Huey "Piano" Smith

Huey "Piano" Smith
Birth nameHuey Pierce Smith
Born(1934-01-26)January 26, 1934
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
DiedFebruary 13, 2023(2023-02-13) (aged 89)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
Genres
  • Rock and roll
  • R&B
Occupations
  • Pianist
  • songwriter
  • bandleader
Years active1949–1981
Labels

Huey Pierce "Piano" Smith (January 26, 1934 – February 13, 2023) was an American R&B pianist and session musician whose sound was influential in the development of rock and roll.

His piano playing incorporated the boogie-woogie styles of Pete Johnson, Meade Lux Lewis, and Albert Ammons, the jazz style of Jelly Roll Morton and the R&B style of Fats Domino. Steve Huey of AllMusic noted that "At the peak of his game, Smith epitomized New Orleans R&B at its most infectious and rollicking, as showcased on his classic signature tune, "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu".