|
Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZSMITH, Willie(b William McLeish Smith, 25 Nov. '10, Charleston SC; d 7 March '67, LA) Alto sax, also clarinet, vocalist, arranger. One of the all-time crowd-pleasers of the alto sax, but also an underrated all-rounder: among the most important assets of the popular Jimmie Lunceford band '29--42 as arranger, leader of an excellent reed section and singing in the band's vocal trio. He worked for Charlie Spivak '42--3, US Navy '43--4, then Harry James nearly 20 years except for '51--3 with Duke Ellington, after Duke's 'Great James Raid': it is said that Smith finally got the Ellington reed section uniquely into shape, the only time they played with properly matched vibratos. He also worked for Billy May; freelance work incl. JATP, records with Nat Cole; with Charlie Barnet '67. |