Stuff Smith
Hezekiah Leroy Gordon Smith, known as Stuff Smith, was born on August 14, 1909, in Portsmouth, Ohio, and became one of the leading jazz violinists of the swing era. He learned to play the violin from his father and was heavily influenced by Louis Armstrong, which inspired him to pursue jazz. In the 1920s, Smith played with Alphonse Trent's band in Texas and later moved to New York City, where he gained fame performing at the Onyx Club starting in 1935.
Smith's career took off after he signed with Vocalion Records in 1936, achieving a hit with "I'se a Muggin'" as Stuff Smith and His Onyx Club Boys. He recorded with several labels, including Decca and Varsity, and collaborated with jazz legends such as Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie. Known for his energetic and bluesy style, Smith was a pioneer in using electric amplification for the violin.
He was also a composer, co-writing "It's Wonderful," a song performed by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, and the well-known "If You're a Viper," a song celebrating marijuana. Smith's later years were spent in Europe, where he moved in 1965, continuing to perform despite health issues caused by alcohol consumption. He passed away on September 25, 1967, in Munich, Germany, and is buried in Denmark. Smith's legacy as a jazz violinist is celebrated, and he is among the musicians featured in the iconic 1958 photograph "A Great Day in Harlem."
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