Dr. Lonnie Smith

Dr. Lonnie Smith is a Hammond B3 organist and NEA Jazz Master who began his musical career as a childhood doo-wop singer in Buffalo before gaining prominence in the city's 1960s jazz scene. He became a recording artist after performing with Brother Jack McDuff and subsequently collaborating with guitarist George Benson, who brought him to the attention of Columbia Records executive John Hammond. A documentary film about Dr. Lonnie Smith and the B3 organ, directed by Howard Goldstein and produced by Emmy-award-winning filmmaker Ed Barreveld, features interviews with collaborators including George Benson, Lou Donaldson, and Rudy Van Gelder.