Big Bad Smitty
Encyclopedia
Big Bad Smitty aka John H. Smith (1940 – April 3, 2002) was an American
blues
guitar
player and singer. Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi
, he started learning guitar at the age of ten. He would play his older brother Nelson's guitar when nobody was around.
When he was in his 20's he worked as a truck driver
. Johnny Vincent of Ace Records
had recorded him and two of his songs, "Smokestack Lightnin'" and "How Many More Years" appeared on the Genuine Mississippi Blues anthology on the Ace label in 1970.
He recorded the Mean Disposition album in 1991 which was released on the Black Magic label in Europe
and the GENES label in the United States. He recorded three albums and appeared at European blues
festivals, performing for large crowds.
He died in Jackson, Mississippi
on April 3, 2002, as a result of diabetes
. His funeral was held on Saturday, April 13 at the Alpha Omega Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi.
A benefit concert
was held for the family of Big Bad Smitty at BB's in St Louis
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
player and singer. Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
, he started learning guitar at the age of ten. He would play his older brother Nelson's guitar when nobody was around.
When he was in his 20's he worked as a truck driver
Truck driver
A truck driver , is a person who earns a living as the driver of a truck, usually a semi truck, box truck, or dump truck.Truck drivers provide an essential service to...
. Johnny Vincent of Ace Records
Ace Records (US)
Ace Records was a record label that was started in August 1955 in Jackson, Mississippi by Johnny Vincent, with Teem Records as its budget subsidiary. Ace also had the Vin label. Its records were distributed independently until 1962 when a distribution arrangement was set up with Vee-Jay Records....
had recorded him and two of his songs, "Smokestack Lightnin'" and "How Many More Years" appeared on the Genuine Mississippi Blues anthology on the Ace label in 1970.
He recorded the Mean Disposition album in 1991 which was released on the Black Magic label in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the GENES label in the United States. He recorded three albums and appeared at European blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
festivals, performing for large crowds.
He died in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
on April 3, 2002, as a result of diabetes
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...
. His funeral was held on Saturday, April 13 at the Alpha Omega Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi.
A benefit concert
Benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
was held for the family of Big Bad Smitty at BB's in St Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.