Gerard Smith (musician) facts for kids

Gerard Anthony Smith (born September 20, 1974 – died April 20, 2011) was an American musician. He was a member of the band TV on the Radio, which was based in Brooklyn, New York. Gerard also created his own music. He made an album called A Rose Parade with Shannon Funchess. He also worked on music with other groups like Midnight Masses. Sadly, Gerard passed away at age 36 from lung cancer.

A Talented Musician

Gerard Smith was a very talented musician. He taught himself how to play many instruments. These included the piano, bass guitar, organ, classical guitar, and even the sitar. Besides music, he also studied fine arts and art history at college. He attended FIT and SUNY Purchase.

Joining TV on the Radio

In 2003, Gerard was playing music in a subway station in Brooklyn. This is called busking. That's where Tunde Adebimpe, a member of TV on the Radio, found him. Gerard remembered meeting Tunde:

I had seen Tunde in a movie called Jump Tomorrow. I loved movies back then. A year later, I was playing music in the subway. Tunde kept giving me money. Then I realized who he was! I told him I loved his movie. That film was special to me. It showed a Black actor just being a person, not dealing with politics. That meant a lot.

Gerard played on some very popular albums with TV on the Radio. These included Return to Cookie Mountain, Dear Science, and Nine Types of Light.

Music for Movies

Besides playing bass and keyboards for TV on the Radio, Gerard also composed music for films. He and Tunde Adebimpe created the score for a documentary movie. This film was called The Lottery and came out in 2010.

Remembering Gerard Smith

Gerard Smith was a beloved member of his band and the music community. After he passed away, many people paid tribute to him.

Songs and Videos

The song "Killer Crane" from the album Nine Types Of Light was written about Gerard. The band wrote it as they faced his illness. The music video for "Killer Crane" is also a tribute to him. It shows many clips of Gerard.

Concert Tributes

When news of Gerard's death came out on April 20, 2011, other bands honored him. The band The National played a song called "About Today." They dedicated it to Gerard at their concert in Kansas City.

Another band, Dirty Projectors, also paid tribute to Gerard. Their song "While You're Here" is on their 2012 music collection About to Die. This song was written in Gerard's memory.