Floyd George Smith[1] (January 25, 1917 – March 29, 1982),[2] sometimes credited as Floyd "Guitar" Smith, was an American jazzguitarist and record producer.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Smith studied music theory as a teenager and learned ukulele as a child before taking up guitar. He spent his early career in territory bands, playing in groups such as Eddie Johnson's Crackerjacks, the Jeter-Pillars Orchestra, the Sunset Royal Orchestra, the Brown Skin Models, and Andy Kirk's 12 Clouds Of Joy.[3] His composition "Floyd's Guitar Blues", recorded with Andy Kirk's orchestra in March 1939, has been claimed as the first hit record to feature a blues solo on electric guitar.[4]
Smith enlisted during World War II and was stationed in Britain as a sergeant. He also met and played with Django Reinhardt in Paris. Following the war, he rejoined Andy Kirk's band before forming his own small ensembles. He played with Wild Bill Davis in the 1950s, and Bill Doggett in the early 1960s, and also recorded occasionally with drummer Chris Columbo's bands during the late 1950s and early 1960s. He later settled in Indianapolis and formed his own jazz trio.[4]
In the 1970s, Smith moved into writing songs and record production, working with Dakar/Brunswick Records in Chicago, for which he recorded a few singles. He produced two albums with R&B star, Loleatta Holloway for Aware Records of Atlanta, as well as two (one completed, but unissued when the label folded) with John Edwards, who later became lead singer of the Detroit Spinners. He produced two Top 10 R&B hits on Aware with Edwards ("Careful Man", No. 8 in 1974) and Holloway ("Cry To Me", No. 10 in 1975). In the late 1970s, he produced tracks on several albums with Loleatta Holloway for Gold Mine/Salsoul Records. He managed the former gospel singer and later married her.[3]
He died in Indianapolis, Indiana in March 1982 at the age of 65[2] and was buried in the New Crown Cemetery.[1]
Discographyedit
As leaderedit
"Floyd's Guitar Blues" // "I'm Weak For You" (Hy-Tone 29, 1947) – with Jo Jo Adams
"Around The Watch, Part 1" // "Around The Watch, Part 2" (Hy-Tone 30, 1947) – with Jo Jo Adams
"I Get The Blues Every Morning" // "Voodit" (Hy-Tone 31, 1947) – with Jo Jo Adams
"After Hours" // "Me And You" (Decca 28208, 1952) – with Horace Henderson
"Don't Cry Baby" // "You May Be Trash To Someone (But Baby You're A Queen To Me)" (Decca 28801, 1953) – note: B-side by the Billy Valentine Trio (with Mickey Baker on guitar).
"Grandpa's Gully Rock" // "This Is A Miracle" (Fortune 540, 1961) – with The Montclairs
Floyd's Guitar Blues (Disques Black & Blue 33.046, 1972) – with Wild Bill Davis and Chris Columbo; reissued on CD as Relaxin' With Floyd (The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions) in 1996 by Black & Blue (BB-875).
"The Bump" // "I Want 'Cha To Let Me Come Home" (Aware/GRC 042, 1974)
"I Just Can't Give You Up" // "I Just Can't Give You Up (Instrumental Version)" (Salsoul 2001, 1975)
As sidemanedit
With Jo Jo Adams (featured vocalist with Floyd Smith's Combo)
The Chronological Jo Jo Adams 1946–1953 (Classics 'Blues & Rhythm Series' #5083, 2004) – includes Smith's December 1946 six-side Hy-Tone session featuring the classic re-recording of "Floyd's Guitar Blues".
The Chronological Mildred Bailey 1939 (Classics #1187, 2002) – includes Bailey's March 1939 six-side Vocalion session with Mary Lou Williams, Floyd Smith, John Williams, Eddie Dougherty.
With Krazy Kris / Chris Columbo and The Swinging Gentlemen
The Chronological Dizzy Gillespie And His Orchestra 1949–1950 (Classics #1168, 2002) – includes the 18-piece Gillespie orchestra's January 1950 four-side Capitol session.
The Chronological Earl Hines And His Orchestra 1947–1949 (Classics #1120, 2000) – includes Hines' December 1948 four-side MGM session with Floyd Smith, Arvell Shaw, Sid Catlett.
The Chronological Andy Kirk And His 12 Clouds Of Joy 1939–1940 (Classics #640, 1992) – includes the Kirk orchestra's original Decca recording of "Floyd's Guitar Blues".
