Making people happy

From the Grand Ole Opry to Meg’s Sweet Pickins at the Great Eastern Shopping Center, Arville Smith, age 82, of Oregon, continues to play music. “I just want to make people happy,” said Smith who once performed at the Grand Ole Opry by filling in for Ferlin Husky’s piano player who took ill. Originally from Tennessee, Smith recalls how at age 19 he was performing at WIVK when a very young Dolly Parton stopped in to do her first radio performance. Today, Smith can be found playing at Sweet Pickins weekdays and on Sundays when he performs Gospel hymns. “I just go wherever God sends me,” said Smith. (Press photo by Ken Grosjean)