Huey P. Smith(1934-2023)
- Soundtrack
Born January 26, 1934, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Huey "Piano" Smith is
an American jazz and blues pianist who is considered influential in
many musical genres including pop, rock and New Orleans jazz. He
composed his first song at the age of 8, titled "Ramsford Street
Boogie", named after a street in his neighborhood. In 1952, at 18, he
signed his first recording contract and attended and later graduated
from The University of Louisiana. He had his first hit with "You Made
Me Cry". Early in his career he teamed with
Eddie Jones, later known as
"Guitar Slim", to form the duo "Slick and Dark". Recording for
Specialty Records, he was the first piano player to accompany
Little Richard and also played sessions
with Lloyd Price and
Earl King. In 1957, recording for Ace Records,
he and Bobby Marchand formed "Huey 'Piano' Smith and The Clowns". They
had million-sellers with "Rockin' Pneumonia and The Boogie Woogie Flu"
(1957) and "Don't You Just Know It" (1958), both now considered rock
standards. In 1959 Ace Records substituted his voice on a recording of
"Sea Cruise", which Huey had written, with that of newcomer
Frankie Ford. It became a million-seller.
Huey continued to perform for some time thereafter but was never able
to recapture his earlier recording success.
