Willie "The Lion" Smith

Aliases: The Lion's Jazz Band
Willie The Lion Smith
Willie Smith (The Lion)
Willie Smith "The Lion"
Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs
Willie (The Lion) Smith
Willie (The Lion) Smith and His Orchestra
Willie "The Lion" Smith and His Washingtonian Jazz Cubs
Willie "The Lion" Smith's Quartet
Real name: William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholoff Smith
Born: November 23, 1893
Died: April 18, 1973
Country: United States
IPI: 00029013608 15 works
Affiliation: ASCAP
Comments: Master traditional jazz and stride pianist. Smith's birth father was Frank Bertholoff. who was Jewish, and Smith learned Hebrew. Later in life, Smith was a cantor for a black Jewish congregation in Harlem.
Not to be confused with: Willie Smith

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Originals

	Title	Performer	Release date	Covered by
i	Concentrating	Willie Smith (The Lion)	1951	(5 artists)
i	Contrary Motion	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	(2 artists)
i	Conversation on Park Avenue	Willie Smith "The Lion"	1950	(3 artists)
i	Echo of Spring	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	1935	(35 artists)
i	Fading Star	Willie "The Lion" Smith	February 1939	(4 artists)
i	Finger Buster REC	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1979	(10 artists) Originally by Willie "The Lion" Smith REL
i	Finger Buster REL	Willie "The Lion" Smith	February 1939	(10 artists) Originally by Willie "The Lion" Smith REC
i	Harlem Joys	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	February 1937	(6 artists)
i	Here Comes the Band	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	(6 artists)
i	Morning Air	Willie Smith (The Lion)	1939	(16 artists)
i	Passionette	Willie Smith (The Lion)	1939	Julius Jacobsen with Visby Big Band, The Philharmonic Brass Ensemble, Arne Domnérus, Bengt Hallberg, Georg Riedel
i	Rippling Waters	Willie "The Lion" Smith	February 1939	(9 artists)
i	Sitting at the Table Opposite You	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	1935	Neville Dickie
i	Sneakaway	Willie "The Lion" Smith	February 1939	(5 artists)
i	Streamline Gal	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	February 1937	(8 artists)

