Fred Allen ‘Smokey’ Robers was born in Leesville, Louisiana on February 24, 1941. He attended El Dorado High School where he starred as a linebacker on the school’s state champion football team. While in high school he organized a rock-Dixieland band called the “Hi-Fi’s”. He then attended Southern State College in Magnolia, Louisiana, majoring in speech and minoring in psychology. Smokey then moved to California to attend the Pasadena Playhouse. He began writing songs for such well-known singers as Andy Williams, Al Martino and Leslie Uggams. He then formed a group called “The Parade” and they had a hit single with “Sunshine Girl” in 1967 which reached #20 on Billboard’s Hot 100. He then started a solo career and was the first to record “We’ve Only Just Begun” as Freddie Allen. It was later a huge hit for the Carpenters.
Smokey branched out into acting making a few films and appeared on such TV series as “Dr. Kildare”, “Ben Casey” and “Who’s in Charge”.
He then returned to college and graduated from Texas Chiropractic College in 1981 and now is a chiropractor working in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Smokey appeared as Jeb in the 1968 Euro-western “The Proud and the Damned” and sang the main theme song “Windblown”.
ROBERDS, Smokey (aka Freddie Allen) (Fred Allen
Roberds) [2/24/1941, Leesville, Louisiana, U.S.A. - ] – producer, arranger, songwriter,
musician (guitar), singer, actor member of the singing group “The Parade”.
The Proud and the Damned – 1968 [sings: “Windblown”]
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