.net/ocsmith_story.htm An in-depth feature with a complete discography at Soulexpress.net] *{{Discogs artist|OC Smith}} *{{IMDb name|0809480}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, O.C.}} Category:1932 births Category:2001 deaths Category:Musicians from Little Rock, Arkansas Category:Southern University alumni Category:Cadence Records artists Category:Columbia Records artists Category:20th-century American singers Category:Singers from Arkansas Category:20th-century African-American male singers Category:American jazz singers Category:American soul singers Category:Singers from Los Angeles Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:Jazz musicians from California Category:Jazz musicians from Arkansas Category:20th-century American male singers Category:American male jazz musicians Category:20th-century American Christian clergy