The Chronological Andy Kirk And His Clouds Of Joy 1940–1942 (Classics #681, 1993)
The Chronological Andy Kirk And His Orchestra 1943–1949 (Classics #1075, 2000)
Honkin', Shakin' & Slidin' (A Singles Collection 1954–1962) (Jasmine #3115, 2019) – includes Watts' first session ("Mashing Potatoes" // "Pig Ears And Rice" on DeLuxe 6066, 1954) as a leader with backing by the Wild Bill Davis Trio (Davis/Floyd Smith/Chris Columbo).
The Chronological Mary Lou Williams 1927–1940 (Classics #630, 1992) – includes Williams' January 1940 four-side Varsity session with Earl Thompson, Buddy Miller, Dick Wilson, Floyd Smith, Booker Collins, Ben Thigpen.
Referencesedit
^ abWomack, Bob (1982-04-10). "Last rites are held here for noted jazz guitarist". Indianapolis Recorder. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
^ abEagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 140. ISBN978-0313344237.
^ abBiography by Eugene Chadbourne, Allmusic.com. Retrieved 14 October 2016
^ abJas Obrecht, "Electric Guitar Pioneer Floyd Smith on 1930s Jazz and Django", Jas Obrecht Music Archive. Retrieved 14 October 2016
floyd, smith, musician, other, uses, floyd, smith, disambiguation, floyd, george, smith, january, 1917, march, 1982, sometimes, credited, floyd, guitar, smith, american, jazz, guitarist, record, producer, floyd, smithbackground, informationbirth, namefloyd, ge. For other uses see Floyd Smith disambiguation Floyd George Smith 1 January 25 1917 March 29 1982 2 sometimes credited as Floyd Guitar Smith was an American jazz guitarist and record producer Floyd SmithBackground informationBirth nameFloyd George SmithAlso known asFloyd Guitar SmithBorn 1917 01 25 January 25 1917St Louis Missouri U S DiedMarch 29 1982 1982 03 29 aged 65 Indianapolis Indiana U S GenresJazz R amp BOccupation s Guitarist record producerInstrument s GuitarYears active1930s 1970s Contents 1 Biography 2 Discography 2 1 As leader 2 2 As sideman 3 ReferencesBiography editBorn in St Louis Missouri Smith studied music theory as a teenager and learned ukulele as a child before taking up guitar He spent his early career in territory bands playing in groups such as Eddie Johnson s Crackerjacks the Jeter Pillars Orchestra the Sunset Royal Orchestra the Brown Skin Models and Andy Kirk s 12 Clouds Of Joy 3 His composition Floyd s Guitar Blues recorded with Andy Kirk s orchestra in March 1939 has been claimed as the first hit record to feature a blues solo on electric guitar 4 Smith enlisted during World War II and was stationed in Britain as a sergeant He also met and played with Django Reinhardt in Paris Following the war he rejoined Andy Kirk s band before forming his own small ensembles He played with Wild Bill Davis in the 1950s and Bill Doggett in the early 1960s and also recorded occasionally with drummer Chris Columbo s bands during the late 1950s and early 1960s He later settled in Indianapolis and formed his own jazz trio 4 In the 1970s Smith moved into writing songs and record production working with Dakar Brunswick Records in Chicago for which he recorded a few singles He produced two albums with R amp B star Loleatta Holloway for Aware Records of Atlanta as well as two one completed but unissued when the label folded with John Edwards who later became lead singer of the Detroit Spinners He produced two Top 10 R amp B hits on Aware with Edwards Careful Man No 8 in 1974 and Holloway Cry To Me No 10 in 1975 In the late 1970s he produced tracks on several albums with Loleatta Holloway for Gold Mine Salsoul Records He managed the former gospel singer and later married her 3 He died in Indianapolis Indiana in March 1982 at the age of 65 2 and was buried in the New Crown Cemetery 1 Discography editAs leader edit Floyd s Guitar Blues I m Weak For You Hy Tone 29 1947 with Jo Jo Adams Around The Watch Part 1 Around The Watch Part 2 Hy Tone 30 1947 with Jo Jo Adams I Get The Blues Every Morning Voodit Hy Tone 31 1947 with Jo Jo Adams Blue Moods Saturday Nite Boogie Aristocrat 409 1950 reissue Chess 1439 Gloomy Evening Floydynasty Decca 48257 1951 with Horace Henderson After Hours Me And You Decca 28208 1952 with Horace Henderson Don t Cry Baby You May Be Trash To Someone But Baby You re A