Bill Smith (blues musician)
Barkin 'Bill Smith (born August 18, 1928 in Cleveland , Mississippi , † April 24, 2000 in Chicago , Illinois ) was an American blues singer and songwriter.
Smith spent his youth in Mississippi , but later moved to Detroit and then on to Chicago. He got his name from Homesick James , with whom he worked in 1958. The naming is extremely strange, because his voice was a lush, polished baritone, which was actually an antithesis to the singing of Chicago blues . He sang for numerous blues bands in Chicago. He was influenced by Joe Williams (Count Basie's singer, not the guitarist), Brook Benton and Jimmy Witherspoon . After many years he made his album debut in 1991 as singer of Dave Specter & the Bluebirds on "Bluebird Blues" and after he left the group his own album "Gotcha!" Was released in 1994, whereby he was able to take advantage of the connection to Delmark Records , the Bluebird Have released blues. After 1994 he appeared less and less because of health problems.
Smith died of pancreatic cancer in 2000 .
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Smith, Bill |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Smith, Barkin 'Bill |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American blues singer and songwriter |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 18, 1928 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Cleveland , Mississippi |
| DATE OF DEATH | April 24, 2000 |
| Place of death | Chicago , Illinois |