ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – Nearly two weeks ago, Roanoke lost a beloved local musician and handyman. John Smiley, known as the ‘Urban Hobo’, died on Father’s Day at the age of 82.
For years, people walking the Roanoke Greenway could hear the sounds of John Smiley’s music nearly every day. Smiley performed under the name the ‘Urban Hobo’ and played music no matter how many people were listening.
“He always sang for enjoyment. It was just him, he wasn’t looking for fame or fortune, he was just looking to make people happy and make himself happy,” said Dixie Greer, Smiley’s daughter. “I loved to hear him sing. He would sing with my mother, and of course, his family liked music, and my mother’s side did. He played a lot of music.”…