Willie Smith
William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf Smith (November 23, 1893 – April 18, 1973), nicknamed "The Lion", was an American jazz and stride pianist. |
Birth and Death Data: Born November 23, 1893 (Goshen), Died April 18, 1973 (New York City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1958
Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, composer, vocalist, celeste, songwriter
Notes: Also known as Willie-the Lion Smith.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | BS-99776 | 10-in. | 3/12/1936 | I'se a-muggin' | Mezz Mezzrow Swing Band ; Willie Smith | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble | vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-99777 | 10-in. | 3/12/1936 | I'se a-muggin' | Mezz Mezzrow Swing Band ; Willie Smith | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble | vocalist | |
| Victor | BS-011359 | 10-in. | 7/21/1937 | Passionette | Tommy Dorsey Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | BS-011360 | 10-in. | 7/21/1937 | Morning air | Tommy Dorsey Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | BS-011361 | 10-in. | 7/21/1937 | Canadian capers | Tommy Dorsey Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
| Victor | BS-011362 | 10-in. | 7/21/1937 | The morning after | Jack Leonard ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | BS-011363 | 10-in. | 7/21/1937 | Once in a while | Tommy Dorsey Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal quartet | composer | |
| Victor | BS-024035 | 10-in. | 7/15/1938 | Curfew time in Harlem | Scat Powell ; Willie Farmer Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | songwriter | |
| Victor | PBS-061255 | 10-in. | 5/20/1941 | Sweeter than the sweetest | Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Paula Kelly ; Modernaires | Jazz/dance, with female vocal solo and male vocal quartet | composer | |
| Victor | BS-067791 | 10-in. | 9/13/1941 | I'm coming, Virginia | Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers | Jazz/dance sextet | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-067792 | 10-in. | 9/13/1941 | Limehouse blues | Artists vary | Jazz/dance sextet | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-067793 | 10-in. | 9/13/1941 | Georgia cabin | Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers | Jazz/dance sextet | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-067794 | 10-in. | 9/13/1941 | Texas moaner | Artists vary | Jazz/dance sextet | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068112 | 10-in. | 10/24/1941 | 12th street rag | Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068114 | 10-in. | 10/24/1941 | Rose room | Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068115 | 10-in. | 10/24/1941 | Oh! Lady be good! | Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Victor | BS-068116 | 10-in. | 10/24/1941 | What is this thing called love | Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Columbia | W149638 | 10-in. | 1/3/1930 | For my baby | The Seven Gallon Jug Band | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Columbia | W149639 | 10-in. | 1/3/1930 | What makes me love you so? | The Seven Gallon Jug Band | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Columbia | W149690 | 10-in. | 12/6/1929 | Wipe 'em off | The Seven Gallon Jug Band | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo(s) | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Columbia | W149691 | 10-in. | 12/6/1929 | What if I do | The Seven Gallon Jug Band | Instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Columbia | W152463 | 10-in. | 8/7/1933 | The shim sham shimmy dance | Lowland Singers ; Williams' Jug Band | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo and vocal ensemble | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Columbia | W152464 | 10-in. | 8/7/1933 | Organ grinder | Williams' Jug Band | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo and male vocal trio | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Columbia | W152465 | 10-in. | 8/7/1933 | Chizzlin' Sam | Williams' Jug Band | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo and male vocal duet | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Columbia | W152466 | 10-in. | 8/7/1933 | High society | Lowland Singers ; Williams' Jug Band | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Columbia | W152467 | 10-in. | 8/7/1933 | Mister, will you serenade? | Williams' Jug Band | Jazz/dance band, with female-male vocal duet | instrumentalist, piano | |
| Decca | 38545 | 10-in. | 9/5/1934 | Ida, sweet as apple cider | Alabama Jug Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 38546 | 10-in. | 9/5/1934 | My gal Sal | Alabama Jug Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 38547 | 10-in. | 9/5/1934 | Gulf Coast blues | Alabama Jug Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 38552 | 10-in. | 9/5/1934 | I wish I could shimmy like my sister Kate | Alabama Jug Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 38781 | 10-in. | 10/3/1934 | Jazz it blues (Jazz me blues)-1 | Alabama Jug Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 38782 | 10-in. | 10/3/1934 | Somebody stole my gal | Alabama Jug Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 38783 | 10-in. | 10/3/1934 | Crazy blues | Alabama Jug Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 38784 | 10-in. | 10/3/1934 | Sugar blues | Alabama Jug Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 39489 | 10-in. | 4/23/1935 | There's gonna be the devil to pay | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 39490 | 10-in. | 4/23/1935 | Streamline gal | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 39491 | 10-in. | 4/23/1935 | What can I do with a foolish little girl like you? | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 39492 | 10-in. | 4/23/1935 | Harlem joys | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 39535 | 10-in. | 5/22/1935 | Echo of spring | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 39536 | 10-in. | 5/22/1935 | Breeze (blow my baby back to me) | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 39537 | 10-in. | 5/22/1935 | Swing, brother, swing | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 39538 | 10-in. | 5/22/1935 | Sittin' at the table | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 39557 | 10-in. | 5/29/1935 | (If I had) Rhythm in my nursery rhymes-4 | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 39996 | 10-in. | 9/23/1935 | Babs-1, 5 | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 39997 | 10-in. | 9/23/1935 | Swanee river-1 | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 39999 | 10-in. | 9/23/1935 | Oh boy-2 | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 60013 | 10-in. | 9/30/1935 | I'll take the South-1 | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 60014 | 10-in. | 9/30/1935 | Avalon-2 | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 60274 | 10-in. | 12/23/1935 | My blue heaven-1, 3, 4 | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 60275 | 10-in. | 12/23/1935 | I'm nuts about screwy music-2 | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 