Hezekiah Leroy Gordon Smith (14th September 1909-25th September 1967), better known as Stuff Smith, was an American jazz violinist. Smith was, along with Stéphane Grappelli and Joe Venuti, one of jazz music’s preeminent violinists of the swing era. He was born in Portsmouth, Ohio in 1909 and studied violin with his father. Smith cited Louis Armstrong as his primary influence and inspiration to play jazz, and like Armstrong, was a vocalist as well as instrumentalist. In the 1920s he played in Texas as a member of Alphonse Trent’s band.

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