Mira Ann Smith (or often credited as Myra Smith; October 22, 1924 – August 29, 1989)[1][2] was an American songwriter, music industry pioneer, record label owner, studio engineer, and multi-instrumentalist.[3][4] In 1955, she founded Royal Audio Music, Inc. (a.k.a. Ram Records) and became one of the first women to own her own record company.[5] Her success led some in the music business to dub her "the female Sam Phillips".[6] Smith is most well known for the songs she wrote with singer/songwriter Margaret Lewis (Warwick), many of which charted on the Billboard Top 10. Smith and Lewis found their greatest songwriting success with singer Jeannie C. Riley, and wrote many of her songs including, "The Girl Most Likely", "Oh Singer", "The Rib" and "There Never Was a Time".[7] In addition, Smith and Lewis wrote hit songs for artists such as David Houston ("Mountain of Love"), Margaret Whiting ("I Almost Called Your Name"), Peggy Scott and Jo Jo Benson ("Soulshake"). Four artists charted on Billboard with the Smith and Lewis song "Reconsider Me": Johnny Adams (1969), Ray Pillow (1969), John Wesly Ryles (1971) and Narvel Felts (1975).[8] Smith received six outstanding achievement awards from the Broadcast Music Industry (BMI).[2][9][10][11] In 1988, she was inducted into the Southern Songwriters Hall of Fame,[12] and in 1995 Smith was the first woman inducted into the Women in Music Hall of Fame.[13][5][14]
^ ab"Obituaries: Mira Ann Smith". The Shreveport Times. August 30, 1989. p. 20.
^Floyd, John (September 10, 1994). "Musical Tribute: Old Shreveport Label Ram Records Finally Gets Its Due with New CD Collection". The Shreveport Times.