Lonnie Smith

American jazz keyboardist, specialising in the Hammond B3 organ. Not to be confused with Lonnie Liston Smith Born on 3 July 1942 in Lackawanna, New York, USA. Died on 28 September 2021 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Somewhere in the 1970s, Smith added the "Dr." title to his name, and began wearing a traditional Sikh turban - possibly to discern himself from Lonnie Liston Smith better, or perhaps to indicate his profound skills and connection to the music and its spirituality... but not because he'd become a medical doctor or had studied for a degree. Smith used to tour extensively and has played alongside many of the world’s jazz and R&B greats including Dizzy Gillespie, Grover Washington, Jr., Ron Carter, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy McGriff, Jimmy Scott, Frank Foster, Leon Thomas, Willis Jackson, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Etta James, Esther Phillips, The Impressions, The Coasters and others.