Category Archives: Paul Tilman Smith

Collection of articles written by Paul Tilman When your father hands you a pair of drumsticks at the age of four, chances are you’ll wind up a drummer. Paul Tillman Smith’s father, George Smith (Kansas City Smitty) played drums during the big band era with many well-known bands including Count Basie, Trummer Young and the Harlem Aces. He was also a mentor to singer Pearl Bailey‘s husband drummer Louie Bellson.
At age fifteen at the urging of his mother Della, Paul began playing the piano. It was soon after that he began to write simple three chord songs like the ones he would hear on the radio. This love has lasted a lifetime.

History of – Paul Tilman Smith……So Far

19/07/24

The Norman Connors days.
Me and Norman were the young Jazz drummer up-and-comers in the sixties in New York. Normans momma was in Philadelphia and mine was in California. Norman could run to his momma’s house to eat while I starved to death,lol. We were best friends but god obviously had different intentions for the both of us. Norman had no idea I had a love for writing silly little songs on the piano from the age of fifteen.

After I left the Jazz Avant Garde John Coltrane era and came back to Oakland I kept playing but started writing again. In the mean time Norman became one of the best show-men Jazz drummers around and people started noticing him and the right record producer gave him a shot and making records and he then started making great records. We had made a pack that if either one of us could ever help the other we would so the band Vitamin E was born. His wife named the band and I at first hated that name but now ironically I use Vitamin E everyday, hahahahahahaha!

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