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Dr. Lonnie Smith whose deliberate cross genres of gospel melodies, R&B, blues, and jazz added a distinct voice to the Hammond B-3 organ, died Sept. 28, at his home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was 79.

His death was confirmed by his longtime partner and manager Holly Case, who was by his side, the cause was pulmonary fibrosis.

Early in the 1970s Smith added the “Dr.” title to his name. He noted to the Amsterdam News, “I am not a medical doctor, but I can sure operate when it comes to this music and I know how to make an audience feel good.”

Smith was named a 2017 NEA Jazz Masters Fellows, the nation’s highest honor in jazz. The Jazz Journalists Association voted him Organist/Keyboardist of the Year for nine years. In 2012, Dr. Smith started his own record label Pilgrimage Inc. and in 2015 he made a historic decision to resign with Blue Note Records after 45 years. The label released “Evolution” in 2016. His 75th birthday celebration at New York City’s jazz club Jazz Standard was a live recording of his second Blue

(Ron Scott photos)

Note album “All in My Mind” with his longtime contributors guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg and drummer Jonathan Blake. This year Blue Note released “Breathe” the last album before his death which featured the surprise presence of pioneer punkrocker Iggy Pop, who appeared on the two vocal tracks “Why Can’t We Live Together” and Donovan’s “Sunshine Superman.” Lonnie Smith was born July 3, 1942, in Lackawanna, New York, a suburb of Buffalo. He was raised by his mother, Beulah Mae Early, and his stepfather, Charles Smith. He originally sang in the church choir and during the doo-wop days of the 1950s he was singing with the Teen Kings which became the Supremes (that included Jerry Bledsoe, who later became a top radio personality in NYC). The group recorded a song “Snap, Crackle and Pop.” The group earned quite a reputation and became the opening act for then teen idol Fabian. During an earlier interview with the Amsterdam News Dr. Smith recalled, “I really liked singing but I had to wait to go on stage after the band and then sit down again, so I figured playing an instrument was the way to go.” He had hopes of playing the saxophone but ended up with “a beat-up coronet.”

Although he didn’t know how to play piano, he took the gig anyway. He recalls, “the only thing that got me through was my singing. I would pick at the piano and no one really noticed my inadequate playing skills.” After being introduced to his new instrument, he concluded the organ was his destined choice, it was the only instrument he actually knew and sang to every Sunday in church.

While playing piano at one club he also played in downtown Buffalo at the Little Paris during his breaks. He eventually quit the piano gig when the owner refused to give him anymore breaks because he never returned on time. Young Smith’s many

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