Tex Williams — Music Videos

A voice in Western swing

Tex Williams was an American singer, guitarist, bandleader, and entertainer associated with Western swing. His deep voice and easy, speech-like delivery became especially recognizable on comic storytelling songs. After working with bandleader Spade Cooley, he formed his own ensemble, the Western Caravan, in 1946. The group’s music connected country singing with the larger instrumental palette and dance rhythms of a Western swing orchestra, reaching audiences through records, touring, radio, and screen appearances.

Smoke! Smoke! Smoke!

His best-known recording is “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette),” released in 1947 through Capitol Records. Written with Merle Travis, the song turns interruptions caused by cigarette breaks into a comic narrative. Williams’s rhythmically spoken verses contrast with the sung refrain, making his delivery as important to the record as the tune itself. Its crossover success established his name well beyond the Western dance-band circuit.

More than a novelty record

The Western Caravan continued working for years after that hit, with an ensemble sound that gave Williams a strong musical setting. His career also included film and television appearances and later recordings. Although the cigarette song remained his most familiar title, the broader repertoire places him within a professional dance-band tradition rather than treating him only as the singer of one humorous record.