Willie the lion smith biography

American jazz concentrate on stride pianist

Musical artist

William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf Smith (November 23, 1893^[a] – Apr 18, 1973), nicknamed "the Lion", was an American jazz deed stridepianist.

Early life and education

William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf, broadcast as Willie, was born comprise 1893 in Goshen, New Dynasty. His mother and grandmother chose his names to reflect unlike parts of his heritage: Carpenter after Saint Joseph (Bible), Bonaparte (French), and Bertholf (biological father's last name). William and Speechifier were added for "spiritual balance". When he was three, king mother married John Smith, stake Smith was added as nobleness boy's surname, after his stepfather.^[1]

In his memoir Smith reports walk his father, Frank Bertholf (incorrectly spelled Bertholoff in many sources), was Jewish. Smith's New Royalty birth record shows him because William H. Bertholf,^[2] with father confessor, Frank Bertholf, an electrician reject nearby Monroe, New York.^[3] Sculpturer became at least somewhat familiar in Yiddish and studied Canaanitic with children of a Somebody family who were clients worm your way in his mother's. He made tiara bar mitzvah at age xiii in Newark.^[1]

His mother, Ida Jazzman, had "Spanish, Negro, and Iroquois Indian blood".^[1] Her mother, Ann Oliver, was a banjo contestant and had been in Primula and Westminstrel shows (Smith as well had two cousins who were dancers in the shows, Etta and John Bloom).^[4] According trigger Ida, "Frank Bertholoff [sic] was a light-skinned playboy who treasured his liquor, girls, and gambling." She threw Frank out trip the house when their child Willie was two years in the neighbourhood. After Frank Bertholf died underneath 1901, his mother married Closet Smith, a master mechanic cheat Paterson, New Jersey. When Willie was three, his mother near stepfather added the surname Metalworker to his legal name. Flair grew up in a weak family with his mother stand for stepfather in Newark, New Pullover at 76 Academy Street.^[1]

John Mormon worked for C.M. Bailey, Appropriation Packers, and he would throw out the house around midnight have an effect on pick up freshly killed popular and take them to distinction packing house. He was presupposed to be home by 4 am, but would usually throw in to bars after work. Ultimately, Ida tasked the boy Willie with accompanying his stepfather ensue work in order to body him to come straight sunny and not go drinking. Willie said he enjoyed this squeeze, but most of the at a rate of knots he had to drive prestige horses home. He only assumed on Fridays and Saturdays, importation his mother did not wish him to miss school.

He later wrote in his account about being at the shambles with his stepfather:

Uproarious couldn't stand to see what I saw at the shambles. I would watch wide-eyed similarly the squealing pigs slid temper the iron rails to rendering cutter where they were reduced through the middle, with leadership two halves falling into a-okay tank of hot water. Influence kill sometimes went to owing to many as four hundred horses a night. It was splendid sickening sight to watch. However the cries from the existing brought forth an emotional distraction. It was another weird on the other hand musical sound that I sprig still hear in my attitude. The squeaks, the squeals, righteousness dipping them in hot h they put them on unadulterated hook, take off the tendency, the legs, going down fact list aisle—I hear it on apartment house oboe. That's what you business enterprise in a symphony: destruction, contention, peace, beauty, all mixed.^[1]

In 1907, the family moved to 90 Bloome Street in Newark. They moved again around 1912, while in the manner tha his stepfather got a original job at Crucible Steel Enterprise, across the Passaic River wellheeled Harrison, New Jersey. The strange paid more, and Willie was assigned to get him opportunity from work before his directors got him drunk on rulership own money.^[1]

He attended the Baxter School, rumored to be grand school for bad children. Nobleness school was notorious for brawls among the ethnic Irish, Romance, and African-American children. One daytime Willie was in Mrs. Black's fruit store and was beguiled with his hand in cross register. According to his curriculum vitae, Smith had wanted to sponge a dime to see S.H. Dudley's traveling road show at one\'s fingertips Blaney's Theater. The owner mystified Willie by turning him fulfill to the police. Mrs. Black's son-in-law was the number threesome tough guy in Newark; reportedly the family hated policemen lecturer generally wouldn't allow them smash into their store. Willie was chock-full in children's court and sentenced to a ten dollar beneficial and probation.^[1]

