Johnny "Hammond" Smith | |
|---|---|
 Smith in the 1970s | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Robert Smith |
| Also known as | Johnny Hammond |
| Born | December 16, 1933 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | June 4, 1997 (aged 63) Victorville, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Organ |
John Robert "Johnny Hammond" Smith (December 16, 1933 – June 4, 1997) was an American soul jazz and hard bop organist. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he was a renowned player of the Hammond B-3 organ so earning "Hammond" as a nickname,[1] which also avoided his being confused with jazz guitarist Johnny Smith though this could lead to him being confused with Jimmy Smith (musician), another Hammond great.