Marvin "Smitty" Smith (born June 24, 1961) is an American jazz drummer and composer.
Marvin Smith was born in Waukegan, Illinois, where his father, Marvin Sr., was a drummer. "Smitty" was exposed to music at a young age, receiving formal musical training at the age of three.[1]
After graduating from Waukegan East High School, Smith attended Berklee,[2] graduating in 1981. Smith has recorded 200 albums with various artists, as well as two solo albums.[3] He has toured with, among others, Sting, Dave Holland, Sonny Rollins, Willie Nelson and Steve Coleman.[3] He is a former member of The New York Jazz Quartet,[1] and was the drummer for the Tonight Show with Jay Leno band, led by Kevin Eubanks, from January 30, 1995[3] until the show's end on May 29, 2009. Smith was also the drummer for the Jay Leno Show band in 2009-10.[citation needed]