Died On This Date (March 15, 1929) Pinetop Smith / Influential Blues Pianist
themusicsover Clarence “Pinetop” Smith
June 11, 1904 – March 15, 1929
Pinetop Smith was a blues pianist who blazed the trail for boogie-woogie players to follow. He launched his career around 1920 when he found work as part of a traveling vaudeville act with whom he sang, told jokes, and played the piano. It was during this time that he also played for Ma Rainey on occasion. In 1928, Smith made his first record, “Pine Top’s Boogie Woogie” which was one of the first boogie woogie hits. He was reportedly the first to use the phrase “shake that thing” on record. On the eve of his second recording, 24-year-old Pinetop Smith was shot and killed by an unknown assailant and for reasons never known. Since his death, Smith has been noted as an influence on the likes of Tommy Dorsey, Ray Charles, and of course, Pinetop Perkins.