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Article: THE FORGOTTEN MASTER/ Jazz guitarist Johnny Smith passed up spotlight for real life
- Article from:
- The Gazette
- Article date:
- January 12, 2003
- Author:
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Copyright informationCopyright 2003 The Gazette. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Johnny Smith's hands are at peace in his lap.
These hands are 80 years old, dotted with brown spots and twisted
just a bit. They grasp each other to stave off the the tremors of
age.
These hands hold the secrets of one of the finest jazz guitarists
to ever pick up the instrument - a man who, despite his prodigious
talent, chose obscurity over fame.
And he doesn't regret it.
Nearly a half-century ago, this reluctant guitar hero gave up his
crack at stardom and never looked back. A decade ago, he quit playing
the guitar altogether.
"It's a frustration," Smith says. "You're either in it or you're
out of it, and the in-between is nothing but frustration. Unless
you're performing all the time, ...
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