Dr. Lonnie Smith was born in Buffalo, NY in 1953. Musically inspired at a young age, he started playing trumpet. His first exposure to the Hammond organ was in church and through the records of Bill Doggett and Jimmy Smith. After moving to New York City, he sat in with the Jack McDuff Quartet with George Benson. When Benson left to form his own group, he asked Smith to be his organist. Together they played on Lou Donaldson's 1967 album Alligator Boogaloo. After recording several albums with George Benson, Smith became a solo recording artist and developed a career that has produced over 30 albums under his own name. While his debut was 1966’s Finger Lickin' Good, he is best known for his Blue Note albums including Think and Live at the Club Mozambique. In 1969, he was named Top Organist in a Down Beat Magazine poll. Several legendary jazz artists have joined Smith on his albums including Lee Morgan, David 'Fathead' Newman, King Curtis, Blue Mitchell, and Joe Lovano, among others. His extraordinary range has allowed him to perform with rhythm and blues greats Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Etta James, Esther Phillips, the Impressions, and the Coasters. His most recent album, The Turbanator, was released in 2000.

African American Success Foundation
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