Covers by Willie "The Lion" Smith

	Title	Performer	Release date	Originally by
i	12th Street Rag	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	W. Arlington
	Achin' Hearted Blues	Willie (The Lion) Smith and His Cubs - Vocal Chorus by Oneal Spencer	1937	Sara Martin
i	Ain't Misbehavin'	Willie "The Lion" Smith's Quartet	1950	Margaret Simms & Paul Bass
i	Ain't She Sweet	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	Lou Gold with The Melody Man – Vocal Chorus, Murray Amster
i	Alexander's Ragtime Band	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1972	Emma Carus PRF, Collins and Harlan REC
i	All of Me	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1972	Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra - Vocal Refrain by Mildred Bailey
i	Am I Blue	Willie "The Lion" Smith and His Washingtonian Jazz Cubs	1971	Ethel Waters BRD,REC,REL
i	A Porter's Love Song (To a Chambermaid)	Willie (The Lion) Smith—Don Ewell	1967	Alabama Washboard Stompers – Vocal Chorus by Jake Fenderson
i	At Sundown	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	Bert Kaplan and His Collegians REC, George Olsen and His Music - Vocal Refrain by Bob Borger, Fran Frey, Bob Rice REL
	Ballin' the Jack	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1958	Prince's Band
i	Beale Street Blues	Willie "The Lion" Smith - Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1974	Prince's Band
i	Blame It on the Blues	Willie "The Lion" Smith - Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1974	Prince's Band
i	Blue Skies	Willie The Lion Smith	1971	Belle Baker PRF, Imperial Dance Orchestra - Vocal Chorus by Arthur Fields REC
i	Breeze (Blow My Baby Back to Me)	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	1935	Jack Kaufman and Arthur Fields
i	Bugle Call Rag	The Lion's Jazz Band	1945	Friars Society Orchestra
i	California, Here I Come	Mike Lipskin with Willie "The Lion" Smith	1971	Al Jolson PRF, Al Jolson with Isham Jones Orchestra REC
i	Can't We Be Friends?	Willie (The Lion) Smith—Don Ewell	1967	Red Nichols and His Five Pennies REC,REL, Libby Holman PRF
i	Caprice Rag	Willie (The Lion) Smith	1953	James P. Johnson
	Careless Love	Big Joe Turner with Willie "The Lion" Smith	February 1941	(unknown)
i	Carolina Shout	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	Jas. P. Johnson
i	Carolina Shout	Mike Lipskin with Willie "The Lion" Smith	1971	Jas. P. Johnson
i	Charleston	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	Elisabeth Welch and Chorus PRF, The Ambassadors [US2] REC, Arthur Gibbs and His Gang REL
i	Charmaine	Willie "The Lion" Smith - Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1974	Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians - Vocal Chorus by Weston Vaughan REC,REL, Pit Musicians [What Price Glory] PRF
i	Daintiness Rag	Willie (The Lion) Smith	1953	James P. Johnson
i	Dardanella	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	Selvin's Novelty Orchestra
i	Darktown Strutters Ball	Willie "The Lion" Smith's Quartet	1950	Six Brown Brothers
	Dinah	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	The Revelers [US1] REC,REL, Eddie Cantor PRF
	Doggin' the Dog	Big Joe Turner with Willie "The Lion" Smith	January 1941	Leroy Carr
i	Everybody Loves My Baby	Willie (The Lion) Smith—Don Ewell	1967	Aileen Stanley
i	Fidgety Feet	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1957	Original Dixieland Jazz Band
i	Hallelujah	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1951	Stella Mayhew
i	Honeysuckle Rose	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	Bert Stock and His Orchestra
	Honeysuckle Rose / Squeeze Me	Willie The Lion Smith	1971	Bert Stock and His Orchestra, Clarence Williams' Blue Five - Vocal Chorus by Eva Taylor REL, William Bailey REC
i	I Can't Give You Anything but Love	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1951	Adelaide Hall PRF, Meyer Davis' Swanee Syncopators – Vocal Chorus by Al Shayne REC
	Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider	Willie "The Lion" Smith and His Washingtonian Jazz Cubs	1971	Eddie Leonard
i	If I Could Be with You	Willie (The Lion) Smith	1953	Eva Taylor, Accomp. by Clarence Williams Blue Five
i	If I Could Be with You One Hour Tonight	Willie "The Lion" Smith - Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1974	Eva Taylor, Accomp. by Clarence Williams Blue Five
i	I'll Follow You	Willie "The Lion" Smith	February 1939	Ben Bernie and His Orchestra
i	I'm Coming Virginia	Mike Lipskin with Willie "The Lion" Smith	1971	Ethel Waters and Her Singing Orch. arranged and directed by Will Marion Cook
i	I'm Coming Virginia	Willie "The Lion" Smith - Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1974	Ethel Waters and Her Singing Orch. arranged and directed by Will Marion Cook
i	I'm Just Wild About Harry	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1972	Lottie Gee and Chorus
	I'se a muggin'	Mezz Mezzrow and His Orchestra – Vocal Chorus by Willie 'Lion' Smith (Mezz Mezzrow, Willie "The Lion" Smith)	March 12, 1936	Unverified
i	I've Found a New Baby	Willie (The Lion) Smith—Don Ewell	1967	The Dixie Stompers [US1] (Fletcher Henderson) REC, Clarence Williams' Blue Five - Singing Chorus by Eva Taylor REL
i	I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling	Willie "The Lion" Smith, Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1972	(unknown)
i	I Would Do Anything for You	Willie (The Lion) Smith—Don Ewell	1967	Claude Hopkins and His Orchestra
i	Junk Man Rag	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	(unknown)
i	Just One of Those Things	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1951	Richard Himber and His Ritz-Carlton Orch. - Vocal Refrain by Stuart Allen REC,REL, June Knight & Charles Walters PRF
i	Just One of Those Things	Willie "The Lion" Smith - Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1974	Richard Himber and His Ritz-Carlton Orch. - Vocal Refrain by Stuart Allen REC,REL, June Knight & Charles Walters PRF
i	Just You, Just Me	Willie (The Lion) Smith—Don Ewell	1967	Ukulele Ike (Cliff Edwards) REC, Lawrence Gray BRD
i	Keepin' out of Mischief Now	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra
i	Keepin' Out of Mischief Now	Willie (The Lion) Smith—Don Ewell	1967	Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra
i	Keepin' out of Mischief Now - Charleston	Willie "The Lion" Smith - Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1974	Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra, Elisabeth Welch and Chorus PRF, The Ambassadors [US2] REC, Arthur Gibbs and His Gang REL
