Willie Smith - 100 Classic Recordings 1925-53 Format:CD and was famed both for

and was famed both for his work as a ubiquitous session man on hit recordings by major artists

he developed a finger-style technique which set him apart from his peers and gave his music and recordings an increasingly distinctive flavour

and R &B No

including the pop Top 20 hits "There's A Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere" and "Wave To Me My Lady" (which was also a country No

Willie Smith - 100 Classic Recordings 1925-53 Format:CD and was famed both forWillie "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.