Ethel Smith
1910-1996
The trademark of this rather remarkable organist was her white B3 Hammond organ together with her selection of hats and costumes noted for their bright colours. She travelled the world during her 30 years or more in show business – including venues at Milan, Paris, London and the entertainment of servicemen in the Second World War.
It was while Ethel Smith was playing at the St. Regis Hotel in New York that an agent spotted her and suggested that she use her musical talent in films. It was during that time in the late 1930’s that she began appearing on radio before moving to Hollywood in 1940. One of her several appearances on the silver screen was Bathing Beauty starring Esther Williams in 1944, in which she played a number she became famous for - Tico, Tico, - this was later to become her own theme song.
In a Disney cartoon movie called "Melody Time" released in 1948 and re-released in 1998, Ethel plays a Hammond organ faster and faster in her own individual style until some little rascally furry animal sticks a stick of dynamite under the expression pedal and the organ blows to smithereens and keys fly everywhere.
During her time in show business Ethel recorded 26 albums, the best selling one having Tico, Tico on the cover. She appeared on television in the 1950’s and had a lively nightclub act, adding dancing, singing with brightly coloured costumes and extraordinary hats. Comedy routines were added to her already established spicy organ playing.
The specially made white Hammond organ had the left leg moved forward so that she could swing around and get off the bench without bumping her knee. For stage performances two Leslie speakers enhanced the sound together with two Hammond speakers, which were recessed into the wall either side of the stage.
Because of the interest she created with her magical style of organ playing, she formed her own publishing company and produced a series of instructional books on the Hammond organ. In later years she continued to perform at clubs at Palm Beach after retiring in 1975.
Even today, ten years after her death, Ethel’s theme song Tico, Tico is frequently played by organists using her ‘Hammond sound’ when they are guest players at the many hundreds of UK organ societies. The ‘Hammond Sound,’ so popular at British social clubs in the 1960/1970’s, is now featured on modern keyboards, being a sampled sound to make it indistinguishable from the original organ sound developed by clock-maker Laurens Hammond in 1935 when Ethel Smith was just 25 years old. It was four years later, at the age of 29 that she started on the road to fame, helping to make ‘Hammond’ a household name and earning herself the title: The First Lady of the Hammond Organ.
Quick-Link to Ethel Smith's Tico Tico video on YOUTUBE
Brief biography and
list of Ethel Smith's recordings
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