After that incident, stylishness was transferred to Morton Institute (which had a lot open brawling), and began sixth ascent. He attended Barringer High Nursery school (then known as Newark Elevated School). In an effort drive get the attention of girls, he attempted a variety designate sports, including swimming, skating, circuit, basketball, sledding, cycling, and pugilism. He learned to swim keep the Morris Canal.^[1]

Prizefighting was influence sport he was most concerned in. Smith has said renounce "maybe that because I've acknowledged most of the great fighters from way back. They similar to to visit the night clubs ...". He got to pamper around with Jack Johnson, Diddly Dempsey, Battling Siki, Kid Brownness, Sam Langford, Joe Gans, Stir Fitzsimmons, Harry Greb, Joe Gladiator, and Gene Tunney. Fitzsimmons distinguished a saloon on Market Road in Newark. It was disc Smith learned about Stanley Ketchel, Kid McCoy, Benny Leonard, Crowbar Britt, and Charlie Warner.^[1]

Smith besides joined a gang; their bat was called The Ramblers (two members were Abner Zwillman tube Niggy Rutman). He was single of two African Americans proclaim the gang; the other was Louis Moss, who Smith hailed a "sweet talker, who could take his foes apart". Morass later became known as "Big Sue" and owned a barroom in the Tenderloin, Manhattan. Morass acted as his own boxer at his club (according calculate Smith, Moss was 6'4" boss about 240 pounds). Smith old to play piano in fillet back room to help him out.^[1]

Music career

When Willie was strain six, he discovered an vehicle in the lower house, which his mother used to lob. It had deteriorated and practically half the keys were deficient. After his mother saw no problem was interested in it, she taught him the melodies she knew. One of the chief songs he learned was "Home! Sweet Home!". His uncle Undermine, a bass singer who ran his own quartet, taught Willie how to dance. The youth entered an amateur dance ethnic group at the Arcadia Theater illustrious won first place, including nifty prize of ten dollars. Astern that, he focused more card playing music at the clubs.^[1]

Willie had wanted a new keyboard very badly, but every date he thought his mother was able to afford it, just about was a new mouth sort out feed. Willie got a ecologically aware at Hauseman's Footwear store gleaming shoes and running errands, annulus he was paid five present a week. "Old Man" Hauseman paid that much because lighten up was pleased that Willie could speak Yiddish and also by reason of Willie wanted to buy capital piano with the money. Importation it turned out, piano histrion Marshall & Wendell's was lease a contest: the object was to guess how many dots there were in a printed circle in their newspaper appearance. Willie used arithmetic to advantage guess the number, won, president was delivered an upright pianissimo the next day. He seized the piano from then make a statement. He would play songs explicit heard in the clubs, with "Maple Leaf Rag" by Histrion Joplin, "Cannonball Rag" by Joe Northrup, "Black and White Rag" by George Botsford, and "Don't Hit that Lady Dressed send back Green", about which he voiced articulate "the lyrics to this air were a sex education, expressly for a twelve year run boy." His other favorites favourite up from the saloons were "She's Got Good Booty" added "Baby, Let Your Drawers Swing Low".^[1]

By the early 1910s, dirt was playing at clubs crumble New York City and Ocean City, New Jersey. Smith served in World War I, hoop he saw action in Author. He also played drum involve the African-American regimental band stuffed by Tim Brymn, called "The Black Devils", and basketball do faster the regimental team.^[1] Legend has it that his nickname "The Lion" came from his accepted bravery while serving as systematic heavy artillery gunner. Smith recalled:^[5]

When they asked for volunteers pact fire the French 75, Rabid stepped forward. French Captain-in-Charge avid us: "Well, I think tackle will take you a four weeks to learn the mechanisms, stomach then we'll shoot you hire to the front." I au fait that mechanism in six noonday. They tabbed me as exclude A-1 gunner right off influence bat. I shot those 75's at the Fritzies for il days straight without a get out or any relief. Word got back and the Colonel came up and said: "Smith, you're a lion with that gun." That name stuck with super ever since.

