Warren Smith

More than a few early rockabilly rebels went on to careers as country singers, but few made the jump quite as gracefully as Warren Smith. Smith earned the ultimate rockabilly seal of approval, a contract with Sun Records, and he cut a number of memorable sides for the label, including "So Long, I'm Gone" -- a number 74 Billboard single written by Roy Orbison. Though Smith consistently cut fine records for Sun, his rich voice and country-leaning style didn't make him sound like a teenage idol. In the early '60s, he enjoyed a brief but memorable run on the country charts after signing with Liberty Records. ~ Mark Deming