Little Girl, Big Musical Talent
Meet Ruby Jane Smith, An 11-Year-Old Country Music Prodigy
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Play CBS Video Video Country Music Whiz Kid A little girl from Mississippi is blessed with a whole lot of talent. Sharyn Alfonsi has the story of a country music prodigy.
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Video Ruby Jane Performs Only On The Web: 11-year-old musical prodigy Ruby Jane Smith performs one of the songs she has written.
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Video Fiddlin' Girl Only On The Web: Sharyn Alfonsi sat down with 11-year-old fiddling prodigy Ruby Jane Smith, who talked about her budding career and growing up in musically rich Mississippi.
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Ruby Jane Smith, 11, performs in Columbus, Miss. (CBS)
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How old was she when she started fiddling?
"I was 2 years old," Smith says.
Ruby Jane demanded to listen to her mother's bluegrass CDs as a baby, CBS News correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi reports.
"I said, 'Mama, that's the kind of music I want to play,'" Smith says.
And she played … and played … and played.
"Fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo, just started the Dobro (a mechanically amplified wooden guitar), drums, piano, spoons, harmonica — and I sing," Smith says.
"I just couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing for a 7-year-old kid at that time," says Jim Brock, Smith's music teacher.
Brock — a Grand Ole Opry great — took Ruby under his wing as soon as he saw her perform. Today, she leads him on stage. The two are so in tune, he calls her the granddaughter he never had.
If it surprises you to hear an 11-year-old play this kind of music, listen to Ruby Jane. She seems to have a soul seasoned well beyond her years.
"I love writing songs. My mama thinks one I wrote is kind of a Hank Williams sorta love song thing," Smith says.
A love song by an 11-year-old?
"It's not a love song," Smith says.
Her song is called "Smoke In My Eyes." And the lyrics startled her biggest fan — her mother.
"I called up your house and your girlfriend said she's gonna be your spouse," Smith sings.
"I'm like, 'you're 11!'" her mother, Jobelle Smith, says.
Watching her, that's easy to forget.
"You'd think that I birthed her on stage. She's meant to be there; she loves it so much," Jobelle Smith says.
And while Ruby Jane is happy to just hang out, what this kid really wants to do is play.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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