ALBANY – The king of the Albany blues scene has left the building. Guitarist and vocalist Charles “Charlie” Francis Smith, remembered for his immense talent and mesmerizing stage presence, died Wednesday, March 8, from complications of diabetes. He was 72.
A remembrance and benefit event for the local legend will be held Sunday, April 2, at McGeary’s Irish Pub at 4 Clinton Square in Albany from 3-6 p.m. The event will commemorate Smith’s life in music and song and will feature musicians who played with him over the years. Donations will be made to Mohawk Hudson Humane Society. In addition, sales from the Charlie Smith Blues Band’s “Steppin Down Blues Lane” album will help the family cover his funeral and burial costs.
A pioneer of the blues genre, Smith is remembered for changing the lives of many young and established musicians in the Capital Region, pushing them to stretch their musical talents.
Matt Mirabile, Smith’s guitar protege who has earned his own well-deserved musical accolades, will lead the Charlie Smith Blues Band alongside Rob Aronstein on organ and keyboard, and Andy Hearn on drums. Additional musicians and friends who are slated to perform in the all-star tribute include Mark Emanatian & Soul Sky, Scotty Mac, Steve Aldi and Mike Lawrence.
Aronstein said he first saw Smith play in the mid-’80s and was blown away by his sound, voice and stage presence. He started gigging with him in the mid-’90s, with their relationship spanning the decades since.
“The way Charlie worked through a tune and the way he approached improvisation, both very purposefully, had a profound effect on the way I play,” Aronstein said.
He recalled the way Smith would command a room during his performances.
“Charlie was a character, and I will remember the excitement and joy he exhibited every time he got ready to play,” said Aronstein. “He was a one-man spectacle for sure.”
Lawrence, a middle school music educator, said he was approached in college to play a series of summer concerts with Smith.
“He was a legend, so it was a no-brainer,” said Lawrence. “Gigs with Charlie were a whole other educational experience. He was the real deal! You watched his every move on stage or you’d miss something important.”
Orphaned at a young age, Smith spent his early childhood at St. Colman’s Home in Watervliet. It was there he learned to play the trumpet. He later attended the LaSalle school in Albany before emancipating himself at the age of 15.
Smith traveled to New York City, where he was known to play guitar in parks and around Greenwich Village coffee houses.
In the early 1970s, while residing in Chelsea, Smith and his band opened for BB King,The Allman Brothers, Jefferson Airplane, Led Zeppelin and others. He also provided the backing band for blues performer Roy Buchanan several times, and was quite influenced by Buchanan’s style.
“Charlie really involved his audience and knew how to draw them into his performance, and as a solo performer today, I strive to do the same,” Aronstein said.
Smith returned to the Capital District in the late ’70s, moving to a Quail Street rooming house owned by Barbara Norton. There he jammed and hung out with area musicians Bobby Golderman, Mark Patton, Richard Ertelt, Bernie Muleta, Mark Galeo and Mark Davenport.
He enjoyed teaching others, running weekly “Blues School” sessions at his apartment, where he taught both young people and adults how to play the blues. Smith visited Central Park Middle School in Schenectady many times between 2005 and 2010, helping out with the guitar club there, and he shared his stage with students from the middle school and the Blues School.
“Charlie would often bring out the best in (the students); starting by getting them to play less so they could listen more,” said Lawrence.
He said he hopes to continue in Smith’s footsteps by connecting with students who may not typically be enrolled in the school orchestra.
“There is a lot of talent in every generation, some kids just need someone to get a guitar into their hands so they can find it within themselves,” said Lawrence.
