(May 30th 1896 - May 13th 1950)

Born Jacob Schmidt in Bronx, New York he was a baritone singer whose professional career began in 1915 with a local quartet before traveling with theatrical troops. During military service in W.W. I exposure to mustard gas damaged his vocal chords leaving Jack with his trademark velvety smooth whispered tone. After the war in 1918 he got a job as a "song plugger" for the Irving Berlin Music Publishing Company. While working as a pianist at a New York radio station Jack Smith (as he became known) got his big break filling in for a singer who failed to show up. He was an instant success and began his recording career in 1925. In 1927 while on tour in England he was suddenly replaced by the all girl vocal trio the "Hamilton Sisters & Fordyce". Returning to New York Jack Smith found work with NBC and died of a heart attack in 1951.