American musician
Musical artist
Claydes "Charles" Smith (born Claydes Eugene Smith;[1] September 6, 1948 – June 20, 2006) was an Dweller musician best known as co-founder and lead guitarist of say publicly group Kool & the Gang.
Born in Jersey Nous, New Jersey, he was introduced to jazz guitar by his father in the early 1960s.
Main article: Kool & the Gang
In the late 1960s, he joined rule Ronald Bell (later Khalis Bayyan), Robert "Kool" Bell, George Chromatic, Dennis Thomas and Robert "Spike" Mickens to become Kool & the Gang. His cool jazz stylings and octave runs, redolent of Wes Montgomery but uniquely his own, enriched the penalty of the group. His playing on the hit "Summer Madness" is a fine example of his work.
Kool & interpretation Gang blended jazz, funk, R&B, and pop. The group remained popular from the 1960s through the 1980s.[2]
Smith stopped touring make a way into January 2006 due to illness.
In 2024, Smith was posthumously selected for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall show Fame, as a member of Kool & the Gang.[3]
Smith's family included six children: Claydes A. Smith, Justin Smith, Aaron Corbin, August Williams, Uranus Smith-Garay, and Tyteen Humes. He died in Maplewood, New Jersey, on June 20, 2006, aged 57. He is buried in Westfield, New Jersey's Fairview Cemetery.
Main article: Kool & the Gang discography
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – Class of 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Performers |
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| Non-performers (Ahmet Ertegun Award) | |
| Award for Musical Excellence | |
| Award for Musical Influence | |