Kay Smith

Sony Music Nashville, Capitol Records, CBS Records

Nashville native Kay Smith attended school with Brenda Lee and Rita Coolidge. She began her music industry career in 1972 working at Nationwide Sound Distributors. In 1973, she joined Columbia Recording Studios, leaving two years later to take a position at Capitol Records as secretary to Frank Jones where she worked with artists such as Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Anne Murray, and Gene Watson, among others. In 1983, Kay returned to CBS Records as marketing coordinator. In 1989,
she became manager of A&R Administration and was eventually elevated to director, A&R Administration. During her tenure there she worked with stellar staff producers, Steve Buckingham, Blake Chancey, Doug Johnson, Bob Montgomery, Paul Worley and Mark Wright as well as with artists Charlie Daniels, Ricky Van Shelton, Dixie Chicks, Willie Nelson, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Patty Loveless, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Montgomery Gentry, and Gretchen Wilson, to name a few. When Sony purchased CBS, she rose to vice president of A&R
Administration. She remained there until 2006. In addition, Kay served as production assistant on numerous live shows including the CMA Awards, Fan Fair Shows and the Country Radio Broadcasters' New Faces Show. She was one of the authors on the document "Recommendation for Delivery of Recorded Music Projects" for The Recording Academy's Producers & Engineers Wing. In 2003 she presented her long-time vision to see women in the entertainment industry recognized for their contributions to the industry to SOURCE, and thus, the SOURCE Foundation Award was created
(now known as the SOURCE Award). Since retiring, Kay enjoys spending time with friends, her daughter, Angie, volunteering at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, Yoga, golfing and reading.