i	Keep Off the Grass	Willie "The Lion" Smith, Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1972	James P. Johnson
i	Lady Be Good	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	Carl Fenton's Orchestra (Walter Haenschen) REC, Walter Catlett PRF
i	Love Is Just Around the Corner	Willie "The Lion" Smith and His Washingtonian Jazz Cubs	1971	Pickens Sisters REC, Bing Crosby BRD
i	Love Will Find a Way	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1972	(unknown)
i	Maple Leaf Rag	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1958	Scott Joplin
i	Memories of You	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	Ethel Waters REC, Minto Cato PRF
i	Moonlight Cocktail	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	Glen Gray and The Casa Loma Orchestra
i	More Than That	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	1937	Clarence Williams and His Washboard Band – Vocal Refrain by Eva Taylor
i	Muskrat Ramble	The Lion's Jazz Band	1945	Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five
	Nagasaki	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	Ipana Troubadours (Sam Lanin)
i	Old Fashioned Love	Mike Lipskin with Willie "The Lion" Smith	1971	Frank Crumit REC, Ina Duncan, Adelaide Hall and Arthur Porter PRF
i	Old Fashioned Love	Willie (The Lion) Smith	1953	Frank Crumit REC, Ina Duncan, Adelaide Hall and Arthur Porter PRF
i	Perdido	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1957	Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra
i	Poor Butterfly	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1951	Elizabeth Spencer
i	Pork and Beans	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	(unknown)
i	Porter's Love Song	Willie (The Lion) Smith	1953	Alabama Washboard Stompers – Vocal Chorus by Jake Fenderson
i	Pretty Baby	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1952	Emerson Military Band
i	Ragtime Medley (Blame It on the Blues)	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1958	Prince's Band
i	Rockin' in Rhythm	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	The Harlem Footwarmers (Duke Ellington)
	Saint Louis Blues	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1958	Prince's Band
	Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble	Willie The Lion Smith	1971	Emerson Dance Orchestra
i	S-H-I-N-E	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	California Ramblers REC, Aida Overton Walker PRF
i	Smoke Gets in Your Eyes	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1951	Tamara PRF, Gertrude Niesen with orchestral acc dir. by Ray Sinatra REC
i	Solitude	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
i	Someday Sweetheart	Willie "The Lion" Smith, Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1972	Alberta Hunter and Ray's Dreamland Orchestra
i	Some of These Days	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	Sophie Tucker
i	Some of These Days	Willie (The Lion) Smith—Don Ewell	1967	Sophie Tucker
i	Sophisticated Lady	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1957	Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
i	Spanish Venus	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1972	(unknown)
i	Stormy Weather	Willie "The Lion" Smith	February 1939	Ethel Waters with Duke Ellington & His Orchestra PRF, Leo Reisman and His Orchestra - Vocal Refrain by Harold Arlen REC
i	Struttin' with Some Barbecue	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1957	Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five
i	Summertime	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	Helen Jepson REL, Abbie Mitchell PRF, Abbie Mitchell under the direction of George Gershwin REC
i	Sweet Georgia Brown	Willie "The Lion" Smith, Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1972	Ben Bernie and His Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra
i	Sweet Georgia Brown	Willie (The Lion) Smith—Don Ewell	1967	Ben Bernie and His Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra
i	Sweet Georgia Brown	Willie The Lion Smith	1971	Ben Bernie and His Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra
i	Sweetie Dear	Willie "The Lion" Smith - Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1974	Conway's Band
i	Sweet Sue (Part 1)	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	Charley Straight and His Orchestra - Vocal Chorus by Frank Sylvano
i	Swing, Brother, Swing	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	1935	Wingy Mannone & His Orch.
i	Swinging down the Lane	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	Ben Bernie and His Orchestra
	Take Me Out to the Ball Game	Willie The Lion Smith	1971	Harvey Hindermeyer
i	Tea for Two	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1939	Helen Clark–Lewis James REC, Phyllis Cleveland and Jack Barker PRF
i	That's a Plenty	Milt Herth, Willie Smith (The Lion), O'Neil Spencer	December 1937	Prince's Band
i	The Boy and the Boat	Willie "The Lion" Smith	February 1939	Clarence Williams' Blue Five - Vocal Chorus by Eva Taylor REL, William Bailey REC
i	The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea	Willie "The Lion" Smith	February 1939	Aida Ward PRF, Cab Calloway and His Orchestra REC,REL
	The Dipsy Doodle	Milt Herth, Willie Smith (The Lion), O'Neil Spencer	December 1937	Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra - Vocal Refrain by Edythe Wright
i	The Man I Love	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1972	Marion Harris REC, Adele Astaire PRF
i	There's Gonna Be the Devil to Pay	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	May 1935	Clarence Williams & His Orch.
i	The Sheik of Araby	Mike Lipskin with Willie "The Lion" Smith	1971	Joseph Knecht's Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra
i	The Stuff Is Here	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	Eva Taylor and Her Boyfriends
i	Tin Roof Blues	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1977	New Orleans Rhythm Kings
i	What Is There to Say?	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1939	Jane Froman & Everett Marshall
	When the Saints Are Marching In	Willie (The Lion) Smith and His Orchestra – Vocal by Myra Johnson	1953	(unknown)
i	Wolverine Blues	Willie "The Lion" Smith, Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1972	New Orleans Rhythm Kings
i	You Took Advantage of Me	Willie (The Lion) Smith—Don Ewell	1967	Busby Berkeley and Joyce Barber

