Claydes Charles Smith facts for kids
Claydes "Charles" Smith (born Claydes Eugene Smith on September 6, 1948 – died June 20, 2006) was an American musician. He was best known as a co-founder and lead guitarist for the famous group Kool & the Gang.
Biography
Claydes Smith was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. His father introduced him to jazz guitar music in the early 1960s.
In the late 1960s, Claydes joined with several other talented musicians. These included Ronald Bell, Robert "Kool" Bell, George Brown, Dennis Thomas, and Robert "Spike" Mickens. Together, they formed the band Kool & the Gang.
Claydes had a unique guitar style. It was inspired by cool jazz and artists like Wes Montgomery. His playing made the band's music special. You can hear his amazing guitar work on their hit song "Summer Madness".
Kool & the Gang mixed different types of music. They blended jazz, funk, R&B, and pop. The group stayed very popular from the 1960s all the way through the 1980s.
Claydes Smith stopped touring with the band in January 2006. He passed away in Maplewood, New Jersey, on June 20, 2006. He is buried in Westfield, New Jersey's Fairview Cemetery.
Claydes had six children: Claydes A. Smith, Justin Smith, Aaron Corbin, August Williams, Uranus Smith-Garay, and Tyteen Humes.
See also
In Spanish: Claydes Charles Smith para niños
de:Claydes Charles Smith
