George "Harmonica" Smith

about

Allen GEORGE “Harmonica” SMITH (1924.04.22/West Helena, AK – 1983.10.02/Los Angeles, CA)’s family moved to Cairo, IL soon afterward where he was raised. He was taught the harmonica by his mother when he four. As a teenager, he began traveling in the South, and eventually wound up playing fish fries and picnics in the Mississippi Delta with Earley Woods’ country band. George played at local parties, juke joints and in the streets. In 1941 he moved to Rock Island, Illinois with his mother for a few years, mostly working outside of music, and then went back to Mississippi, where he made his living playing music and working as a projectionist in a movie theater in Ita Bena. It was there that he began to experiment with playing the harmonica amplified through the sound system of the film projector. In 1949 Smith moved to Chicago to pursue his music, and began working with Otis Rush and the Myers Bothers. He began playing professionally in 1951. He had become close with Little Walter. George was recruited to join Muddy Waters’ band in 1954, making his presence between the short-lived Henry Strong and James Cotton, after Henry Strong – Walter’s replacement in the Muddy Waters band – was stabbed to death by a jealous girlfriend. Smith got the harmonica chair in the world’s greatest blues band. It didn’t last, though. Perhaps there were stylistic differences, or maybe Smith was not content to be a sideman-no really knows. But by 1954 Smith was steadily employed in the Orchid Room in

top songs

albums

Now You Can Talk About Me

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The Best Blues Album in the World... Ever Disc 2

Harmonica Blues Essentials

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Harmonica Ace

Teardrops Are Falling

Blues With A Feeling - A Tribute To Little Walter

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Best Blues Album in the World... Ever

Pick Your Choice (Digitally Remastered)

Blowing The Blues

Tribute To Little Walter

Blues Review of the 20th Century

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Blues Essentials

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