pinetop smith

Biography

Clarence 'Pinetop' Smith was born on June 11, 1904, in Troy, Alabama, and raised in Birmingham. A self-taught pianist, he began performing at local house parties and public venues in his mid-teens, quickly developing a distinctive style that blended blues, ragtime, and early jazz. His early career saw him move to Pittsburgh in 1920, where he worked as an entertainer and toured the Theatre Owners Booking Association (T.O.B.A.) vaudeville circuit, performing as a singer, comedian, and pianist. He also served as an accompanist for notable blues artists such as Ma Rainey and Butterbeans & Susie. In 1928, encouraged by fellow pianist Cow Cow Davenport, Smith relocated to Chicago to record for Vocalion Records, where he lived in the same rooming house as boogie-woogie legends Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons, fostering a vibrant musical exchange.

Smith's musical style was characterized by rhythmic 'breaks' and a driving, danceable piano technique that became foundational to the boogie-woogie genre. His 1928 recording of 'Pinetop's Boogie Woogie' was the first known use of the term 'boogie woogie' on a record and helped cement the genre's identity. Tragically, Smith's promising career was cut short when he was fatally shot in a dance-hall fight in Chicago on March 15, 1929, the night before a scheduled recording session. Despite his brief career, Smith's influence on boogie-woogie and subsequent genres like rock and roll was profound, and his work gained renewed popularity after World War II through covers by artists such as Tommy Dorsey, Bing Crosby, and Count Basie.

Fun Facts

• Smith earned his nickname 'Pinetop' as a child because he liked to climb trees.
• He was the first artist to use the term 'boogie woogie' on a record, helping to define the genre.
• Smith's recording of 'Pinetop's Boogie Woogie' was so influential that it inspired big band arrangements and became a best-selling record after World War II.
• He died tragically at the age of 24, the night before a scheduled recording session, after being shot in a dance-hall fight in Chicago.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Cow Cow Davenport - Recommended Smith to Vocalion Records and encouraged his move to Chicago (Vocalion Records sessions) [mid-1920s]

Key Collaborators

• Ma Rainey - Smith worked as an accompanist for Ma Rainey (Vaudeville and touring performances) [early 1920s]
• Butterbeans & Susie - Smith worked as an accompanist for Butterbeans & Susie (Vaudeville and touring performances) [early 1920s]
• Meade Lux Lewis - Shared a rooming house and participated in jam sessions (Chicago house-rent party and club circuits) [1928–1929]
• Albert Ammons - Shared a rooming house and participated in jam sessions (Chicago house-rent party and club circuits) [1928–1929]

Artists Influenced

• Albert Ammons - Cited Smith as a key influence on his boogie-woogie style (Boogie-woogie recordings and performances) [1930s–1940s]
• Pete Johnson - Cited Smith as a key influence on his boogie-woogie style (Boogie-woogie recordings and performances) [1930s–1940s]
• Tommy Dorsey - Arranged and recorded 'Boogie Woogie' based on Smith's style (Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra's 'Boogie Woogie' (1938)) [1938]
• Bing Crosby - Recorded a version of 'Boogie Woogie' inspired by Smith (Bing Crosby with Lionel Hampton's Orchestra (1946)) [1946]
• Count Basie - Recorded a version of 'Boogie Woogie' inspired by Smith (Count Basie's 'Boogie Woogie') [1940s]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie - Remaster (Pinetop's Boogie Woogie (Remaster))
2. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie
3. I'm Sober Now (Sober Now)
4. Jump Steady Blues
5. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie (The Masters Of The Boogie Woogie Piano 1924-1939)
6. Pinetops Boogie Woogie
7. Jump Steady Blues
8. Boogie Woogie (Empire Brass In Japan (Live at Hitomi Commemoration Auditorium, 1986))
9. Boogie Woogie
10. Pinetop's Blues (Really the Blues?: A Blues History (1893-1959), Vol. 1 (1893-1929))

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia