Tab Smith | |
|---|---|
 Tab Smith in New York between 1946 and 1948 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Talmadge Smith (1909-01-11)January 11, 1909 Kinston, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | August 19, 1971(1971-08-19) (aged 62) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Genres | Swing,rhythm and blues |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Alto saxophone |
| Years active | 1929–early 1960s |
Talmadge"Tab" Smith (January 11, 1909 – August 17, 1971)[1] was an Americanswing andrhythm and bluesalto saxophonist. He is best remembered for the tracks "Because of You" and "Pretend". He worked withCount Basie, theMills Rhythm Boys andLucky Millinder.[1]
Smith was born inKinston, North Carolina, United States.[1] He joined his first professional band, the Carolina Stompers, in 1929. In the 1930s and 1940s, he spent several years in the bands ofLucky Millinder andCount Basie,[2] as well as spending long periods freelancing both as a player and as an arranger. In 1944, he participated in a recording date led byColeman Hawkins, for which he also arranged the material.[3] After theSecond World War, he led his own groups, which concentrated onrhythm and blues material.[4]
His biggest R&Bhit was "Because of You" (1940), which reached number 1 on theUSBillboardR&Bchart, and number 20 on thepop chart, in 1951. "Because of You" was recorded forUnited Records, alabel for which Smith was a prolific artist until it closed in 1957.[5] Tab Smith cut 24singles and a 10-inchalbum for the label. On his United sides, Smith sometimes playedtenor saxophone.
During the 1950s, Smith was a significant rival to alto saxophone-playing bandleaderEarl Bostic, who recorded forKing. He was also in competition with his own formative influence,Johnny Hodges, until Hodges returned to theDuke Ellington band in 1955.
His career never recovered from the closure ofUnited Records. After brief stays atChecker and King, Smith retired from the music business in the early 1960s. He sold real estate and played piano part-time in a steakhouse.
He died inSt. Louis, Missouri, in August 1971, aged 62.[1]
Duke ReidCD (21 July 1915 – 1 January 1975) was a Jamaicanrecord producer,DJ andrecord label owner who ran one of the most popularsound systems of the 1950s,[6] also sponsoring and presenting a radio show, Treasure Isle Time,[7] for which he chose "My Mother's Eyes" by Tab Smith as histheme tune.[7]
