Byther Smith (born April 17,
1933, Monticello, Mississippi) is an American blues musician noted for
his gritty style and uncompromising delivery.
Career Born the sixth oldest of seven children, Smith immigrated to
Chicago in the mid 1950s. Although he worked for a candy company,
Smith's real passion was music. He played bass for a three-piece jazz
combo for a few years, but he eventually got a spot playing rhythm
guitar for Otis Rush. He also backed
Junior Wells,
Big Mama Thornton and George
"Harmonica" Smith. In the early 1960s, Smith began to take the guitar
more seriously and learned much from J. B.
Lenoir, Robert Lockwood, Jr., and
Hubert Sumlin.
After years playing in clubs all over the United States and the
world, a demo tape Smith recorded became the album Tell Me How You Like
It, released by the Texas based Grits record label. The release brought
him European opportunities, and his next album on a UK record label
Addressing The Nation with The Blues appeared on JSP Records. In 1995
Smith retired from his job at Economy Folding Box Company after
twenty-five years, allowing him to focus fully on music.
Delmark Records boss Bob Koester observes, "There's a mellowness
there that is disappearing in all but B.B. King"