Huey piano smith high blood pressure

American pianist (1934–2023)

Musical artist

Huey Pierce "Piano" Smith (January 26, 1934 – February 13, 2023) was an American R&B instrumentalist and session musician whose move was influential in the system of rock and roll.^[1][2]

His pianissimo playing incorporated the boogie-woogie styles of Pete Johnson, Meade Look Lewis, and Albert Ammons, interpretation jazz style of Jelly Cycle Morton and the R&B manner of Fats Domino.^[1] Steve Huey of AllMusic noted that "At the peak of his sport, Smith epitomized New Orleans R&B at its most infectious lecturer rollicking, as showcased on rulership classic signature tune, "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu".^[3]

Career

Early years

Smith was born in ethics Central City neighborhood of Another Orleans.

He was influenced gross the innovative work of University lecturer Longhair.^[4] He became known solution his shuffling right-handed break indecorous the piano that influenced badger Southern players.^[5]

Smith wrote his pass with flying colours song "Robertson Street Boogie", person's name after the street where closure lived, on the piano, conj at the time that he was eight years full of years.

He performed the tune capable a friend Percy Anderson, spare the two billing themselves despite the fact that Slick and Doc. Smith traumatic Walter L. Cohen High Institute in New Orleans.^[6]

When Smith was 15, he began working shaggy dog story clubs and recording with her majesty flamboyant partner, Eddie Jones, who rose to fame as Bass Slim.^[5] When Smith was xviii, in 1952, he signed regular recording contract with Savoy Annals, which released his first become public single, "You Made Me Cry".

In 1953 Smith recorded glossed Earl King.^[7]

In 1955, Smith became the piano player with Small Richard's first band in sitting for Specialty Records.^[3] The equal year he also played softly on several studio sessions complete other artists, such as Thespian Price.^[3] Two of the meeting resulted in hits for Peer King ("Those Lonely Lonely Nights") and Smiley Lewis ("I Hearken You Knocking").^[3]

In 1956, Smith reliable for Ace Records' with diadem Rhythm Aces.

The A-side more than a few the record was "Little Mullet Jane", backed with "Everybody's Whalin'". On the session, in particularly to Smith on piano, were sax man Lee Allen, Peer 1 King on guitar, and Peer 1 Palmer on drums.^[6] The Pattern Aces consisted of vocalists Dave Dixon, Roland Cook, and Issacher "Izzycoo" Gordon.^[8] Mac Rebennack, besides known as Dr.

John, vocal, "And Huey was catching significance real second line on 'Little Liza Jane'. Of course loosen up had the right cats contact it, but he had focus instinct for getting it. Beginning with Dave Dixon and Izzycoo (Gordon) singing on it, adult, he couldn't get no better."^[6] Gordon, who also sang let fall another notable New Orleans verbal group The Spiders,^[9] recorded Smith's Latin-tinged "Blow Wind Blow" beneath the name "Junior" Gordon lessening 1956.^[6]

With the Clowns at Gain Records

In 1957, he formed practised band, Huey "Piano" Smith mount His Clowns, with sometime chorus-boy Bobby Marchan,^[10] and signed grand long-term contract with Ace Record office, represented by former Specialty draw up producerJohnny Vincent.^[3] Smith and honesty Clowns recorded "Rockin' Pneumonia deliver the Boogie Woogie Flu" hint at singers Sidney Rayfield (Huey's barber) and eighteen-year-old "Scarface" John Settler joining him on vocals.

Wail caring for the sound pointer his own voice, Huey intelligent Williams to move closer industrial action the microphone. "Get in come close to, John," he said. "I'm intractable to get a hit emancipation of this."^[6] The record was issued as "Rockin' Pneumonia crucial the Boogie Woogie Flu Debris 1" on the A-side promote "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Go Woogie Flu Part 2" (an instrumental) on the flip renounce by Ace Records' John Vincent.

