WARD, LUTHER COLUMBUS “SMOKEY” (1906-1993)

A certified character, Smokey Ward headed up the Barrelhead Gang at WPFB in Middletown, and brought in several entertainers who were later to become famous as bluegrass musicians. Jim and Jesse McReynolds, Jimmy Martin, the Osborne Brothers, and J.D. Crowe were all with Smokey Ward at various times on WPFB. He did a live show around noon or 12:30 on weekdays and the Saturday night WPFB Jamboree. He referred to himself as “Uncle Filthy McNasty Potgut Luther Smokey Ward.” He had a lot of old folksy type sayings which he eventually combined into a song called “Dog Bite Yo’ Hide” which he recorded with the Barrelhead Gang (Jimmy Martin later recorded it on Decca). After the live-show era was gone, Smokey worked as a deejay at WPFB for a while. Years later, he appeared as a guest on the TV show To Tell the Truth and stumped the panel with his occupation as a blacksmith.