George "Harmonica" Smith (born Allen George Smith, April 22, 1924 – October 2, 1983)[1] was an American electric blues harmonica player.[2] Apart from his solo recordings, Smith is best known for his work backing both Muddy Waters and Big Mama Thornton.
George "Harmonica" Smith | |
|---|---|
 Smith in 1980 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Allen George Smith |
| Also known as | George "Harmonica" Smith, Little George Smith, Harmonica King, Little Walter Junior, George Allen |
| Born | April 22, 1924 West Helena, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | October 2, 1983 (aged 59) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Blues, electric blues |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Harmonica, vocals |
| Years active | 1950s–1980s |
Life and career
editBorn in West Helena, Arkansas, United States, but brought up in Cairo, Illinois,[3] Smith's mother taught him how to play the harmonica from the age of 4.[1][4] In his teenage years he performed in a country band with Early Woods and Curtis Gould.[1][4] He also joined Mississippi gospel group, the Jackson Jubilee Singers.[1] From the late 1930s and into the 1940s, Smith travelled throughout the south and played harmonica on the streets.[4] In 1941, Smith moved to Rock Island, Illinois and joined a group with drummer Francis Clay.[1] Around this time he was working at the Dixie theatre and began to use an amplifier he'd salvaged from an old projector to amplify his harmonica playing on the streets.[1]
He moved to Chicago and began playing professionally in 1951.[3] He joined the Muddy Waters' band in 1954 and played intermittently with that group.[3] During this period he also worked with Otis Rush.[4] In the mid 1950s he recorded several singles for the RPM/Modern label under the name Little George Smith.[1] In 1955, Smith went on tour with Little Willie John and Champion Jack Dupree, recording several songs with latter while in Cincinnati.[1] Smith relocated to Los Angeles, where the tour ended, later that year.[1][4] In the late 1950s, Smith recorded singles under various aliases, such as Harmonica King and Little Walter Jr., for labels J & M, Lapel, Melker, and Caddy.[1] In 1960 he recorded 10 singles under the alias George Allen for the Sotoplay and Carolyn labels.[1] In 1966, Smith worked with Muddy Waters while Waters was visiting the West Coast and recorded for the Spivey label. Smith played with Bacon Fat, a blues group, before working with Big Mama Thornton in the 1970s.[3] He played harmonica on her live album Jail in 1975.[3]
Smith spent most of his life living on the West Coast,[3] where he influenced musicians such as William Clarke and Rod Piazza.[4] Smith died in 1983 in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 59.[1]
Selected discography
edit- 1969: Blues with a Feeling: A Tribute to Little Walter (World Pacific Records; CD reissue: BGO/Beat Goes On)
- 1969: ...Of The Blues (Bluesway Records; CD reissue: BGO/Beat Goes On)[5]
- 1970: No Time For Jive (Blue Horizon Records)[6]
- 1971: Arkansas Trap (Deram Records)[7]
- 1976: Blowin' The Blues (P-Vine Special)[8]
- 1978: Harmonica Blues King (Dobre Records)[9]
- 1982: Boogie'n With George (Murray Brothers Records)[10]
- 1983: Pick Your Choice (Shoe Label)
- 1993: Harmonica Ace (The Modern Masters) (Ace Records; Flair/Virgin Records)[3][11]
- 1998: Now You Can Talk About Me (Blind Pig Records)
- 2011: Teardrops Are Falling (Electro-Fi Records)[12][13][14]
- 2024: Oopin' California Blues (1954-1962) (Jasmine Records)
With Otis Spann
- The Blues Is Where It's At (BluesWay, 1966)
With the Super Black Blues Band: T-Bone Walker, Otis Spann and Joe Turner
- Super Black Blues (BluesTime, 1969)
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Michael Erlewine. "George "Harmonica" Smith | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
- ^ Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music (1st ed.). Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 181. ISBN 1-904041-96-5.
- ^ a b c d e f g Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. p. 167. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ^ a b c d e f Komara, Edward (2004-07-01). Komara, Edward; Lee, Peter (eds.). The Blues Encyclopedia. doi:10.4324/9780203490938. ISBN 9780203490938.
- ^ "George "Harmonica" Smith* - ...Of The Blues". Discogs. 1969. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- ^ "George Smith (4) - No Time For Jive". Discogs. 1970. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- ^ "George "Harmonica" Smith* - Arkansas Trap". Discogs. 1971. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- ^ "George Smith (4) - Blowin' The Blues". Discogs. 1976. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- ^ "George "Harmonica" Smith discography". Wirz.de. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
- ^ "George "Harmonica" Smith* - Boogie'n With George". Discogs. 1982. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- ^ Larry Hoffman. "Harmonica Ace: The Modern Masters - George "Harmonica" Smith | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
- ^ Live recordings from 1983 at Chuy's in Tempe, Arizona.
- ^ "Teardrops Are Falling - George "Harmonica" Smith | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
- ^ "George "Harmonica" Smith - Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 May 2019.