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Drummer in Searcy, Arkansas.
Hal Smith took up drumming in 1963. He listened to classic jazz drummers such as Ben Pollack, Nick Fatool, Wayne Jones, and Fred Higuera in person and later took lessons from Jake Hanna. Hal has also been inspired by the recordings of Dave Tough, Big Sid Catlett, Zutty Singleton, Jo Jones, Vic Berton, Andrew Hillaire, Ray Bauduc, Gene Krupa, George Wettling, Kaiser Marshall, Stan King, Harry Dial, Minor Hall, Wally Bishop, Morey Feld, Johnny Wells and many others. He claims "Chicago Style Jazz" as his favorite type of music, but also enjoys listening to and playing "New Orleans," "New York" and "Kansas City" styles.
Hal has played with some of the greatest jazz musicians from the classic jazz, swing and traditional jazz revival eras, including Wild Bill Davison, Yank Lawson, Billy Butterfield, Bud Freeman, Peanuts Hucko, Ralph Sutton, Eddie Miller, George Van Eps, Milt Hinton, Dick Wellstood, Maxine Sullivan, Dick Cary, Vic Dickenson, Jack Lesberg, Art Hodes, Doc Cheatham, Turk Murphy, Bob Helm, Wally Rose, Bill Napier, Burt Bales, Ellis Horne, "Papa Ray" Ronnei, Percy and Willie Humphrey, Ed "Montudie" Garland, Alton Purnell, Andy Blakeney, Frank Chace, Bob Havens, Pete Fountain, George Probert, Pat Yankee, Kenny Davern,... Read More ... Scott Hamilton, Dave McKenna, Dick Hyman, Eddie Higgins, Bucky Pizzarelli, Jon-Erik Kellso, Dan Barrett, Howard Alden, Jim Galloway, John Sheridan, Randy Reinhart, Allan Vache', John Coccuzi, Ken Peplowski and Ed Polcer.
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