finetune artist: Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers

b. c.1967, USA. Raised in a southern Californian home environment where music was always playing on radio and records, Smith developed an early interest in singing. Her father was a government employee and as a result she spent her teenage years in the Philippines. There, from the age of 15, she sang as the intermission act at Manila clubs catering to American servicemen. At this time, she sang mostly contemporary pop songs but soon after her return to the USA, she revealed a marked interest in the blues, and in particular the singing of Bessie Smith. By the time that she met her musical soulmate, pianist Chris Siebert, in San Francisco, she was determined to sing blues and jazz. In 1989, the resulting band, the multi-generational Red Hot Skillet Lickers, which started out as a novelty act, was already a solid, working band when the swing revival movement struck in the early 90s. Included in the band's line-up were veterans Allen Smith (trumpet), Jules Broussard and Hal Stein (tenor saxophones), and Bill Stewart (alto saxophone). Other sidemen included Larry Leight (trombone), Harvey Robb (tenor saxophone), Noel Jewkes (baritone saxophone), Charlie Siebert (guitar), Bing Nathan (bass), Dan Fultz and Sly Randolph (both drums).

Listen to Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers at Finetune.

(2000) Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing!
(1996) One Hour Mama

Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing
Oo Poppa Do
Squeeze Me
Oo Poppa Do (feat. Red Hot Skillet Lickers)
Blue Skies