61934 | 10-in. | 4/13/1937 | The swampland is calling me | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 61935 | 10-in. | 4/13/1937 | More than that | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 61936 | 10-in. | 4/13/1937 | I'm all out of breath | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 61937 | 10-in. | 4/13/1937 | I can see you all over the place | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 62344 | 10-in. | 7/8/1937 | Posin' | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 62372 | 10-in. | 7/14/1937 | Get acquainted with yourself | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 62373 | 10-in. | 7/14/1937 | Knock wood | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 62374 | 10-in. | 7/14/1937 | Peace, brother, peace | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 62375 | 10-in. | 7/14/1937 | The old stamping ground | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 62593 | 10-in. | 9/15/1937 | Blues, why don't you let me alone? | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 62594 | 10-in. | 9/15/1937 | I've got to think it over | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 62595 | 10-in. | 9/15/1937 | Achin' hearted blues | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 62596 | 10-in. | 9/15/1937 | Honeymoonin' on a dime | Willie "The Lion" Smith and his Cubs | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 62760 | 10-in. | 11/11/1937 | The dipsy doodle | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano, celeste | ||
| Decca | 62761 | 10-in. | 11/11/1937 | That's a plenty | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano, celeste | ||
| Decca | 63136 | 10-in. | 1/7/1938 | Bei mir bist du schoen | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63137 | 10-in. | 1/7/1938 | The big dipper | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63141 | 10-in. | 1/10/1938 | Passionette | Willie Smith | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63142 | 10-in. | 1/10/1938 | Morning air | Willie Smith | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63279 | 10-in. | 2/11/1938 | Lost in the shuffle | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63280 | 10-in. | 2/11/1938 | The campbells are swinging | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63281 | 10-in. | 2/11/1938 | Josephine | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63440 | 10-in. | 3/17/1938 | Sissy | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63445 | 10-in. | 3/18/1938 | Pop-corn man | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63562 | 10-in. | 4/7/1938 | The toy trumpet | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63563 | 10-in. | 4/7/1938 | Jazz me blues | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63564 | 10-in. | 4/7/1938 | Copenhagen | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63587 | 10-in. | 4/12/1938 | Sweet Sue, just you-1 | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63680 | 10-in. | 4/28/1938 | Three blind mice | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63681 | 10-in. | 4/28/1938 | Looney little tooney | Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63682 | 10-in. | 4/28/1938 | The flat-foot floogie-1 | Milt Herth Quartet ; Milt Herth Trio | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 63801 | 10-in. | 5/17/1938 | Shoot the likker to me, John boy | Milt Herth Quartet | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 64341 | 10-in. | 7/22/1938 | La-de-doody-do | Milt Herth Quartet | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 64342 | 10-in. | 7/22/1938 | Home-cookin' Mama with the fryin' pan | Milt Herth Quartet | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 64775 | 10-in. | 11/30/1938 | The spider and the fly | Milt Herth Quartet | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 64776 | 10-in. | 11/30/1938 | Jump jump's here | Milt Herth Quartet | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 68394 | 10-in. | 11/26/1940 | Doggin' the dog | Joe Turner | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 68395 | 10-in. | 11/26/1940 | Careless love | Joe Turner | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 68396 | 10-in. | 11/26/1940 | Jumpin' down blues | Joe Turner | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 68397 | 10-in. | 11/26/1940 | Rainy day blues | Joe Turner | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | 104920 | 5/1/1958 | Ragtime reminiscences | Willie Smith | instrumentalist, piano | |||
| Decca | DLA 1010 | 10-in. | 7/24/1936 | Pigeon walk-2 | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | DLA 1012 | 10-in. | 11/5/1937 | Teasin' Tessie Brown | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | DLA 2447 | 10-in. | 6/23/1941 | I'm walking through heaven with you | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | DLA 2448 | 10-in. | 6/23/1941 | You' re always in my dreams | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | DLA 2449 | 10-in. | 6/23/1941 | Flamingo | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | L 3065 | 10-in. | 6/26/1942 | Knock me a kiss-2 | Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | N 2703 | 10-in. | 9/29/1944 | Black and blue | Max Kaminsky and his Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | N 2704 | 10-in. | 9/29/1944 | [Unknown title(s)] | Max Kaminsky and his Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | N 2705 | 10-in. | 9/29/1944 | Wrap your troubles in dreams | Max Kaminsky and his Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | N 2706 | 10-in. | 9/29/1944 | Dippermouth blues | Max Kaminsky and his Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | N 2706[a] | 10-in. | 9/29/1944 | Black and blue | Max Kaminsky and his Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | N 2708 | 10-in. | 9/29/1944 | Old fashioned love | Max Kaminsky and his Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | N 2708[a] | 10-in. | 9/29/1944 | Jazz me blues | Max Kaminsky and his Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | N 2710 | 10-in. | 9/29/1944 | Someday sweetheart | Max Kaminsky and his Band | instrumentalist, piano | ||
| Decca | N 2710[a] | 10-in. | 9/29/1944 | Home | Max Kaminsky and his Band | instrumentalist, piano |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Smith, Willie," accessed November 25, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/102109.
Smith, Willie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/102109.
"Smith, Willie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Willie “The Lion” Smith
Discogs: Willie Smith
Allmusic: Willie Smith
Grove: Willie Smith
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Smith, Willie, 1897-1973 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50053259
Wikidata: Willie “The Lion” Smith - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1773956
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/71489941
MusicBrainz: Willie “The Lion” Smith - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/5daad4be-e76b-40cd-9dba-459a02451e83
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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