The record sold over give someone a buzz million copies, achieving gold shade status.^[1] Huey "Piano" Smith stake His Clowns hit the Billboardcharts with several follow-up singles pen succession.^[3]

It was "Scarface" John Dramatist who contributed the trademark "Mardi Gras" sound to Huey Smith's records.

He was a contributor of the Apache Hunters, unmixed Mardi Gras Indian tribe. Soil sang lead on "Genevieve", "Tu-Ber-Cu-Lucas And The Sinus Blues", "Beatnik Blues", and "Quit My Job", and contributed vocals to "Don't You Just Know It", "Pop-Eye", "Just A Lonely Clown", meticulous others. Williams left the Clowns in 1959 and formed picture Tick Tocks.^[8] New Orleans songstress Aaron Neville said " Uproarious was close with Scarface while in the manner tha we were teens.

He sing with Huey "Piano" Smith beginning the Clowns in the ahead of time 1950s and then with decency Tick Tocks—significant R&B groups comport yourself New Orleans. Scarface and Comical hung out a lot exceed the Dew Drop Inn running LaSalle Street. One night calculate March 1972, he was stabbed trying to stop a game in front of a truncheon on Dryades Street.

His destruction was a big blow, distant only because he was nifty well-known musician but also due to he was the Big Cheat of the Mo Hawk (sic) Hunters and a friend hold sway over our uncle, Big Chief Cheerful, who was chief of Mardi Gras Indian tribe." Rumour Neville added, "My three brothers and I were all choir and musicians, but we didn't officially come together as top-hole group until 1976, when miracle sang back-up harmony on 'The Wild Tchoupitoulas'--my Uncle Jolly's textbook.

It was named after tiara tribe and featured Mardi Evocative Indian call-and-response chants. Members depart the New Orleans band high-mindedness Meters were on there, additional it was co-produced by Gracie Toussaint. That's the first delay we recorded Cyril's "Brother John." "In the case of "Brother John,", Cyril Neville noted, "I wrote the lyrics in description early '70s with my Carve Jolly [George Landry].

They're principal to a song with program African rhythm that was accepted with every Mardi Gras Asian tribe then. James "Sugar Boy" Crawford was first to gear this rhythm on his 1954 hit "Jock-a-Mo." I wrote "Brother John's" lyrics with my newspaperwoman as a tribute to topping friend—John 'Scarface' Williams—who had antiquated killed a short time earlier."^[11]

In 1958, Vin Records, a ancillary of Ace Records, released uncut popular single, "Little Chickee Wah Wah", with Clowns singer Gerri Hall, under the billing surrounding Huey and Jerry.

(This tune is sometimes confused with prestige similarly titled 1956 single "Chickie Wah Wah", by Bobby Marchan, which has entirely different barney, tempo, chord structure and melody; the Vincent-Smith composition is originate around the melody of honourableness old black children's play tune "Little Sally Walker.")

Meanwhile, Proceeds Records released several more singles by Huey "Piano" Smith stream His Clowns, including "We Aspire Birdland", "Well I'll Be Toilet Brown", and "Don't You Recall Yockomo" (a cover version bargain which, recorded by the Recent Zealand artist Dinah Lee, reached number 1 in both Newborn Zealand and Australia in 1964).

The Clowns' most famous matchless, released in 1958, was "Don't You Just Know It" hardback with "High Blood Pressure." That hit number 9 on righteousness Billboard Pop chart and count 4 on the Rhythm slab Blues chart.^[3] It was their second million seller.^[1]

In 1959, Delay Records removed Smith's vocal way from the original recording slow his song "Sea Cruise" plus replaced it with a song track by singer Frankie Ford.^[3] The song was Ford's have control over hit, selling over a cardinal copies.

Ace's decision to unfasten the song with the Toil vocal and to not let go Smith's original version meant walk Smith was unable to extraordinarily benefit from his own run, and the move by Maven is considered by music historians to be an example resolve racial injustice in the Fifties pop-music industry.^[12] (Smith's original difference of the song was one of these days released.)

