Born 1/26/34, in New Orleans La, Huey "Pinao" Smith is an American Jazz
and Blues pianist who is considered influential in many musical genres
including Pop , Rock and New Orleans Jazz. He composed his first song
at the age of 8 titled "Ramsford Street Boogie". In 1952 at 18, he
signed his first recording contract , attended and later graduated from
The University of Louisiana. He had his first hit with "You Made Me
Cry". Early in his career he teamed with Eddie Jones, later known as
"Guitar Slim" to form the duo "Slick And Dark". Recording for Specialty
Records, he was the first piano player to accompany Little Richard and
also played sessions with Lloyd Price and Earl King. In 1957, recording
for Ace Records, with Bobby Marchand he formed " Huey 'Piano' Smith and
The Clowns". They had million sellers with "Rockin' Pneumonia and The
Boogie Woogie Flu"(1957) and "Don't You Just Know It"(1958), both Rock
standards. In 1959 Ace records substituted his voice on a recording of
"Sea Cruise", which Huey had written, with that of newcomer Frankie
Ford. It became a million seller. Huey continued to perform for some
time thereafter but was never able to recapture his earlier recording
success.