Byther Claude Earl John Smith
b. April 17th, 1933 in Monticello (Mississippi)
d. September 9th, 2021 in Chicago (Illinois)
WORKING MAN'S BLUES
JSP
1962 - February 1976 / 1990
Sa mère meurt pendant l'accouchement et son père peu après. Byther est donc élevé par son oncle et sa tante. Il s'essaie un peu à la boxe avant de se mettre à la musique en arrivant à Chicago en 1958 avec sa femme Etta Mae. C'est son cousin J.B. Lenoir qui l'introduit dans la communauté blues. Influencé par le jeu de guitare tendu du West Side Sound, il accompagne notamment Otis Rush. Il parvient, dans les années 60 et 70, à sortir plusieurs simples pour Eda, CJ et Bebe en leader et devient le guitariste de Junior Wells. En 2023, le label anglais JSP réédite sur un double CD, ces premiers titres (en particulier "Give me my white robe" et le funky "Money tree"), l'album entier "Addressing the nation with the blues" (voir ce titre) et des pistes live inédites de 1990.
His mother died during childbirth, and his father shortly afterwards. Byther was raised by his aunt and uncle. He tried his hand at boxing before taking up music when he arrived in Chicago in 1958 with his wife Etta Mae. It was his cousin J.B. Lenoir who introduced him to the blues community. Influenced by the tight guitar playing of the West Side Sound, he accompanied Otis Rush. In the 60's and 70's, he managed to release several singles for Eda, CJ and Bebe as leader, and became Junior Wells' guitarist. In 2023, the english label JSP reissues on a double CD, these early tracks (in particular “Give me my white robe” and the funky “Money tree”), the entire album “Addressing the nation with the blues” (see this title) and unreleased live tracks from 1990.
TELL ME HOW YOU LIKE IT
Grits
Red Lightnin'
HOLD THAT TRAIN
Delmark
July 1981
En 1981, il trouve enfin l'opportunité d'enregistrer un premier album complet pour le producteur Kehn Bacon et son label Grits. Accompagné d'un petit groupe compact (Mike Baietto, Bruce Felgen, Joe Pusateri), il délivre un superbe disque où brillent sa voix expressive et son jeu de guitare intense et incisif. On trouve de grands moments comme "Walked all night long", "300 pounds of joy", "What my mamma told me", "This little voice". En Europe, l'album fut réédité par le label anglais Red Lightnin' et permit à Byther de se faire connaitre hors des frontières américaines. Tous les titres (sauf "Cut you loose") ont été repris sur le CD "Hold that train" proposé par Delmark.
In 1981, he finally found the opportunity to record his first full-length album for producer Kehn Bacon and his Grits label. Accompanied by a small, compact band (Mike Baietto, Bruce Felgen, Joe Pusateri), he delivers a superb record featuring his expressive voice and intense, incisive guitar playing. Highlights include “Walked all night long”, “300 pounds of joy”, “What my mamma told me” and “This little voice”. In Europe, the album was reissued by the british label Red Lightnin', and helped Byther to make a name for himself outside the US. All the tracks (except "Cut you loose") have been included on the “Hold that train” CD issued by Delmark.
BIG SHOT SMITTY
Mina
HOLD THAT TRAIN
Delmark
July 1981
Les titres rassemblés sur ce LP japonais proviennent des mêmes séances Grits que le précédent "Tell me how you like it" (deux morceaux sont d'ailleurs repris ici). On trouve dans ce recueil des titres généralement excellents : "Walk streets at midnight", "Come on in this house", une folle reprise de "Thrill is gone" et le slow-blues "So unhappy". La moitié des titres a été reprise sur le CD "Hold that train" publié par Delmark.
The tracks on this japanese LP come from the same Grits sessions as the previous “Tell me how you like it” (two of which are included here). There are some generally excellent tracks here : “Walk streets at midnight”, “Come on in this house”, a crazy cover of “Thrill is gone” and the slow-blues “So unhappy”. Half of these tracks were included on the “Hold that train” CD released by Delmark.
