1970–1975: Country beginnings and success at 20th Century Fox Smith started performing professionally in her mid thirties. Under her married name, Bette Smith, she began singing at
PTA meetings and on local radio broadcasts. Smith also released four singles on the
Chart and
Sugar Hill labels during this period. At the same time, Smith maintained her full-time teaching career, working at Westlake Elementary School in
New Carlisle, Ohio. She also took several
graduate courses and painted landscapes during her free time. In September 1975, her
eponymous debut album was issued on 20th Century Fox and included ten self-penned tracks. The project was also her first to chart on the
Billboard country albums list. Later that year, Smith's next single, "Paper Lovin'", reached the top 40 of the country songs survey. Following its release, 20th Century Fox announced the closing of its Nashville division. Smith was soon left without a record label by the end of 1975.
Song Bird peaked in the top 40 of the
Billboard country albums survey. Jim Worbois of
AllMusic rated the project at three stars, calling it "a collection of songs that constantly crosses the line between country and pop." Three more singles were spawned from the album, including the top 20 hit, "
Love's Explosion," and a duet with producer Norro Wilson. The album was her highest-charting record in the United States, reaching number 27 on the
Billboard country albums survey in 1978. Others took notice of Smith's singing style with the album's release. Writers Mary A. Bufwack and
Robert K. Oermann remarked of her musical image during this period as being "housewifey," while also highlighting the "Jean Arthur purr in her voice." In 1979, Smith felt her music lacked an identity of its own. Together, with songwriter
Mack David and producer Norro Wilson, she wrote a song that would alter her artistic image. Titled "
Still a Woman," the song focused on the marital needs facing middle-aged women, according to an excerpt from
Billboard magazine. Smith also spoke of the song in the same interview: "I wanted to write a song that said 'hey, even though I may have a few children and a few gray hairs, I'm just as good as I ever was'." Released as a single, it reached number seven on the
Billboard country list and the top 20 of the
RPM chart in 1979. Kurt Wolff commented that
A Woman made Smith into "a middle-aged sexpot." The album would also produce a second single in 1979. Smith's cover of "
If I Give My Heart to You" would reach the top ten of the
Billboard country chart in 1979. It also produced the top 20 country hit, "
The Shuffle Song," which Smith co-wrote. and
Billboard praised its
country pop musical styles. The album's two singles, which included a cover of
Mary Wells' "
My Guy" peaked outside the top 40 of the North American country charts. Through the label, Smith issued her next studio release in 1981 titled ''
Ridin' High. The project featured ten tracks, six of which were self-penned and included co-writing credits from her husband. Four singles were released from the album that peaked outside the top 40 of the Billboard'' country chart, including a cover of
Hank Williams' "
Wedding Bells". Among the artists chosen was Smith, who released her
second eponymous studio album with Dot (along with
MCA Records) in 1986. It featured re-recordings of her major hits from the 1970s. In 1987, Smith released her next studio record titled
The Best Yet. Issued on Playback Records, the album contained cover versions of
traditional pop standards, such as "
You Belong to Me" and "
Harbor Lights." The album received a mix review from
Billboard magazine. Writers found Smith's vocals to be "a little strident at times". Yet, they also noted that she "knows how to reach the heart of some of the great pop tunes that commanded the charts before rock 'n' roll rolled in." Spawned from the album was the song "Echo Me," which is her final charting single to date, peaking at number 77 on the
Billboard country survey in 1988. In the early 1990s, Smith collaborated with her daughter Holly on
Christian music. Together, the duo signed with Homeland Records and had success on contemporary Christian radio with several duet singles. It was followed in 1992 by their second collaborative release titled
Wishes. In 1994, the duo was nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year at the second annual Christian Country Music Awards. The duo remained a popular touring act on the Christian music circuit as late as 1995 where they performed at a charity to raise money for disaster relief. In later years, Smith continued performing while also venturing into other projects. She started selling a tape on her official website that taught singers how to yodel. She also mentored performers who wanted to learn the skill, including
Taylor Ware, who appeared on a season of ''
America's Got Talent.
Smith also continued releasing music of her own. In 2005 she issued her most recent studio effort to date, titled Nothing to Lose''. The album was released on
Lamon Records. She also continued to perform in
The Villages, Florida, where Smith lived year-round. In 2015, she helped raise $11,000 for The Ukulele Kids Club, a Florida organization that provides musical instruments to children in hospitals. ==Musical styles and image==