Smokey Rogers, for his many years playing in the California's Western swing scene, is best known for penning the classic ballad "Gone." The song went nowhere when Ferlin Husky first recorded it in 1952, but when Husky re-recorded Gone in 1956, it went straight to the top of the country charts, where it stayed for eight weeks and even crossed over to the pop charts. Rogers also co-wrote "Spanish Fandango" with Western swing king Bob Wills, which was released in 1947. In 1949, Rogers had a modest hit with "A Little Bird Told Me." Beginning in 1949, Rogers appeared in some of Universal's pre-music video "musical featurettes" along with Tex Williams. Rogers worked for years with Williams, as he also did with Spade Cooley. Never camera shy, Rogers hosted his own TV show in San Diego in the 1950s. ~ Ron DePasquale