GRITTY SOUL
Mina
HOUSEFIRE
Bullseye
Razor
1984 - 1985
Toujours dans ce style hérité du West Side Sound, Byther Smith enregistre ce nouvel album pour le label japonais Mina (en fait probablement prévu au départ pour Kehn Bacon et son label Grits). Un peu plus tard, il est réédité par Razor et surtout Bullseye en 1991 (avec des tracklists légèrement différentes). Lors de ces séances, Byther joue avec son groupe régulier enrichi de cuivres et d'un piano, ce qui donne un son plus étoffé à ses blues. On apprécie notamment "Love me like I love you", "Look all around you", "Money tree", "Your mamma's crazy", "Martha dear".
Still in the style inherited from the West Side Sound, Byther Smith records this new album for the japanese label Mina (in fact probably originally intended for Kehn Bacon and his Grits label). A little later, it was reissued by Razor and, above all, Bullseye in 1991 (with slightly different tracklists). During these sessions, Byther plays with his regular band, enriched with horns and piano, giving his blues a fuller sound. Highlights include “Love me like I love you”, “Look all around you”, “Money tree”, "Your mamma's crazy", "Martha dear".
BLUES KNIGHTS
Blue Phoenix
Black & Blue
Evidence
November 1985
Venu en France au milieu des années 80 pour la tournée du Chicago Blues Festival aux côtés de Larry Davis et Maurice John Vaughn, Byther participe à cet album studio avec six morceaux. Accompagné de Maurice John Vaughn (guitare), A.C. Reed (saxophone), Douglas Watson (basse) et Julian Vaughn (batterie), il donne notamment de belles versions de "I don't have a mother" et "Addressing the nation with the blues".
Came to France in the mid 80's for the Chicago Blues Festival tour alongside Larry Davis and Maurice John Vaughn, Byther participates in this studio album with six tracks. Accompanied by Maurice John Vaughn (guitar), A.C. Reed (saxophone), Douglas Watson (bass) and Julian Vaughn (drums), he notably gives nice version of "I don't have a mother" and "Addressing the nation with the blues".
ADDRESSING THE NATION WITH THE BLUES
JSP
WORKING MAN'S BLUES
JSP
1989
Pour le label anglais JSP de John Stedman, Byther grave ce disque à Chicago avec d'excellents sidemen : Tim Mac Kinley (claviers), Manwell Burr (saxophone), Charles Fisher (guitare), Bruce Felgen (basse) et George Hawkins (batterie). Il chante magnifiquement et sa guitare est plus incisive que jamais. Il faut écouter, en particulier, les superbes "Hello Mrs Brown", "I was coming home", "Play the blues on the moon", "What have I done", "Addressing the nation with the blues", "I wish my mother was here". Un album qui lui assura une vraie reconnaissance sur le sol européen (il participe à la Bagneux Blues Night en 1990 en France).
For John Stedman's english label JSP, Byther records this album in Chicago with excellent sidemen : Tim Mac Kinley (keyboards), Manwell Burr (saxophone), Charles Fisher (guitar), Bruce Felgen (bass) and George Hawkins (drums). He sings beautifully and his guitar is more incisive than ever. Particularly noteworthy are the superb "Hello Mrs Brown", "I was coming home", "Play the blues on the moon", "What have I done", "Addressing the nation with the blues", "I wish my mother was here". An album that brought him real recognition on european soil (he took part in Bagneux Blues Night in 1990 in France).
I'M A MAD MAN
Bullseye
July 1992
En compagnie des Memphis Horns et de Ron Levy (organiste et producteur), le blues de Byther Smith reste aussi excitant qu'à l'accoutumée. Dans ce programme puissant et consistant, on peut retenir "I got so much love", "Comin' home", "I'm in a hole", "Get outta my way", "Play the blues in Paris", "35 long years".
In the company of the Memphis Horns and Ron Levy (organist and producer), Byther Smith's blues remains as exciting as ever. In this powerful and consistent program, we can point out "I got so much love", "Comin' home", "I'm in a hole", "Get outta my way", "Play the blues in Paris", "35 long years".
