Smith Ballew

Smith Ballew (real name Sykes Ballew) (January 21, 1902 – May 2, 1984) was an American actor, singer, and orchestra leader. He was born in Palestine, Texas. He attended high school in Sherman and college at Austin College and the University of Texas. He began his singing career on the radio, and in the 1930s became one of the earliest of the singing cowboys in films. He did a series of musical Westerns for Paramount Pictures and one for 20th Century Fox, continuing in supporting roles until the 1950s.