Tex Williams

Sollie Paul "Tex" Williams (August 23, 1917 – October 11, 1985) was an American Western swing musician. He is best known for his talking blues style; his biggest hit was the novelty song, "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)", which held the number one position on the Billboard chart for sixteen weeks in 1947. "Smoke" was the No. 5 song on Billboard's Top 100 list for 1947, and was No. 1 on the country chart that year.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 23, 1917 (Illinois), Died October 11, 1985 (California)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1944 - 1958

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, songwriter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	D7VB-0592	10-in.	7/7/1947	Smoke, smoke, smoke (that cigarette)	Phil Harris ; Phil Harris Orchestra	Male vocal solo, with male vocal group and jazz/dance band	songwriter
Victor	D7VB-1384	10"	10/16/1947	Tell a woman	Riders of the Rio Grande ; Johnny Tyler	Male vocal solo, with string band	songwriter
Victor	D7VB-1885	10-in.	11/11/1947	Never break your promise to a woman	Bill Boyd ; Jim Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers	Male vocal duet, with string band	songwriter
Victor	D9VB-0910	10-in.	2/18/1949	A letter asking for my broken heart	Elmer Newman ; Sleepy Hollow Gang	Male vocal solo, with string band	songwriter
Columbia	H1157	10-in.	12/4/1944	Forgive me one more time	Spade Cooley and his Orchestra	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Columbia	H1158	10-in.	12/4/1944	Shame on you	Spade Cooley and his Orchestra	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Columbia	H1159	10-in.	12/4/1944	I guess I've been dreaming again	Spade Cooley and his Orchestra	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Columbia	H1160	10-in.	12/4/1944	I've taken all I'm gonna take from you	Spade Cooley and his Orchestra	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Columbia	H1161	10-in.	12/4/1944	A pair of broken hearts	Spade Cooley and his Orchestra	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Columbia	HCO1488	10-in.	7/24/1945	You can't break my heart	Spade Cooley and his Orchestra	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Columbia	HCO1638	10-in.	1/3/1946	Detour	Spade Cooley and his Orchestra	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Columbia	HCO1639	10-in.	1/3/1946	Crazy 'cause I love you	Spade Cooley and his Orchestra	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Columbia	HCO1640	10-in.	1/3/1946	Hide your face	Spade Cooley and his Orchestra	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Columbia	HCO1870	10-in.	6/6/1946	You better do it now	Spade Cooley and his Orchestra	Male vocal solo, with string band	vocalist
Columbia	HCO1871	10-in.	6/6/1946	You never miss the water (till the well runs dry)	Spade Cooley and his Orchestra	String band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Columbia	HCO2247	10-in.	3/5/1947	The leaf of love	Gene Autry	Male vocal solo, with string band	songwriter
Columbia	HCO2472	10-in.	7/22/1947	Smoke! smoke! smoke! (that cigarette)	Johnny Bond ; Red River Valley Boys	String band, with male vocal solo and male vocal group	songwriter
Decca	L 7067		3/2/1953	Changeable	Tex Williams Orchestra		vocalist
Decca	L 7068		3/2/1953	The big, big lie	Tex Williams Orchestra		vocalist
Decca	L 7169		4/29/1953	Don't call my name	Roberta Lee ; Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 7170		4/29/1953	Hey, Mr. Cotton Picker	Roberta Lee ; Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 7587		3/1/1954	Money	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 7588		3/1/1954	That's the good Lord sayin' good mornin'	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 7589		3/1/1954	River of no return	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 7633		4/16/1954	Down in the meadow	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 7634		4/16/1954	They were doing the mambo	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 7780		8/3/1954	This ole house	Rex Allen ; Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 7782		8/3/1954	Two Texas boys	Rex Allen ; Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 7793		8/17/1954	Elmer's tune	Tex Williams and his String Band		vocalist
Decca	L 7794		8/17/1954	Take the A train	Tex Williams and his String Band		vocalist
Decca	L 7795		8/17/1954	Perdido	Tex Williams and his String Band		vocalist
Decca	L 7796		8/17/1954	That's what I like about the West	Tex Williams and his String Band		vocalist
Decca	L 7821		8/24/1954	San Antonio rose	Tex Williams and his String Band		vocalist
Decca	L 7822		8/24/1954	Rancho boogie	Tex Williams and his String Band		vocalist
Decca	L 7823		8/24/1954	Lone star rag	Tex Williams and his String Band		vocalist
Decca	L 7824		8/24/1954	The leaf of love	Tex Williams and his String Band		vocalist
Decca	L 7898		9/15/1954	Sidetracked	Tex Williams Orchestra ; Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 7899		9/15/1954	Can I say the same about you	Tex Williams Orchestra ; Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 7900		9/15/1954	Roses and revolvers	Tex Williams Orchestra ; Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 7901		9/15/1954	Wild card	Tex Williams Orchestra ; Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 8391		5/9/1955	Be sure you're right	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 8392		5/9/1955	Old Betsy	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 8393		5/9/1955	Big bear boogie	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 8528		7/1/1955	Artichokes	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 9632		10/24/1956	Forgetful heart	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 9633		10/24/1956	I couldn't leave well enough	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 9634		10/24/1956	When I call the roll	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 9635		10/24/1956	You're cold, so cold	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 10821		2/21/1958	Bad man's country	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 10822		2/21/1958	Ballad of Thunder Road	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 10823		2/21/1958	You rocked when you shoulda rolled	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	L 10824		2/21/1958	The killer	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9226		11/14/1955	Shake the hand of a stranger	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9227		11/14/1955	Pauline-1	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9228		11/14/1955	Reno, town of broken hearts	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9229		11/14/1955	Love is a problem	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9230		11/15/1955	Goofin' off	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9231		11/15/1955	Revival is on its way-1	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9232		11/15/1955	New nine pound hammer	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9797		4/16/1957	Long lost love	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9798		4/16/1957	Every night	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9799		4/16/1957	My baby spends her money on me	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9803		4/18/1957	Talkin' to the blues	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9804		4/18/1957	Let's go rockabilly	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9997		11/17/1957	False face	Tex Williams		vocalist
Decca	NA 9998		11/17/1957	Danny boy of San Angelo	Tex Williams		vocalist

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Williams, Tex," accessed November 9, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/351065.

Williams, Tex. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 9, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/351065.

"Williams, Tex." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 9 November 2024.