MISSISSIPPI KID
Delmark
December 1995
Arrivé sous la bannière Delmark du producteur Robert Koester, Byther se place dans le sillage de B.B. King et son blues perd un peu d'intensité. Dans ce bon album, on apprécie, en particulier, "Judge of honor", "Ashamed of myself", "Blues on the moon" ou la reprise de son "Give me my white robe".
Having arrived under producer Robert Koester's Delmark banner, Byther is now following in the footsteps of B.B. King, and his blues loses a little of its intensity. In this good album, we particularly appreciate “Judge of honor”, “Ashamed of myself”, “Blues on the moon” and the cover of his “Give me my white robe”.
ALL NIGHT LONG
Delmark
April 1997
Dans la continuité du précédent, ce nouvel album chez Delmark présente Byther Smith jouant un blues contemporain bien écrit et bien arrangé. Encore une fois, il propose de bons morceaux comme "Cried like a baby", "Look over your shoulder", "Something's wrong with this picture" (dans un style très proche d'Albert King), "Daddy's gone" (simple démarquage du "Thrill is gone" de B.B. King).
Following in the continuation of his predecessor, this new Delmark album features Byther Smith playing well-written, well-arranged contemporary blues. Once again, he offers some good tracks such as “Cried like a baby”, “Look over your shoulder”, “Something's wrong with this picture” (in a style very close to Albert King), “Daddy's gone” (a simple adaptation on B.B. King's “Thrill is gone”).
SMITTY'S BLUES
Black & Tan
November 2000
En signant chez les néérlandais de Black & Tan (production de Roel Spanjers), Byther Smith retrouve le son incisif et percutant de sa période Grits. L'influence d'Otis Rush se fait clairement sentir ("So many roads" et sa belle relecture de "She's a good 'un"). On peut retenir aussi dans cette intense tracklist "Ought to be ashamed", "Little voice", "You don't love me no more", "Don't hurt me no more".
By signing with dutch imprint Black & Tan (produced by Roel Spanjers), Byther Smith has rediscovered the incisive, hard-hitting sound of his Grits period. The influence of Otis Rush is clearly felt (“So many roads” and his beautiful reworking of “She's a good 'un”). Other highlights of this intense tracklist include "Ought to be ashamed", "Little voice", "You don't love me no more", "Don't hurt me no more".
THROW AWAY THE BOOK
Black & Tan
2003
Pour sa seconde livraison chez Black & Tan, Byther Smith propose une excellente relecture du "All for business" de Jimmy Dawkins mais aussi "The man wants me dead", "Love me like I love you", "I didn't get none", "Mean old daddy", "I don't like to travel".
For his second release for Black & Tan, Byther Smith offers an excellent reworking of Jimmy Dawkins' “All for business”, as well as “The man wants me dead”, "Love me like I love you", "I didn't get none", "Mean old daddy", "I don't like to travel".
GOT NO PLACE TO GO
Fedora
June 2007
Pour le label Fedora de Chris Millar, Byther propose un album plus inégal qu'à l'accoutumée. On retient "I'm a honey bee", "I had my fun" et le sympathique morceau acoustique "Got no place to go" mais le programme manque un peu d'originalité.
For Chris Millar's Fedora label, Byther offers a more uneven album than usual. We can point out "I'm a honey bee", "I had my fun" and the pleasant acoustic track “Got no place to go”, but the program lacks a little originality.
BLUES ON THE MOON
Delmark
August 2007
Cet album relate un concert dans un club du South Side de Chicago. Une belle performance puissante et inspirée de Byther Smith accompagné par de bons sidemen. Même s'il y a quelques longueurs, on apprécie la riche set-list : "If you love me", "Give up my life for you", "Hard times" ou le slow blues "Monticello". A noter qu'il existe une version DVD avec un titre et une interview supplémentaires.
This album recounts a concert in a club on Chicago's South Side. A powerful and inspired performance by Byther Smith, accompanied by some fine sidemen. Even if there are some lengths, we appreciate the rich set-list : “If you love me”, “Give up my life for you”, “Hard times” or the slow blues “Monticello”. Please note that there is a DVD version with an extra track and interview.