Songs written by Willie "The Lion" Smith

Original songs

Title	Written by	Originally by	Original date	Covered by
Concentrating	Willie "The Lion" Smith	Willie Smith (The Lion)	January 10, 1939	Covered by (5 artists)
Contrary Motion	Willie "The Lion" Smith	Willie "The Lion" Smith	December 1, 1949	Covered by (2 artists)
Conversation on Park Avenue	Willie "The Lion" Smith	Willie Smith "The Lion"	January 29, 1950	Covered by (3 artists)
Echo of Spring	Clarence Williams [US1], Willie "The Lion" Smith, Tausha Hammed	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	May 22, 1935	Covered by (35 artists)
Fading Star	Willie "The Lion" Smith	Willie "The Lion" Smith	January 10, 1939	Covered by (4 artists)
Finger Buster	Willie "The Lion" Smith	Willie "The Lion" Smith REC,REL	May 14, 1934	Covered by (10 artists)
Harlem Joys	Clarence Williams [US1], Walter Bishop, Willie "The Lion" Smith	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	April 23, 1935	Covered by (6 artists)
Here Comes the Band	Willie "The Lion" Smith, Jack Edwards	Willie "The Lion" Smith	December 1, 1949	Covered by (6 artists)
Keep Your Temper	Willie "The Lion" Smith	The Gulf Coast Seven	November 5, 1925	Covered by (11 artists)
Morning Air	Willie "The Lion" Smith	Willie Smith (The Lion)	January 10, 1938	Covered by (16 artists)
Passionette	Willie "The Lion" Smith	Willie Smith (The Lion)	January 10, 1938	Covered by Julius Jacobsen with Visby Big Band, The Philharmonic Brass Ensemble, Arne Domnérus, Bengt Hallberg, Georg Riedel
Rippling Waters	Willie "The Lion" Smith	Willie "The Lion" Smith	January 10, 1939	Covered by (9 artists)
Sneakaway	Willie "The Lion" Smith	Willie "The Lion" Smith	January 10, 1939	Covered by (5 artists)
Streamline Gal	Clarence Williams [US1], Willie "The Lion" Smith, Cecil Scott	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	April 23, 1935	Covered by (8 artists)
The Stuff Is Here and It's Mellow	Clarence Williams [US1], Walter Bishop, Willie "The Lion" Smith	Eva Taylor and Her Boyfriends	August 22, 1934	Covered by (5 artists)

