Willie Smith - 100 Classic Recordings 1925-53Willie "The Lion" Smith was a jazz and stride pianist, rivalling James P. Johnson, Fats Waller and Clarence Williams in the latter style, who was nicknamed "The Lion" because of his bravery serving in the US Army in France in WWI. By 1910 he was already playing in New York clubs and played on his first recording session in 1920.

although he made some excellent records with notable artists along the way

His versatile guitar style consists of both flatpicking and fingerpicking

some of them with the fine singers Ella Mae Morse and Margaret Whiting on vocals

Since the death of his mother

eventually calling himself Jimmy C

"The Great Impostor" and "Hatari"

acquiring the nickname of "The Thunderbolt Of The Middle West"

and this highly entertaining anthology will underline exactly why

pianist and singer Julia Lee grew up singing and playing in the musical hotbed of that city's jazz scene in the '20s and '30s

of many stories and tales

B-side "Long Long While

With their distinctive heavenly harmonies and roots firmly embedded in country music