Christine Johnson Smith, Original Nettie Fowler in Carousel, Dies at 98

Christine Johnson Smith, who was featured in the original production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, has died, according to published reports. She was 98.

Smith, appearing under her maiden name, played Nettie Fowler in Carousel when it debuted on Broadway in 1945, becoming the first singer to deliver “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” It is said that Rodgers wrote the song with her voice in mind. She also appeared in a 1949 revival of the musical.

Prior to her work in Carousel, Smith was a regular on NBC radio and also performed on CBS. Her Broadway debut was in 1938 in Great Lady, which featured a score by Frederick Loewe. Smith, a mezzo-contralto, made her debut with the Metropolitan Opera in 1943, playing Erda in Wagner’s Das Reingold. She was the youngest person to ever sing the role at that famed opera house.

After her appearances in Carousel, Smith returned to her native Kentucky to raise a family and turned to teaching voice. Among her students was Florence Henderson, who would also go on to appear in numerous Rodgers and Hammerstein shows.