Willie the lion smith biography
Willie the lion smith discography...
Willie "the Lion" Smith
American jazz and stride pianist
Willie "the Lion" Smith | |
|---|---|
Smith, c. January 1947 | |
| Birth name | William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf Smith |
| Born | (1893-11-23)November 23, 1893 Goshen, New York, U.S. |
| Died | April 18, 1973(1973-04-18) (aged 79) New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, stride, blues |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Piano |
Musical artist
William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf Smith (November 23, 1893[a] – April 18, 1973), nicknamed "the Lion", was an American jazz and stridepianist.
Willie the lion smith biography
Early life and education
William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf, known as Willie, was born in 1893 in Goshen, New York. His mother and grandmother chose his names to reflect different parts of his heritage: Joseph after Saint Joseph (Bible), Bonaparte (French), and Bertholf (biological father's last name).
William and Henry were added for "spiritual balance". When he was three, his mother married John Smith, and Smit