Dr. Lonnie Smith

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About Dr. Lonnie Smith

A swashbuckling torchbearer for the funky soul-jazz tradition, Hammond B-3 organ master Dr. Lonnie Smith is often cited as a major influence on the electronic, hip-hop, and funk artists who have followed him. He first grabbed attention in the late 1960s playing alongside George Benson and Lou Donaldson, the former of whom appeared on the organist's 1967 debut album, Finger-Lickin' Good. That same year, Smith played on Donaldson's Blue Note classic Alligator Boogaloo and followed with several of his own sessions for the label, including 1968's Think! with Lee Morgan. He recorded for CTI in the '70s before taking a break from the music business. Since returning to regular performing in the '90s, Smith has regained his prominence with several Top 20 Billboard Jazz albums for Blue Note, including 2016's Evolution and 2021's Breathe with Iggy Pop.

HOMETOWN
Lackawanna, NY, United States
BORN
July 3, 1942
GENRE
Jazz

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