Tex Williams

Sollie Paul "Tex" Williams (August 23, 1917 – October 11, 1985) was an American Western swing singer and 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 Hot Country Songs chart for 16 weeks in 1947. "Smoke" was the number-five song on Billboard's Top 100 list for 1947, and was number one on the country chart that year.

Birth and Death Data: Born Illinois (state of the United States of America), Died October 11, 1985 (California (state of the United States of America) )

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 (Results 1-25 of 66 records)

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

(Results 1-25 of 66 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Williams, Tex," accessed December 25, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/351065.

Williams, Tex. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 25, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/351065.

"Williams, Tex." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 25 December 2025.