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In 1951, Smokey Mayfield married the former Mary Keenum (born August 5, 1934), originally from Hale Center in Hale County. The couple met while Smokey was playing bluegrass in Lubbock. They wed in Cleburne in Johnson County near [[Fort Worth]]. Mary formerly operated a flower shop. Mayfield died of a [[heart attack]] at home after fighting a long battle against neuropathy. He was a  [[Baptist]], but services were held at his wife's congregation, the [[Church of Christ]] in Spearman. Interment, with military honors, was at Hansford Cemetery in Spearman.​<ref name=statement/>

In 1951, Smokey Mayfield married the former Mary Keenum (born August 5, 1934), originally from Hale Center in Hale County. The couple met while Smokey was playing bluegrass in Lubbock. They wed in Cleburne in Johnson County near [[Fort Worth]]. Mary formerly operated a flower shop. Mayfield died of a [[heart attack]] at home after fighting a long battle against neuropathy. He was a  [[Baptist]], but services were held at his wife's congregation, the [[Church of Christ]] in Spearman. Interment, with military honors, was at Hansford Cemetery in Spearman.​<ref name=statement/>

 

In addition to Mary, he was survived by two sons, James Clinton "Clint" Mayfield (born February 28, 1952), a [[United States Postal Service]] employee in Amarillo, and wife Eileen N. Mayfield (also born 1952), and Freddie Calvin Mayfield (born December 28, 1949) and wife Janice W. Mayfield (born 1955) of Spearman; three daughters, Cynthia Arlece Knox and husband Ted of Stinnett in Hutchinson County, Loretta Diane Reed and husband Roy of Chickaloon, [[Alaska]], and Harriett Palmer and husband Charlie of Pleasanton in Atascosa County near [[San Antonio]], and nine grandchildren, including namesake Arlie Vincent Mayfield, II (born 1988), a student at [[George Washington University]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]; 14 great-grandchildren; and one brother, James F. "Jim" Mayfield (born 1917), a retired rancher from Playas in Hidalgo County in southwestern [[New Mexico]]. Fred Mayfield, also a ranch manager, was actually the birth son of Edd Mayfield and his wife, the former Jo McLain, since Jo Butler of Atwater, [[California]], but Fred was reared by Smokey and Mary Mayfield after the sudden death of his father.<ref name=obit/>​

In addition to Mary, he was survived by two sons, James Clinton "Clint" Mayfield (born February 28, 1952), a [[United States Postal Service]] employee in Amarillo, and wife Eileen N. Mayfield (also born 1952), and Freddie Calvin Mayfield (born December 28, 1949) and wife Janice W. Mayfield (born 1955) of Spearman; three daughters, Cynthia Arlece Knox and husband Ted of Stinnett in Hutchinson County, Loretta Diane Reed and husband Roy of Chickaloon, [[Alaska]], and Harriett Palmer and husband Charlie of Pleasanton in Atascosa County near [[San Antonio]], and nine grandchildren, including namesake Arlie Vincent Mayfield, II (born 1988), a student at [[George Washington University]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]; 14 great-grandchildren; and one brother, James F. "Jim" Mayfield (born 1917), a retired rancher from Playas in Hidalgo County in southwestern [[New Mexico]]. Fred Mayfield, also a ranch manager, was actually the birth son of Edd Mayfield and his wife, the former Jo McLain, since Jo Butler of Atwater, [[California]], but Fred was reared by Smokey and Mary Mayfield after the sudden death of his father.<ref name=obit/>​

 

==Legacy==​

==Legacy==

On May 6, 1989, Smokey and Herb Mayfield were honored by South Plains College in Levelland in Hockley County west of Lubbock, as "Pioneers of Bluegrass Music in the South Plains." They received commemorative plaques and belt buckles as "Honorary Bill Monroe Bluegrass Boys." The two played for decades in regional music festivals..<ref name=hcrs/> The Mayfields are also honored through the Mayfield Bluegrass Scholarship at South Plains College..<ref name=obit/>​

On May 6, 1989, Smokey and Herb Mayfield were honored by South Plains College in Levelland in Hockley County west of Lubbock, as "Pioneers of Bluegrass Music in the South Plains." They received commemorative plaques and belt buckles as "Honorary Bill Monroe Bluegrass Boys." The two played for decades in regional music festivals..<ref name=hcrs/> The Mayfields are also honored through the Mayfield Bluegrass Scholarship at South Plains College..<ref name=obit/>​

 

Mary Mayfield said that her husband "had perfect pitch, never had a music lesson, and couldn't read music, but he could play anything he heard." His last Bluegrass jamboree was in Amarillo in 1992. He also played in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, and in  [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]] in a reunion concert with Bill Monroe.<ref name=statement>Statement  of Mary K. Mayfield, September 21, 2008.</ref>​

Mary Mayfield said that her husband "had perfect pitch, never had a music lesson, and couldn't read music, but he could play anything he heard." His last Bluegrass jamboree was in Amarillo in 1992. He also played in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, and in  [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]] in a reunion concert with Bill Monroe.<ref name=statement>Statement  of Mary K. Mayfield, September 21, 2008.</ref>​

 

The [[radio]] performances and personal appearances of the Mayfield Brothers in West Texas inspired Waylon Jennings, Sonny Curtis, and [[Buddy Holly]] of a later generation of musicians.<ref name=hcrs/> The Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro prepared a documentary film on the Mayfield family

The [[radio]] performances and personal appearances of the Mayfield Brothers in West Texas inspired Waylon Jennings, Sonny Curtis, and [[Buddy Holly]] of a later generation of musicians.<ref name=hcrs/> The Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro prepared a documentary film on the Mayfield family