RJ Smith was born in upstate South Carolina and fell in love with the violin at the age of 6. After nearly three years of asking her parents for lessons, she received her first violin at the age of 9. Her earliest desire was to play and perform on her chosen instrument. Due to a strict religious background, she was limited to listening to and playing only classical music, which she did avidly all the way through college. There she majored in Spanish, but continued her music studies through all 4 years with a minor in music, spending every spare hour in the music department studying piano, percussion, theory, conducting and orchestration along with the violin. She played with several orchestras throughout high school and college and was also selected for and performed with the first South Carolina All-State Collegiate Orchestra.After college graduation, RJ spent 3 years riding colts as an apprentice horse trainer. This brought her to Texas, and it was here where she heard Western Swing, Traditional Country and the music of Bob Wills and Ray Price for the first time.
In 2006, she gave up her ranch job to focus on her first love, music, and began studying fiddle this time, with a focus on Western Swing, Traditional Country and Jazz. In February of 2007, she met and began studying fiddle with Bobby Flores at Bulverde Academy of Music. Just six months into her studies, she joined Bobby Flores’ Yellow Rose Band, as well as started teaching violin/ fiddle and music theory at Bulverde Academy of Music.
RJ toured with Bobby's band for 15 years throughout Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana and several other states in addition to performing overseas at the Festival Rendezvous du Country in France, the Northern Nashville Country Festival in Scotland and the 31st International Country Music Festival in Switzerland. She has performed for the last seven seasons on RFDTv’s TruCountry show and also on the KENS 5 morning show live. RJ has played on 13 cruises as well, with several artists, including the Legacy Rose Band's first cruise in 2024.
Since Bobby's passing in June of 2022, RJ and the Yellow Rose Band members have decided to keep the band together under a new name, "Legacy Rose Band", which will continue to play many of their favorite arrangements of Bobby's along with new material showcasing the multi-talented band members.
RJ has played with numerous other great artists and bands as well, including a performance with Ray Price in November of 2012 as a part of his string section. Other notable artists she has performed with include Moe Bandy, Darrell and Mona McCall, Tony Booth, Dottsy, Barbara Fairchild, Amber Digby, Jeff Woolsey, Justin Trevino, George Chambers, Kelly Spinks, KR Wood and many others. She also played fiddle for Rick Orozco’s premiere and concert for his documentary film “This Is My Country”. At this event, RJ backed such great artists as Joel Guzman, Flaco Jimenez, Sunny Sauceda, Michael Salgado, Gabe Garcia and Rick Orozco.
RJ’s has released a solo studio album, titled “Living My Dream”, which featured her fiddle playing backed by A-list session players.
RJ was also Staff Engineer at B.A.M. Recording Studios for many years, and is now stepping into the producer role as the owner of B.A.M. Recording Studios, with several albums now out with her as producer.
