George “Harmonica” Smith
George “Harmonica” Smith
By Michael Erlewine
George Smith was born on April 22,
1924 in Helena, Arkansas, but was
raised in Cairo, Illinois. At four Smith
was already taking harp lessons from
his mother, a guitar player, and a
somewhat stern taskmaster -- it was a
case of get it right or else. In his early
teens, he started hoboing around the
towns in the South and later joined Early
Woods, a country band with Early
Woods on fiddle and Curtis Gould on
spoons. He also worked with a gospel
group in Mississippi called the Jackson
Jubilee Singers.
Smith moved to Rock Island, Illinois in
1941 and played with a group that
included Francis Clay on drums. There
is evidence that he was one of first to
amplify his harp. While working at the
Dixie Theater, he took an old 16mm
cinema projector, extracted the
amplifier/speaker, and began using this
on the streets.
His influences include Larry Adler and
later Little Walter. Smith would
sometimes bill himself as Little Walter
Jr. or Big Walter. He played in a number
of bands including one of with a young
guitarist named Otis Rush and later
replaced Henry Strong in the Muddy
Waters Band, and went on the raod with
this band.
In 1954, he was offered a permanent job
at the Orchid Room in Kansas City
where, early in 1955, Joe Bihari of
Modern Records (on a scouting trip),
heard Smith, and signed him to Modern.
These recording sessions were released
under “Little George Smith,” “Telephone
Blues,” and “Blues in the Dark”. The
records were a success.
Smith traveled with Little Willie John and
Champion Jack Dupree on one of the
Universal Attractions tours. While on the
tour, he recorded with Champion Jack
Dupree in November of 1955 in
Cincinnati, producing “Sharp Harp” and
“Overhead Blues.” The tour ended in
Los Angeles and Smith settled down --
spending the rest of his life in that city.
In the late fifties he recorded for J&M,
Lapel, Melker, and Caddy under the
names Harmonica King or Little Walter
Junior. He worked with Big Mama
Thornton on many shows.
In 1960, Smith met producer Nat McCoy
who owned Soloplay and Carolyn
labels, with whom he recorded 10
singles under the name of George Allen.
In 1966, while Muddy Waters was on
West Coast, he asked Smith to join him
and they worked together for a while,
recording for Spivey Records.
Smiths first album on World Pacific “A
Tribute to Little Walter” was released in
 George “Harmonica” Smith
1968. In 1969 Bob Thiele produced an
excellent solo album of Smith on
Bluesway, and later made use of Smith
as a sideman for his Blues Times label.
including sets with T-Bone Walker, and
Hamonica Slim. Smith met Rod Piazza,
a young white harp player and they
formed the Southside Blues Band, later
known as Bacon Fat.
In 1969 Smith signed with UK producer
Mike Vernon and did the “No Time for
Jive” album. Smith was less active in the
1970s appearing with Eddie Taylor and
Big Mama Thornton. Around 1977,
Smith became friends with William
Clarke and they began working
together. Their working relationship and
friendship continued until Smith died in
October 1, 1983.
William Clarke, Smith’s protégé, writes
“He had a technique on the chromatic
harp where he would play two notes at
once, but one octave apart. He would
get an organ-type sound by doing this.
George really know how to make his
notes count by not playing too much and
taking his time by letting the music
unfold easily. He could also swing like
crazy and was a first-class entertainer. I
have heard from a friend that they had
seen George Smith in the 1950s playing
a club in Chicago, tap dancing around
everybody’s drinks on top of the bar
while playing his harp. “
“I have been with him in church and
seen him play amplified harmonica by
himself. This was very soulful. I have
never heard George play a song the
same way twice. He was very creative
and played directly from his heart. He
admired all great musicians but had his
own sound and style. He was a true
original. Mr. Smith would always give
100% on stage whether or not there
were 1 or 1,000 people listening. This
was his performing style, always.”
“George Smith greatly admired
harmonica player Larry Adler, and
although Adler used the octave
technique on the harp also, George
really was the one that developed this to
it’s full potential. Before Mr. Smith,
nobody in blues had used this octave
technique.”
“An extremely kind and gentle man,
George always went all out to help other
harmonica players. Everybody liked
George Smith. He played a huge role in
advancing blues harmonica and should
never be forgotten. You can hear the
influence of George Smith in most
everyone playing blues harmonica
today, whether directly or indirectly. He
also was a great blues singer. He had a
huge baritone voice that conveyed great
emotion and soulfulness.“
Recommended Smith recordings
include “Blowin’ the Blues” (1960), on
Pea Vine; “Tribute to Little Walter”
 George “Harmonica” Smith

(1968), on Liberty”No Time for Jive”

(1970), on Blue Horizon; “Of the
Blues”(1973), re-issued on Crosscut
Records; “Little George Smith”(1991),
on Ace Records.

Michael@Erlewine.net