Smith (band)

Smith was an American rock band formed in 1969 in Los Angeles, California.[1] They had a blues-based sound and scored a Top 5 hit in the United States in 1969 with the Burt Bacharach song "Baby It's You", featuring Gayle McCormick on lead vocals.[2] The record sold over one million copies between July and October 1969, out-charted popular versions by the Beatles and the Shirelles, and was awarded a gold record by the Recording Industry Association of America.[2]

Not to be confused with The Smiths.
Smith
Smith in 1970
Background information
OriginLos Angeles, California, United States
Genres
Years active1969–1971
LabelsDunhill

Beginnings

The group evolved from a band featuring two of the same members called "The Smiths" (not to be confused with the 1980s band of the same name). They attempted to chart their song "Now I Taste the Tears", produced and arranged by Ron Budnik, but the track had a melancholy sound and was not commercially successful.

Subsequently, Gayle McCormick (who had started her career singing songs by Tina Turner, Etta James and others) was added as a front woman and lead vocalist. The group was discovered in a Los Angeles nightclub by 1960s rocker Del Shannon,[2] who arranged "Baby It's You" for the group, now called Smith, leading to their being signed to ABC-Dunhill Records.

Career

Smith released an album titled A Group Called Smith, which spent 11 weeks in the Top 40 album listings of the since-called Billboard 200 record chart. On the album, vocals were split amongst Rich Cliburn, Jerry Carter and McCormick. Smith recorded a second album titled Minus-Plus with lesser success since it only reached #74. Smith's version of "The Weight" was included on the epochal Easy Rider soundtrack because, due to contractual reasons, The Band's version, which appeared in the movie, was unavailable.[1] Most of their material consisted of re-recordings of popular rock and R&B tunes.

The band's singles "Take a Look Around" and "What Am I Gonna Do" reached the charts, but the group broke up after two albums.[1] The band's hit "Baby It's You" was featured in Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse film, Death Proof.[3]

McCormick solo career

After Smith disbanded, McCormick went on to record three solo albums, Gayle McCormick in 1971, Flesh & Blood in 1972 and One More Hour in 1974. The single "It's A Cryin' Shame" from her eponymous first album was a minor hit for her, reaching #44 on the charts in 1971. It and "Gonna Be Alright Now" were included on the 1994 reissue of A Group Called Smith.

Discography

Albums

Singles

[4]

  • Now I Taste the Tears (1968) US Cashbox # 110
  • Baby It's You (1969) US Billboard # 5
  • Take a Look Around (1970) US Billboard # 43
  • What am I Gonna Do (1970) US Billboard # 73
  • Comin Back To Me (Ooh Baby) (1970) US Billboard # 101

Personnel

Smith was composed of one woman and four men:[2]

  • Gayle McCormick – lead vocals
  • Larry Moss – organ
  • Jerry Carter – bass
  • Robert Evans – drums
  • John Horrigan - drums
  • Rich Cliburn – lead guitar
  • Alan Parker - guitar

References
  1. "Biography by Richie Unterberger". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
  2. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 268. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  3. McCown, Alex (September 3, 2015). "Quentin Tarantino's least-seen flick delivers one of his best music choices". The A.V. Club.
  4. Whitburn, Joel (2015). The Comparison Book Billboard/Cash Box/Record World 1954-1982. Sheridan Books. p. 468. ISBN 978-0-89820-213-7.
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