Floyd Smith

Floyd George Smith, also known as Floyd Smith, born on January 25, 1917, in St. Louis, Missouri, was an American jazz guitarist and record producer. He started playing music as a teenager, learning ukulele before switching to guitar. His early career included playing with territory bands like Eddie Johnson's Crackerjacks and Andy Kirk's 12 Clouds of Joy. In March 1939, Smith recorded "Floyd's Guitar Blues" with Andy Kirk's orchestra, notable for featuring a blues solo on electric guitar. Smith enlisted during World War II and later rejoined Andy Kirk's band before forming his own ensembles. He collaborated with Wild Bill Davis in the 1950s and Bill Doggett in the early 1960s. In the 1970s, Smith transitioned into songwriting and record production, working with Dakar/Brunswick Records and producing hits like "Careful Man" by John Edwards and "Cry To Me" by Loleatta Holloway for Aware Records. He died in Indianapolis, Indiana, on March 29, 1982.