Biography
Alvin K. Smith, 7 August 1923, Monroe, Louisiana, USA, d. 22 January 1999 Anything other than church music was forbidden in the Smith household, so it was not until Alvin Smith sang with USO bands while serving in the World War II that he discovered his taste for the musical life. Moving to San Francisco and then Los Angeles, he made his recording debut, ‘Homesick Blues’, for Recorded In Hollywood in 1951. Two years later he led the Savoys, who recorded ‘Chop Chop Boom’ with saxophonist Jack McVea for Combo. Returning north to Oakland, he recorded ‘On My Way’ for Music City, on which he was accompanied by the guitarist Johnny Heartsman, and then joined Jimmy McCracklin’s touring band, which led to two singles on which he was teamed with a female singer (their records were released under the collective name of Al And Nettie). One of the singles, ‘Now You Know’, was an answer record to McCracklin’s ‘Just Got To...
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