Queen To Me Decca 28801 1953 note B side by the Billy Valentine Trio with Mickey Baker on guitar Grandpa s Gully Rock This Is A Miracle Fortune 540 1961 with The Montclairs Getting Nowhere Fast Soul Strut Dakar 604 1968 Floyd s Guitar Blues Disques Black amp Blue 33 046 1972 with Wild Bill Davis and Chris Columbo reissued on CD as Relaxin With Floyd The Definitive Black amp Blue Sessions in 1996 by Black amp Blue BB 875 The Bump I Want Cha To Let Me Come Home Aware GRC 042 1974 I Just Can t Give You Up I Just Can t Give You Up Instrumental Version Salsoul 2001 1975 As sideman edit With Jo Jo Adams featured vocalist with Floyd Smith s Combo The Chronological Jo Jo Adams 1946 1953 Classics Blues amp Rhythm Series 5083 2004 includes Smith s December 1946 six side Hy Tone session featuring the classic re recording of Floyd s Guitar Blues With Mildred Bailey and Her Oxford Greys The Chronological Mildred Bailey 1939 Classics 1187 2002 includes Bailey s March 1939 six side Vocalion session with Mary Lou Williams Floyd Smith John Williams Eddie Dougherty With Krazy Kris Chris Columbo and The Swinging Gentlemen Floyd s Guitar Blues Wishy Washy King 4991 1956 Oh Yeah Pt 1 Oh Yeah Pt 2 King 5012 1957 with Johnny Hammond Smith With Wild Bill Davis Trio Here s Wild Bill Davis Epic LG 1004 10 LP 1954 On The Loose Epic LN 1121 10 LP 1954 Wild Bill Davis At Birdland Epic LN 3118 1955 reissued as Lullaby Of Birdland in 1972 Evening Concerto Epic LN 3308 1955 Wild Bill Davis On Broadway Imperial LP 9010 1956 Wild Bill Davis In Hollywood Imperial LP 9015 1956 Impulsions Disques Black amp Blue 33 037 1972 reissued on CD in 1987 by Black amp Blue 233 037 Midnight Slows Vol 2 Disques Black amp Blue 33 045 1972 With Bill Doggett and His Combo Oops The Swinging Sounds Of Bill Doggett Columbia CL 1814 CS 8614 1962 With Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra The Chronological Dizzy Gillespie And His Orchestra 1949 1950 Classics 1168 2002 includes the 18 piece Gillespie orchestra s January 1950 four side Capitol session With Al Grey Al Grey amp Wild Bill Davis Disques Black amp Blue 33 041 1972 with Eddie Cleanhead Vinson With Earl Hines Swingtette The Chronological Earl Hines And His Orchestra 1947 1949 Classics 1120 2000 includes Hines December 1948 four side MGM session with Floyd Smith Arvell Shaw Sid Catlett With Andy Kirk and His Clouds Of Joy The Chronological Andy Kirk And His 12 Clouds Of Joy 1939 1940 Classics 640 1992 includes the Kirk orchestra s original Decca recording of Floyd s Guitar Blues The Chronological Andy Kirk And His Clouds Of Joy 1940 1942 Classics 681 1993 The Chronological Andy Kirk And His Orchestra 1943 1949 Classics 1075 2000 With Johnny Hammond Smith The Stinger Prestige PR 7408 1965 reissued on CD as Good Nuff in 2003 by Prestige 24282 With Buddy Tate Buddy Tate amp Wild Bill Davis Disques Black amp Blue 33 054 1972 reissued on CD as Broadway in 1987 by Black amp Blue 233 054 With Noble Thin Man Watts Quintet Honkin Shakin amp Slidin A Singles Collection 1954 1962 Jasmine 3115 2019 includes Watts first session Mashing Potatoes Pig Ears And Rice on DeLuxe 6066 1954 as a leader with backing by the Wild Bill Davis Trio Davis Floyd Smith Chris Columbo With Mary Lou Williams featured pianist with Six Men amp A Girl The Chronological Mary Lou Williams 1927 1940 Classics 630 1992 includes Williams January 1940 four side Varsity session with Earl Thompson Buddy Miller Dick Wilson Floyd Smith Booker Collins Ben Thigpen References edit a b Womack Bob 1982 04 10 Last rites are held here for noted jazz guitarist Indianapolis Recorder Retrieved 2017 02 19 a b Eagle Bob LeBlanc Eric S 2013 Blues A Regional Experience Santa Barbara Praeger Publishers p 140 ISBN 978 0313344237 a b Biography by Eugene Chadbourne Allmusic com Retrieved 14 October 2016 a b Jas Obrecht Electric Guitar Pioneer Floyd Smith on 1930s Jazz and Django Jas Obrecht Music Archive Retrieved 14 October 2016 Sources and further reading Floyd Smith Grove Dictionary of Jazz 2nd ed 2001 John Chilton Who s Who of Jazz 1972 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Floyd Smith musician amp oldid 1196769035, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
