Velma Williams was born on July 27, 1927, in Logan County, Kentucky. Growing up in Epley Station, she played upright bass and sang with her sister Mildred (who played guitar). Billed as The Williams Sisters, the duo’s first big break came in 1939, when after performing for local radio station WHOP, they opened a show for Bill Monroe. Impressed with the duo, he went on to share his excitement back in Nashville with George D. Hay, who was better known as “The Solemn Ol’ Judge” on The Grand Ole Opry. The girls were called to Nashville to audition, and they were invited to perform on WSM’s weekly Saturday night show. The duo continued with regular Opry appearances, and, in 1940, they were asked to join Roy Acuff’s band. Velma and Mildred became “Smoky Mountain Boys.”
After Mildred left the act to get married. Velma continued to play bass for Roy Acuff for eight years. She had a beautiful singing voice and was featured in “Pap’s Jug Band, and as “Sister Velma” to “Bashful Brother Oswald.” During 1942-1945, Velma was even a cast member in three of Roy Acuff’s Hollywood wartime films, “Oh My Darling Clementine” , “Hi Neighbor “ and “Cowboy Canteen.” In 1948, Velma married Ernest Tubb’s fiddle player, Hal Smith and left the Smoky Mountain Boys.
In the early 1950’s, she took road bass gigs with George Morgan and then Little Jimmy Dickens. For a short time, she accompanied Stringbean with a young guitarist who had just moved to Nashville named Roy Clark. She would occasionally play with others on the Opry. Her main instrument had been bass, but she was also very comfortable on the guitar. This was Velma’s big chance to get on a record. She began recording with Hank Snow, Carl Smith and even Hank Williams Sr.
A short time later, Velma and Hal joined Carl Smith’s road band known as The Tunesmiths. Velma played guitar on Carl’s biggest hits such as “Hey Joe,” “Are You Teasing Me,” and “Loose Talk.” The Tunesmiths did steady work on the road, and Velma would still do occasional recording sessions as well as backing performers on the Grand Ole Opry.
When Carl Smith decided to stop touring in 1956, Velma focused solely on the recording studio. Chet Atkins asked her to play rhythm guitar on a Davis Sisters’ session. She soon became the only female member of RCA Studio B’s prestigious group of musicians known as the A-Team. She would do three sessions a day. Normally, it was 10:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 7:00 pm.
Velma was used to being the only female in the room and had to roll with the punches. In her words, she was “just one of the boys”.
Through the years, she played on records by Hank Williams Sr, The Davis Sisters, George Morgan, George Hamilton IV, Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, The Browns, Hank Snow, Dottie West, Willie Nelson, Don Gibson, Skeeter Davis, and Hank Locklin,…. The list goes on and on. Velma Smith even played rhythm guitar on Chet Atkins records. Let that last one sink in for a minute. It’s a pretty strong thing to be able to put on your resume that you played guitar on Chet Atkins records. Velma retired from her studio work about 1968. She was recognized for her talent and contribution by being inducted into Nashville’s Musicians Hall of Fame in 2014 just months before she passed away. During her career, she broke many barriers and claimed many “firsts” when she came to Nashville. She was the first woman to perform solo on the Grand Ole Opry. Years later, she became the first woman to play rhythm guitar as a session musician in Music City. During the Nashville Sound era, she was the first woman to join the “A-Team” of session players. What a woman!