Releases

Albums

Title	Performer	Release date	Label
California Here I Come	Mike Lipskin with Willie "The Lion" Smith	1971	Flying Dutchman
Grand Piano	Willie (The Lion) Smith—Don Ewell	1967	77 Records
Harlem Piano Solos	Luckey Roberts – Willie "The Lion" Smith	September 1960	Good Time Jazz
Intimate Jazz in Hi Fi	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1957	Urania
Le Lion le Tigre et la Madelon	Willie "The Lion" Smith, Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1972	Jazz Odyssey
Live at Blues Alley	Willie The Lion Smith	1971	Chiaroscuro
Music on My Mind	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	SABA
Piano Solos by Willie Smith	Willie "The Lion" Smith	February 1939	Commodore
Pork and Beans	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1972	Black Lion
Relaxing	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1977	Chiaroscuro
The Legend of Willie "The Lion" Smith	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1958	Grand Award
The Lion and the Tiger	Willie "The Lion" Smith - Jo "The Tiger" Jones	1974	Jazz Odyssey
The Lion of the Piano	Willie Smith (The Lion)	1951	Commodore
The Lion of the Piano - Show Time	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1951	Commodore
The Lion Roars	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1958	Dot Records
Willie the Lion and His Washington Cubs	Willie "The Lion" Smith and His Washingtonian Jazz Cubs	1971	Fat Cat's Jazz
Willie "The Lion" Smith	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1966	Decca
Willie (The Lion) Smith Plays the Musical Compositions by James P. Johnson	Willie (The Lion) Smith	1953	Blue Circle

Singles

Title	Performer	Release date	Label
Achin' Hearted Blues	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	1937	Decca
Breeze (Blow My Baby Back to Me)	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	1935	Decca
Bugle Call Rag	The Lion's Jazz Band	1945	Black & White
Can You Hear Me	Willie Smith "The Lion"	1950	Vogue
Careless Love	Big Joe Turner with Willie "The Lion" Smith	February 1941	Decca
Charleston	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	Royal Jazz [FR]
Contrary Motion	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	Royal Jazz [FR]
Dardanella	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	Royal Jazz [FR]
Darktown Strutters Ball	Willie "The Lion" Smith's Quartet	1950	Royal Jazz [FR]
Doggin' the Dog	Big Joe Turner with Willie "The Lion" Smith	January 1941	Decca
Here Comes the Band	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	Royal Jazz [FR]
I'll Follow You	Willie "The Lion" Smith	February 1939	Commodore
Late Hours	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	Royal Jazz [FR]
More Than That	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	1937	Decca
Nagasaki	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	Royal Jazz [FR]
Passionette	Willie Smith (The Lion)	1939	Decca
Streamline Gal	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	February 1937	Decca
Sweet Sue (Part 1)	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1950	Vogue
Swing, Brother, Swing	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	1935	Decca
The Dipsy Doodle	Milt Herth, Willie Smith (The Lion), O'Neil Spencer	December 1937	Decca
There's Gonna Be the Devil to Pay	Willie Smith (The Lion) and His Cubs	May 1935	Decca
Trains and Planes	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1952	Vogue
What Is There to Say?	Willie "The Lion" Smith	1939	Commodore
When the Saints Go Marching In	Willie (The Lion) Smith and His Orchestra	1953	Blue Circle