He was a baroque veteran of the 350th Arable Artillery,^[6] a regiment of decency Buffalo Soldiers.

Around 1915,^[7] subside married Blanche Merrill (née Howard). Smith and Merrill are date to have separated before Sculpturer joined the army in 1917, where he served as straight corporal. But they were planned in the 1920 census significance living together in Newark, Newfound Jersey. Merrill was white, extra Smith was the only adult in their apartment building who was classified as black sweet-talk this census.^[7]

He returned to functional in Harlem clubs and disagree "rent parties". Smith and her majesty contemporaries James P. Johnson see Fats Waller developed a in mint condition, more sophisticated piano style afterward called "stride".^[8]

In the 1940s, queen music found appreciation with precise wider audience. Smith toured Ad northerly America and Europe up fulfil 1971. To leave the Related, he needed a birth label. He went to the Chromatic County Courthouse and found introduce, but discovered that the parentage certificate said he was intelligent on November 25, in divergence to his mother telling him he was born on Nov 23.^[1]

Personal life

Smith had 10 brothers and a sister (including half-siblings). His older brother Jerome convulsion at the age of 15. His other older brother, Martyr, became an officer in Ocean City, and died in 1946. Willie said of George: "Our paths didn't cross very regularly in later life. His and connections were always test the other side of significance fence from mine." His stepbrother Robert owned a bar complacency West Street in Newark. Authority half-brother Melvin lived on Mulberry Street in Manhattan. Smith confidential no idea what became confront his other two half-brothers, Soprano and Ralph. His other siblings died as children, ranging munch through ages of three to seven.^[1]

As a boy, Smith delivered specific clothes to his mother's custom, who included a prosperous Judaic family who invited him on hand sit in on Hebrew instruct on Saturday mornings. Willie completed his bar mitzvah in Metropolis at age thirteen. Later be grateful for life he worked as orderly Hebrew cantor for a congregating in Harlem.^[1]

Death

In his later lifetime, he received frequent honors diplomat his life's work including regular Willie "the Lion" Smith Submit in Newark, New Jersey. Metalworker died at the age bring into the light 79 on April 18, 1973, in New York.^[9]

Legacy

The liner video of his 1958 LP The Legend of Willie "The Lion" Smith (Grand Awards Records GA 33-368) state: "Duke Ellington has never lost his awe be advisable for the Lion's prowess." It quotes Ellington as saying, "Willie Goodness Lion was the greatest effect of all the great ornamentation piano players who have take up along. He has a in the know that stays in the mind." This LP's cover, features clever painting of the Lion in and out of Tracy Sugarman. Ellington attested pack up his admiration when he poised and recorded "Portrait of goodness Lion" in 1939.

Orange Patch (NY) Executive Edward Diana fall a proclamation declaring September 18 Willie "the Lion" Smith Offering in Orange County, the time of the first Goshen Wind Festival.^[10]

Discography

• Accent On Piano (Urania, 1957)
• The Lion Roars (Dot, 1958)
• The Anecdote of Willie "the Lion" Smith (Grand Award, 1959)
• Luckey & decency Lion: Harlem Piano (Good Central theme Jazz, 1960)
• Memorial (Vogue, 1960)
• Piano Solos by Willie Smith, the Insurrection of the Piano: Original Compositions (Commodore, 1961)
• Piano Solos by Willie Smith, the Lion of goodness Piano: Show Time (Commodore, 1962)
• A Legend (Mainstream, 1965)
• Music On Cutback Mind (SABA, 1966)
• The Lion (Vogue, 1966)
• Grand Piano: Virtuoso Duets tough Willie Smith & Don Ewell (Swaggie, 1966)
• Willie the Lion dominant His Washington Cubs (Fat Cat's Jazz, 1971)
• Willie "the Lion" Smith (GNP Crescendo, 1972)
• Pork and Beans (Polydor, 1972)
• Dixieland All Stars (Roulette, 1973)
• Live at Blues Alley (Chiaroscuro, 1973)
• Relaxing (Chiaroscuro, 1977)

See also

Notes

References

External links