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SurfGuitar101 Forums » The Shallow End »

Permalink Johnny Smith RIP

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The celebrated jazz guitarist who composed "Walk, Don't Run" in the early 50's has passed. Smith's chord melodies were things of beauty - he was a giant in the guitar world. He was also, by all accounts, a fine gentleman.

This is terrible news. Johnny was who really got me interested in jazz guitar and back into playing in a big band. He always said he wasn't a jazz player and strictly speaking he wasn't. He worked out every line and voicing to the Nth degree instead of improving. It was all very precise and refined and sounded fantastic. I have his entire collection from the Roost label and if you can find the box set snatch it up. It's only going up in value if you don't like it, but you'd be a dolt not to love it.
As much as I like WDR by the Ventures, if you have not heard the original when you do you'll see how much, as in all, the magic and intricacy they stripped away- like a child playing a toy piano of Chopin calling it by the same name. I am truly saddened by this news. He was technician, educator, and all around decent man.

www.jetpackband.com
https://www.facebook.com/JetpackTheBand

Agreed. This was the very first version I ever heard. We have a family friend who is a jazz guitarist. It's how he played it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBBDCV2Fzno

This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.

Last edited: Jun 16, 2013 08:46:20

I have the Roost box set as well, Jetpack and it is indeed a treasure.

Ken

Celebrate his life and listen to his music and playing, it's what I do when one of the greats passes.

The guy had his own unique approach to the guitar. I remember in the early days of Guitar Player Magazine, he had a column called "Try it this way" where he demonstrated his theory and approach to popular jazz standards. - hard as hell to play. He and Tal Farlow had these monster hands with long fingers that made the "piano chords" look easy. For the rest of us, they weren't.
Gonna miss this guy.
J Mo'

I kind of agree with Bamboozer. This isn't so much sad news (for the world at large, anyway) as it is an excuse to remember and be inspired. A passing is different for family and friends, of course. The rest of us haven't lost anything at all unless we forget. Thanks for that clip post Noel.

I hope no one will mind if I bring this thread back.

Having spent many years in Colorado, Johnny Smith was part of the experience for anyone interested in guitar. The first time I saw him face to face was when I happened into his store, with no idea whatsoever who he was. He had a calm demeanor that could be disconcerting to a 17 year old that wanted to be a hotshot guitar player.

Johnny Smith Music, in Colorado Springs was a great store and literally anyone could walk in and meet Johnny Smith, although having a conversation was a bit less likely. He was a quiet fellow and unassuming when minding his shop. As I matured, both as a human and as a guitarist, he became more inclined to chat with me a bit. A good friend of mine had actually taken guitar lessons from him, and one of my instructors, Dale Bruning, had played bass for Johnny when he gigged in Denver. At the time I was too young to get in to the venue. The friend whom eventually became his student used to hang around the kitchen door at Shaner’s, where Johnny played, just to get to hear him live. Oh the indignities of being underage.

In my early twenties, I bought a Johnny Smith model Gibson. It had a few problems and I was not entirely satisfied with it. I walked into Johnny’s store once and asked if they had an L-5 in stock. Johnny wasn’t in, but his wife was there. When I explained that I was dissatisfied with my Smith model and wanted to get an L-5 she said that Johnny would want to know about this and asked if I would bring the guitar in the next day so Johnny could take a look at it. The next morning, I arrived minutes after the store opened and Johnny was literally pacing just inside the door. He took the guitar and asked if I’d come back that afternoon. When I did, my Johnny Smith Model sounded exactly like his, he did an A:B comparison in my presence. It was a great playing guitar at that point and he set it up free of charge.

In the mid ‘80s, he sold the store and “retired”, which was actually more a case of spending his time as a flight instructor. Besides being a guitarist, I am a pilot and can tell you from firsthand experience that the winds common in Colorado Springs make for some challenging flying. It was in that combination of wind and terrain that Johnny chose to retire by riding shotgun for a bunch of student pilots flying in serious turbulence.

The last time I saw Johnny would have been in the mid ‘90s at a Guitar show in Denver. He was listed as an attraction at the show and spent his time there seated at a table and greeting the occasional visitor. As he got ready to leave, he said that he wanted to take a quick tour of the rest of the show. I asked permission to tag along.

