Byther Smith
(born April 17 1933, Monticello, Mississippi [1]) is an American blues musician noted for his gritty style and uncompromising delivery.
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BYTHER SMITH TICKETS
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Career
Born the sixth oldest of seven children, Smith immigrated to
Chicago in the mid 1950s. Although he worked for a candy company, Smith's real passion was music. He played
bass for a three-piece
jazz combo for a few years, but he eventually got a spot playing
rhythm guitar for
Otis Rush. He also backed
Junior Wells,
Big Mama Thornton and
George "Harmonica" Smith. In the early 1960s, Smith began to take the guitar more seriously and learned much from blues legends such as
J. B. Lenoir,
Robert Lockwood, Jr., and
Hubert Sumlin.
After years playing in clubs all over the
United States and the world, a
demo tape Smith
recorded became the
album Tell Me How You Like It
, released by the
Texas based Grits
record label. The release brought him
European opportunities, and his next album on a
UK record label Addressing The Nation with The Blues
appeared on
JSP Records.
[2] In 1995 Smith retired from his job at Economy Folding Box Company after twenty-five years, allowing him to focus fully on music.
Delmark Records boss
Bob Koester observes,
"There's a mellowness there that is disappearing in all but B. B. King"
Smith still records and tours frequently.
Family
Byther Smith is a first
cousin of fellow blues musician and Monticello native,
J.B. Lenoir.
See also
- List of Chicago blues musicians
- Old Town BluesFest
References
- Allmusic biography
- The Blues - From Robert Johnson (musician)