James Alan Smith

R'n'B, Soul, Funk, and Jazz arranger, producer and keyboards player from Queens, New York, known for playing with artists like King Curtis, Cornell Dupree, Chuck Rainey, and Robert Palmer, and for serving as keyboardist with the band Stuff after Richard Tee's passing.
Known to his friends (and often credited on records as) "Jimmy," James Allen Smith is often confused with the Blue Note / Verve jazz organist Jimmy Smith. His bio was summarized by Stuff bandmate Gordon Edwards in a 2013 fundraiser (opens in a new tab) as follows: "A great keyboardist, writer and arranger his musical pedigree is stellar - he has performed, amongst others, Aretha Franklin, Ben E King, Wilson Pickett, Harry Belafonte, The Persuasions, Michael McDonald, The Doobie Brothers, Melba Moore, Chuck Rainey, Robert Palmer, Candi Staton and of course King Curtis."