Willie Smith

William McLeish Smith (November 25, 1910 – March 7, 1967) was an American saxophonist and one of the major alto saxophone players of the swing era. He also played clarinet and sang.

Birth and Death Data: Born Charleston (largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina), Died March 7, 1967 (Los Angeles (seat of Los Angeles County, and largest city in California, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1957

Roles Represented in DAHR: alto saxophone, clarinet, baritone saxophone, arranger, vocalist, composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 118 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	BVE-62599	10-in.	6/6/1930	In dat mornin'	Moses Allen ; Chickasaw Syncopators ; Jimmie Lunceford	Jazz/dance band, with talk	instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone
Victor	BVE-62600	10-in.	6/6/1930	Sweet rhythm	Chickasaw Syncopators ; Jimmie Lunceford	Jazz/dance band	instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone
Columbia	W141246	10-in.	11/5/1925	Keep your temper	Gulf Coast Seven	Jazz/dance band	composer
Columbia	HCO1630	10-in.	12/19/1945	Who's sorry now?	Harry James Orchestra ; Willie Smith	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Columbia	HCO2025	10-in.	9/13/1946	One more kiss	Harry James Orchestra ; Willie Smith	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Columbia	HCO2772	10-in.	11/10/1947	Lone star moon	Harry James Orchestra ; Willie Smith	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Columbia	HCO3037	10-in.	12/23/1947	Hatsville, U.S.A.	Harry James Orchestra ; Willie Smith	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	vocalist
Excelsior	OR-162-A	10-in.	12/31/1951	Ain't jivin' blues	Wilbert Baranco ; Charles Mingus Sextette ; Henry Coker ; Karl George ; Buddy Harper ; John Plonsky ; Gene Porter ; Willie Smith ; Lucky Thompson ; Claude Trinier ; Lee Young		instrumentalist, alto saxophone
Excelsior	OR-162-B	10-in.	12/31/1951	Baby, take a chance with me	Wilbert Baranco ; Charles Mingus Sextette ; Henry Coker ; Karl George ; Buddy Harper ; John Plonsky ; Gene Porter ; Willie Smith ; Lucky Thompson ; Claude Trinier ; Lee Young		instrumentalist, alto saxophone
Decca	38531	10-in.	9/4/1934	Sophisticated lady-2	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		arranger
Decca	38532	10-in.	9/4/1934	Mood indigo	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		arranger
Decca	38533	10-in.	9/4/1934	Rose room-2	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		arranger
Decca	39551	10-in.	5/29/1935	Sleepy time gal-4, 5	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone
Decca	39552	10-in.	5/29/1935	Bird of paradise-2, 4	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone
Decca	39553	10-in.	5/29/1935	Rhapsody junior-2, 4	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone
Decca	39554	10-in.	5/29/1935	Runnin' wild-3	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone, arranger, baritone saxophone
Decca	39555	10-in.	5/29/1935	Four or five times	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
Decca	39556	10-in.	5/29/1935	Four or five times	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
Decca	39557	10-in.	5/29/1935	(If I had) Rhythm in my nursery rhymes-4	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
Decca	39996	10-in.	9/23/1935	Babs-1, 5	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
Decca	39997	10-in.	9/23/1935	Swanee river-1	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
Decca	39998	10-in.	9/23/1935	Thunder-4	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
Decca	39999	10-in.	9/23/1935	Oh boy-2	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
Decca	60000	10-in.	9/23/1935	Charmaine-1	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
Decca	60001	10-in.	9/23/1935	Hittin' the bottle-2	Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra		instrumentalist, clarinet, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone

(Results 1-25 of 118 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Smith, Willie," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106449.

Smith, Willie. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106449.

"Smith, Willie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.