I don’t know that Johnny ever knew me by name, but after 20+ years of my visiting his store and chatting after one of his concerts, he knew me by sight and knew that I played jazz guitar so on a fine day in the mid nineties, I got to stroll around a guitar show with one of the best players in the business. All around us, rockers and metal heads were testing out guitars, playing the same shopworn tortured blues licks that fill the air at Guitar Center. I asked what he thought when he heard that and he replied: “I think I’m glad it’s not me”.

But the story doesn’t end there. The same friend that took lessons from Johnny has a nice collection of guitars, including one of Hank Garland’s Byrdlands and Jim Atkins Super 400. After Johnny passed away he ended up with some of Johnny’s music memorabilia. He also ended up with Johnny’s old Epiphone Triumph, the guitar he played before getting his D’Angelico (upon which the Johnny Smith Model was based). So, on a recent visit, I got to play not only Hank Garland’s Byrdland, but also Johnny Smith’s Epi and for a guitar significantly older than myself, I have to say it plays great.

Johnny Smith was a very decent sort and the source of my technique. It was a real privilege to be in a place where I could talk to him on occasion. There’s no one else quite like him.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Last edited: Dec 14, 2017 10:54:35

What a great story! Thanks so much for sharing this. He truly was a great guitarist!

Rev

Canadian Surf

http://www.urbansurfkings.com/

Great story. As often as I have been to the Springs, I didn't know this until the store was closed. I believe I missed an opportunity to hear a history lesson by the originator.

It broke my heart when they sold the store. The buyers turned it into a metal emporium complete with pointy guitars in day-glo colors. It was sad.

But all things change, and rust never sleeps. Smile

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Great story, synchro. you're very fortunate to have been able to meet him.

OaklandA wrote:

Great story, synchro. you're very fortunate to have been able to meet him.

Indeed. It was simply a matter of being at the right place at the right time.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

synchro wrote:

In the mid ‘80s, he sold the store and “retired”, which was actually more a case of spending his time as a flight instructor. Besides being a guitarist, I am a pilot and can tell you from firsthand experience that the winds common in Colorado Springs make for some challenging flying. It was in that combination of wind and terrain that Johnny chose to retire by riding shotgun for a bunch of student pilots flying in serious turbulence.

Thanks for that insight. Pilot here as well & can attest his calling to that area-specific role no doubt saved lives; stuff the average flat-lander pilot isn't experienced in. Those winds are found in the dictionary under "capricious" or "humbling" - and that's the polite version.

Thanks again.

Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.

Badger wrote:

synchro wrote:

In the mid ‘80s, he sold the store and “retired”, which was actually more a case of spending his time as a flight instructor. Besides being a guitarist, I am a pilot and can tell you from firsthand experience that the winds common in Colorado Springs make for some challenging flying. It was in that combination of wind and terrain that Johnny chose to retire by riding shotgun for a bunch of student pilots flying in serious turbulence.

Thanks for that insight. Pilot here as well & can attest his calling to that area-specific role no doubt saved lives; stuff the average flat-lander pilot isn't experienced in. Those winds are found in the dictionary under "capricious" or "humbling" - and that's the polite version.

Thanks again.

The closest I ever came to buying it was on long final to 35R at COS. In my case, the prop governor control was improperly rigged, sending it into full increase just as I made a power reduction, but lord-a-mercy what an area to have had to put down in. Fortunately, the guy riding shotgun was able to hold the prop in full decrease and I flew it in on the throttle control alone, but I still shudder at the thought.

BTW, the A&P at the FBO knew of the problem and sent the plane out with me on a 1,600 mile cross country with a prop governor that was acting up. I'm an A&P too, but all I could do was walk away shaking me head. These days I probably would have tried to get his ticket yanked.

Teaching students at COS had to have been a challenge. Density altitudes can approach 9,000 on hot days, the winds coming off Pike's Peak are unpredictable and you might be in the pattern with active fighter planes that fall out of the sky at 125% of redline on the average primary trainer. I envy him. Apparently it was his greatest passion to flight instruct.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Last edited: Dec 15, 2017 08:52:37

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