passed away on
July 15th, 2006.
May he rest in Peace.
Photos of Ed Smith
When I first met this journeyman musician, he was working in a group called Smith & Wesson (with buddies Tall Paul, Paul White and Al) and had already done years with locals Future Pastures and Swift Current. An extensive tour with Kansas City Southern followed. During this decade he also worked with Special Delivery, The Howlin' Tomcats, The Fabulous Nitecrawlers, Cinnamon, The Rebecca Valrejean Band and Powerglide, to name just a few.
The next decade would be busy with The Editorials (which would become the Blues Bandits and later Badd Dog Blues society), The Suits, The Greg Pitsch Band, Excitable, The Howlin' Tomcats, The Langille Band (which would eventually become Rogue Paradise Blues) and a duo with the late Guy Mulford (which would evolve into the Beener Brothers).
Ed Smith's gigged with national acts like Charlie Gearhart (Goosecreek Symphony) and Joe Pacquin of the Sundogs and sits in with them when they appear locally. In fact, it's not often that he can go hear a band without being coralled onto the stage to participate.
If it seems like he's played at one point or another with most of the major cats in this parts, it's because he has. Many credit him as a major influence and teacher. During this new millenium he's already been performing in a number of bands including Long Lost Uncle, Howlin' Tomcats, The Beener Brothers, the Greg Pitsch Band, Rogue Paradise Blues and certainly more projects will follow.
If you ask Ed, he'll tell you that all he ever wanted to do was to play music the best that he can. It's a priority that he's never let go of and every year he just gets better and better.
(photo by Noona Walton copyright 2003, all rights reserved)
