Country Music Star Carl Smith, June Carter's First Husband, Dies at 82

Smith, known as 'Mister Country,' was a 1950s hitmaker and father of singer Carlene Carter.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 1:39pm

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Carl Smith, a country music star in the 1950s who was also June Carter's first husband, passed away on January 16, 2010 at the age of 82. Smith, born in 1927 in Maynardville, Tennessee, launched his music career in the 1940s and joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1950, going on to have several hit songs. He married June Carter in 1952 and they had one child together, Carlene Carter, before divorcing in 1956. Smith later remarried and continued his music career, though it cooled in the 1960s, before retiring in the 1970s to focus on raising cutting horses.

Why it matters

Carl Smith was an influential figure in country music history, known as 'Mister Country' for his string of hits in the 1950s. His marriage to June Carter, another country music icon, also connected him to one of the most famous families in the genre. Smith's life and career provide insight into the golden age of country music.

The details

Smith began performing on Knoxville radio station WROL in 1944 after taking up the guitar as a child. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1944-1947 before returning to WROL. In 1950, he joined the Grand Ole Opry and signed with Columbia Records. Smith quickly found success, reaching #2 on the country charts in 1951 with 'Let's Live a Little' and scoring his first #1 hit that year with 'Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way.' In 1952, he married June Carter, with whom he had one child, Carlene, before they divorced in 1956. Smith continued his music career, remarrying in 1957, though his popularity waned in the 1960s. He retired in the 1970s to focus on raising cutting horses.

  • Smith was born on March 15, 1927 in Maynardville, Tennessee.
  • He joined the Grand Ole Opry and signed with Columbia Records in 1950.
  • Smith married June Carter in 1952 and they divorced in 1956.
  • Smith remarried in 1957 to Goldie Hill.
  • Smith passed away on January 16, 2010 at his home in Franklin, Tennessee.

The players

Carl Smith

A country music star in the 1950s, known as 'Mister Country,' who was also June Carter's first husband.

June Carter

A country music icon and member of the famous Carter Family, who was married to Carl Smith from 1952 to 1956.

Carlene Carter

The daughter of Carl Smith and June Carter, who went on to have her own successful career as a country music singer.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

The takeaway

Carl Smith's life and career provide a window into the golden age of country music in the 1950s, when he was known as 'Mister Country' for his string of hits. His marriage to June Carter also connected him to one of the most famous families in the genre, though their union was short-lived. Smith's later retirement to focus on raising cutting horses shows the diverse interests and passions of country music stars of that era.