RIP Johnny Smith

Stringswinger · June 2013

I heard from a good source that Johnny Smith passed on yesterday. His music will be long remembered.

elias t. · June 2013

Sad News indeed , by the way i ve never seen anyone posting this before , johnny's solo starts around 4:10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE6I4lpYF9Y

CalebFSU · June 2013

Wow sad day for sure!

MichaelHorowitz · June 2013

Thanks for posting this Marc....sorry to hear Johnny's gone. I know what I'll be listening to today...

M

adrian · June 2013

Johnny Smith on Django:

Archtop Eddy · June 2013

Johnny was a remarkable man and in Colorado Springs he was a local as well as global legend. I had the good fortune of meeting him a few times over the years, including a lunch just a few months back. I'd heard he had taken a turn for the worse since then. Howard Alden was in town a couple of weeks ago, and while at first it looked like he wouldn't be able to see Johnny because of his health, at the last minute he was able to get a meeting. I was happy for both of them. I suspected at the time there wouldn't be many more opportunities for such rendezvous.

In April I posted information about my meeting with Johnny. It's here:
http://www.djangobooks.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=10838&p=62234&hilit=johnny+smith#p62234

My favorite part of the meeting is reposted below. This is something I will remember for the rest of my life. Rest in Peace Johnny and thanks for the memories. AE

A couple of months ago a friend of mine invited me to go to lunch in Colorado Springs with legendary jazz guitarist Johnny Smith. Johnny will be 90 years old this year. While eating lunch, he suddenly stopped and looked me dead in the eye and said, "I loved playing the guitar. I still love the guitar!" When a man that's a living legend and nearly 90 years old tells you this, there is no greater truth!