Byther Smith | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Byther Claude Earl John Smith |
Also known as | Byther Smith, Byther Smitty Smith |
Born | Monticello, Mississippi, U.S. | April 17, 1932
Died | September 10, 2021 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | (aged 89)
Genres | Blues, electric blues |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals |
Years active | Late 1950s–2021 |
Labels | Delmark, Bullseye, Black and Tan |
Byther Claude Earl John Smith (April 17, 1932 – September 10, 2021) [1] [2] was an American blues musician [3] who worked with Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Otis Rush and Junior Wells. [4]
Born in Monticello, Mississippi, United States, Smith's early music experiences revolved around gospel music. [4] Orphaned, Smith was brought up by his uncle and aunt. [5] In his teenage years he moved to Arizona to work on a cattle ranch and played in a country and western band on weekends. [4] He worked in construction and local farmhands taught him to play the double bass. [5] Around this time Smith showed an interest in boxing, so his aunt bought Smith an electric bass guitar to encourage him to follow a musical path instead. [5]
Smith migrated to Chicago in the mid-1950s with his wife, Etta Mae. [5] In the early 1960s he began performing in clubs, learning guitar from J. B. Lenoir (his first cousin who had encouraged him to migrate [5]), Robert Lockwood, Jr., and Hubert Sumlin. [3] He worked regularly as rhythm guitarist for Otis Rush. [5] During this period he recorded a number of singles with labels such as Bea & Baby, Cruise and Apex but in 1965 returned to his gospel roots with a group called the Gospel Travellers. [4] In the 1970s he joined the house band at Theresa’s Tavern where he worked for five years, often playing with Junior Wells. [4] [5] In 1974 he recorded various tracks with Sunnyland Slim for Slim's later album 'She Got A Thing Goin' On'. [6] In the late 1970s, Smith toured with the likes of Big Mama Thornton and George "Harmonica" Smith. [5]
After years playing in clubs all over the world, a demo tape Smith recorded became the album Tell Me How You Like It, released by the Texas-based Grits record label. His next release in the United Kingdom was Addressing the Nation with the Blues for JSP Records. [7] In 1995, Smith retired from his job at Economy Folding Box Company after twenty-five years, allowing him to focus fully on music.[ citation needed] Smith retired from touring in 2015. [6]
Delmark Records boss Bob Koester observed, "There's a mellowness there that is disappearing in all but B.B. King". [7]
Byther Smith died in Chicago on September 10, 2021, aged 89. [8]