John Lee Smith (born February 14, 1976), known by his stage name Big Smo, is an American country rap musician, singer, songwriter, producer, and film director. After several independent and minor label releases, Smo's major label debut studio album, Kuntry Livin', was released in 2014 and charted on three Billboard charts. He was the subject of an eponymous reality television series on A&E that began in 2014.
John Lee Smith was born in San Diego, California, to mother Mary Jane Smith (née Barber) and father Carl Avery Smith. His father, who was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, died in 2007. His mother is his business manager.
Smith started his musical endeavors in 1999, but did not release an album for three years. He released Kuntry Kitchen with Yayoda Records in 2002. Then, he released another album with Yayoda in 2007 entitled The True South. His last self-released album was 2018's Special Reserve In 2010, his homemade music video "Kickin' It in Tennessee" went viral, garnering over five million views on YouTube. He released two EPs with Warner Bros. Records that were 2012's Grass Roots and 2013's Backwoods Whiskey. Smith's major-label debut came out in 2014, entitled Kuntry Livin'.