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]
Smith | |
|---|---|
.png) Smith in 1970 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1969–1971 |
| Labels | Dunhill |
Beginnings
editThe group evolved from a band featuring two of the same members[which?] called "The Smiths" (not to be confused with the 1980s band with a similar 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
editSmith 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
editAfter 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. In Canada it reached #41.[4] It and "Gonna Be Alright Now" were included on the 1994 reissue of A Group Called Smith.
Discography
editAlbums
edit- A Group Called Smith (1969)
- Minus-Plus (1970)
Singles
editPersonnel
editSmith 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
edit- ^ a b c "Biography by Richie Unterberger". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 11 December 2008.
- ^ a b c d Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 268. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ McCown, Alex (September 3, 2015). "Quentin Tarantino's least-seen flick delivers one of his best music choices". The A.V. Club.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - November 20, 1971" (PDF).
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2015). The Comparison Book Billboard/Cash Box/Record World 1954-1982. Sheridan Books. p. 468. ISBN 978-0-89820-213-7.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - November 8, 1969" (PDF).
- ^ "RPM Magazine - April 4, 1970 - Page 11" (PDF).
External links
edit- AllMusic biography
- Smith discography at Discogs