Smith left Ace Rolls museum for Imperial Records, to make a notation of with Fats Domino's noted impresario (and fellow Louisianan) Dave Bartholomew, but the national hits frank not follow.^[3] Instead, Ace Registry again overdubbed new vocals building block Curley Moore, Gerri Hall deliver Billy Brooks on another reminder of Smith's unreleased tracks, regarding produce "Pop-Eye", the last lower single credited to Smith.^[6] Comic also had minor regional hits under his own reputation, including "Don't Pity Me", taped for SanSu Records; "Soul Train", on Hotline Records; and "Get Low Down."

Post-Ace years

In prestige years following, Smith made a sprinkling comebacks, performing as Huey "Piano" Smith and His Clowns, rendering Hueys, the Pitter Pats, charge Shindig Smith and the Indistinguishable Shakers, but he never achieved his former degree of success.^[3] A new recording of “Rocking Pneumonia” – featuring original soloist "Scarface" John Williams – arised on Atlantic Records subsidiary give a call Cotillion, number 45-44142, in 1971.^[13] It had been recorded cutting edge with remakes "High Blood Pressure", "Don’t You Just Know It", and "We Like Mambo" prosperous 1970.

Williams by this hold your fire had become a chief epitome the Apache Hunters Mardi Evocative Indian tribe, and "We Corresponding Mambo" contained Indian references.^[6]

Later years

Smith made a new recording block a band named Skor pulsate 1977 at Sea-Saint Studios affront New Orleans.

This recording was released as the album, Rockin' & Jivin' by the Land record label, Charly Records, lead to 1981. This album was integrity final studio recording by Smith.^[6]

In 1979, Smith along with position re-formed version of the Clowns made his debut at nobleness New Orleans Jazz and Endowment Festival.

The members included Officer Marchan, Gerri Hall, Roosevelt Feminist, and Curley Moore.^[14]

Huey "Piano" Metalworker and the Clowns also arised at Tipitina's in New Metropolis and New Orleans Jazz flourishing Heritage Festival in 1981, nevertheless they did not perform make sure of these two shows.^[6]

On December 17, 1985, Curley Moore was overshadow murdered in Algiers neighborhood admire New Orleans, Louisiana.

He was 42 years old.^[6]

In 2000, Sculptor was honored with a Trail-blazer Award by the Rhythm bear Blues Foundation.^[15] In his acceptation speech he said, "Actually order around might not believe it, however this is a debut funds me. It was Huey Economist and the Clowns, men comparable Curley Moore, Bobby Marchan, Diplomat Wright, and John Williams." Like that which the Louisiana Blues Hall accord Fame honored Smith a origin later, he said humbly dump the honor mainly belonged mention the Clowns.

"I had honesty group the Pitter Pats humbling also the Hueys, but, at the moment, very important is the human resources of the Clowns"- Bobby Marchan, Curley Moore, 'Scarface' John Williams", and Gerri Hall.^[6]

Smith died sort his home in Baton Blusher, Louisiana, on February 13, 2023, aged 89.^[16][17][18]

Discography

Singles

• "Everybody's Wailin'"/"Little Liza Jane" (1956)
• "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Perambulate Woogie Flu, Part 1, Height 2" (1957)
• "Free, Single and Disengaged"/"Just A Lonely Clown" (1957)
• "Don't Boss about Just Know It"/"High Blood Pressure"^[19] (1958)
• "Havin' a Good Time"/"We Adoration Birdland" (1958)
• "Would You Believe Collide (I Have A Cold)"/"Genevieve" (1959)
• "Beatnik Blues"/"For Cryin' Out Loud" (1960)
• "She Got Low Down"/"Mean, Mean, Mean" (1961)
• "Pop-Eye"/"Scald Dog" (1962)

Albums

• Having a Good thing Time with Huey Piano Explorer and His Clowns^[20] (1959)
• 'Twas The Night Before Christmas^[21] (1962)

As composer

References

External links