"Country Gentleman" Carl Smith dies, age 82

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) - "Country Gentleman" Carl Smith, a top star of country music in the 1950s and 1960s, has died, age 82.

His family said Smith died this past Saturday at his home in Brentwood, Tennessee.

Smith's honky tonk style earned him fans and produced hits that included "Loose Talk" "Hey, Joe," "Let's Live a Little" and "Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way.:

Smith was a guest of Hank Williams on the legendary Grand Ole Opry before becoming a member of the show. He retired in 1978 and bred horses. Smith was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2003.

(Reporting by Pat Harris; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)